Nolathane vs Polyurethane for lower control arms

[NeddyBear]

While under the car replacing the steering boots I see the lower control arm ball joint rubbers are stuffed (most likely 14 years old) so I've been looking into replacing both arms with new units.
Repco has the arms with the Nolathane bushes for $446.00 a pair and I find on Ebay I can purchase the arms with the Nolathane bushes for $333.00 a pair.
One other option is to purchase on Ebay 2 complete sets of the black Polyurethane bushes with genuine Holden ball joints for $100.00 and fit them myself.

I've looked up both products on YouTube and as far as I can see there both the same products, Nolathane is just a brand name for the Polyurethane product is this correct?.

 

[Immortality]

Correct.

Urethane or polyurethane is the product the bushes are made from Nolathane is just a brand name that make bushes from Urethane.

Urethane is an interesting product, other manufacturers these days make different hardness bushes when compared with the original red Nolathane bushes.

 

[Tsunamix]

Polyurethane can be made in hardnesses that vary from plywood to pencil eraser. IT's very durable and extremely tear resisitant, but shrinks in cold weather.

If you ever want to cut urethane with a saw - stick it in the freezer overnight.

Color is no indication of hardness - urethane is generally a straw / clear colored liquid, unless additives like glass or cotton fibre are added.

Technically it's an epoxy, so all the care and handling used in epoxy relates, so does it's chemical resistance.

 

[VS 5.0]

Correct.

Urethane or polyurethane is the product the bushes are made from Nolathane is just a brand name that make bushes from Urethane.

Urethane is an interesting product, other manufacturers these days make different hardness bushes when compared with the original red Nolathane bushes.

I was steered towards SuperPro over Nolathane due to SuperPro being a more compliant (softer) bush than Nolathane and coz not race car.

 

[Immortality]

Yeah, fairly much. I've been using Superpro of recent. No complaints so far.

 

[Pollushon]

I quite prefer Nolathane brand on the lower bushings, specifically link pins (can't over-tighten), LCA and caster but Superpro all the way for sway bar and especially strut tops (or OEM rubber). You can get a good mix of performance, feedback and comfort.

The VY SS I just grabbed is 100% Nolathane across the front end, it's fun when you have a hankering but annoying when you just want to cruise. That's getting fixed ASAP.

 

[Tonner Matt]

Years ago I used to use nolathane, thought it was the best you could get, had fitted it throughout my old cruiser ute.
I was lucky to get twelve months out of the spring eye & shackle bushes and they would go brittle and just crumble. Was using the right grease for lube also in the greasable shackles
Ended up going back to standard rubber and got a couple of years out of them, ended up selling the ute

Then I discovered Superpro and have never looked back.
My Troopy has a 2inch lift, and has superpro bushes in or on everthing, the spring eyes & shackles, caster rod bushes, shocky bushes, panhard rod and front & rear sway bars
After 4 years everything is still in serviceable condition, admittedly with some fair wear and tear

I know off people who have had Nolathane bushes hanging up in there workshop as stock and they have gone to crumbs just sitting in there bags.
This was a few years ago though, and from what I understand, Nolathane has now addressed the issue.

Nowadays I use Superpro exclusively
This is not me **** canning nolathane, just my personal experiences

 

[ephect]

The uthane bushes are meant to be re-greased every 2 years, I actually read the manual when installing my kmac camber kit.. Had no idea until 6months ago.

I might try superpro next round of bush replacements, sick of the harshness from nolathane.

 

[Tonner Matt]

sick of the harshness from nolathane.

I know exactly what you mean
We bought the missus a vx sedan years ago that had nolathane throughout the front end
While it did handle like it was on rails, and was a great car to drive, it was bloody harsh when you hit a pothole in the road any bigger than a 50 cent piece

 

[Immortality]

I quite prefer Nolathane brand on the lower bushings, specifically link pins (can't over-tighten), LCA and caster but Superpro all the way for sway bar and especially strut tops (or OEM rubber). You can get a good mix of performance, feedback and comfort.

The VY SS I just grabbed is 100% Nolathane across the front end, it's fun when you have a hankering but annoying when you just want to cruise. That's getting fixed ASAP.

Really, I don't how many Nolathane bushes (on link pins) were spat out by our old VS. Eventually fitted the new style links with ball joints at both ends and never had any other problems (with the link arms).

Also running a 225/50/17 on our VX, that extra bit of tyre side wall also makes a difference