Energy Suspension VS Whiteline.

[boostedinaz]

I am going to do the suspension on the Galant, and clean it up of course, and want to replace ball joints and bushing while I am at it. After looking around I have two options:

1. An entire kit, whole car, from Energy Suspension for 130.00

2. Just the bushings I need, 4 pairs, from Whiteline for a over 200.00.

I don't mind paying the extra money if it will truly be a benefit me. Any pro or cons for either company? Anyone like one over the other? Why? The car is my daily and really doesn't need new bushings, but I only want to do this once and do it right.

 

[jepherz]

The ES "full kit" is not put together by ES, and is just a collection of all of the bushings THEY OFFER for DSMs that the vendors throw together (Which they shouldn't be doing and pisses Energy Suspension off). You'll end up short some bushings even with that whole kit. If you end up getting any bushings from Whiteline in addition to the ES "Kit", you won't be using a bunch of the kit either.

Whiteline offers caster bushings for the front and camber bushings for the rear. I used the caster bushings, but didn't need to install camber bushings to get the camber I wanted. If you plan on upgrading your sway bars with whiteline bars, they will come with bushings, so the sway bar bushings in the ES "kit" will be un-used.

NOBODY makes bushings for the front radiator support, the two bushings on the rear subframe, or the two bushings in the rear mustache brace. The radiator support bushings probably aren't necessary to replace. The rear mustache brace bushings are usually in good shape by construction and location, and the 2 rear subframe bushings are pretty hollow from the factory. I found that filling the empty voids with window weld made them more than hard enough for my own liking. Otherwise you can make your own from polyurethane or the user Boostx on here is making a run of them I believe.

An additional benefit of Energy Suspension is they WILL be in stock and you'll have them quickly. The WhiteLines may or may not be. ES also supplies a much better grease with their bushings.

 

[boostedinaz]

All of that I gathered from searching previous bushing post, but what I want to know if is it worth the extra expense to go with Whiteline over ES?

 

[jepherz]

No, but they offer some differences you can't get through ES, like I mentioned above.

 

[Polish]

The ES front control arm bushings I used were great and easy to install. As were the Whiteline front sway bar bushings. It's all I did on the front. The bushings I got from Summit were for the TEL but fit the GVR4.

The rear ES makes the upper and lower control arm bushings, swaybar bushings (I had Whiteline but ES makes them too) and the trailing arm bushings, it's what I got but never installed. It's what my Talon had done, the PO installed them though. I know they were a tough install but it's worth it imho.

I would go with Whiteline for the sway bar since they are the right size. 21mm front and 19mm rear as opposed to the ES which are 20mm for both unless they changed it. So the front is too tight and the rear is a little loose. If you plan on upgrading the rear sway then it will come with new.

Here are 2 threads with tons of info.

click
click

 

[boostedinaz]

I won't be doing the sway bars as those are already done. I will just be doing the suspension arms.

Do the extra caster make a big difference?

 

[iceman69510]

The adjustable caster bushings are for two different reasons:

1. You want to add caster (not really necessary for a street car, more useful for autocross or track).
2. You have front end damage and need to correct for it.

 

[Dan D]

The added caster is worth it. It just feels better, more snappy and responsive imo. The rest can just be ES bushings. That is how my car is and I like. Plus the ES are cheaper.

 

[boostedinaz]

^^^^
My thoughts as well now.

Thanks guys.

 

[jepherz]

Also, the caster bushings are not adjustable. You just put them in and go.

 

Just get the front subframe and suspension bushings from ES instead of the full kit, and use WS swaybar and caster bushings. That would also be a good time to inspect/replace your ball joints and tie rod ends. I elected to go with Moog (make a lot of domestic parts) as they seem to be better built for similar cost, and are also serviceable instead of sealed.

Edit: I forgot to add endlinks in there. I got mine w/my Whiteline bar, but they were just OEM parts.

 

Quote:
NOBODY makes bushings for the front radiator support, the two bushings on the rear subframe, or the two bushings in the rear mustache brace.



FYI, Noltec does offer and still make the rear mustache brace busings. Part # N92170. They're about $95.

 

[cheekychimp]

^ +1

 

[jepherz]

Quote:
Quote:
NOBODY makes bushings for the front radiator support, the two bushings on the rear subframe, or the two bushings in the rear mustache brace.



FYI, Noltec does offer and still make the rear mustache brace busings. Part # N92170. They're about $95.



Damn, My bad. I know they used to make the rear subframe bushings but they had stopped and people said they didn't fit well anyways.