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View Full Version : KevinsOffRoad.com Super Hard Durometer Trackbar Bushings



BigDaveZJ
07-04-2006, 01:19 PM
A little over 2 and a half years ago I installed Kevin's Front Trackbar conversion and had been totally stoked. But I was finding out quickly that with larger tires and harder wheeling, the regular bushings weren't lasting very long at all, and quickly giving way to play in the steering caused by the loose bushings.

I was dinking around Kevin's site one day contemplating ordering another set of the regular bushings when I saw that he had something new out, the Super Hard Durometer bushings. This peaked my interest, so I shot Kevin an email asking him what the scoop on these was. And from what Kevin said, it was exactly what I was looking for. A much harder bushing that would put up the rigors of heavy off-road use for longer periods of time than the soft squishy bushings. So I ordered up a set just before GSW.

The install was, umm, easy. It's trackbar bushings, you take the old ones out and stick the new ones in! It is a bit trickier getting the new ones in this time around though since they are so hard. I found a vise VERY helpful. Also, be sure to lube the new bushings before they go in.

Driving with the new bushings was definitely an improvement. The dead spot that I had in the steering got considerably smaller, and the steering just felt "tight" again. And the bushings have held up great to wheeling so far too.

I think the Super Hard Durometer bushings are a definite worthwhile upgrade to Kevin's Trackbar Conversion (or to one of the of the bars that they will fit). And frankly, I think Kevin should just up the price of the trackbar conversion and include the new Super Hard Durometer bushings.

The bushings, as well as Kevin's Trackbar Conversion, are available here: http://www.kevinsjeepparts.com/tbconversion.html

SCAMPER ZJ
07-09-2006, 10:31 PM
Sweet Dave, I'll give Kevin a call. I've loved Kevin's track bar, but the steering has definitely gotten squishier over the last year or so, despite checking multiple times to ensure that everything is tight (track bar, steering box and brace, all the castles on the steering), so that may be why. I'll post up when I get them.

Jim311
07-10-2006, 07:57 AM
I have them in my rig too.

JohnBoulderCO
07-10-2006, 10:41 AM
I put them in my WJ's track bar. Made a huge difference. The steering is much tighter. The JKS black poly bushings, which I replaced with Kevin's, felt soft in comparison.

SuRf 092
07-10-2006, 11:34 AM
Sounds like I made a good purchase with these...hopefully installing them in a couple days.

gonecheenin
09-21-2006, 12:18 PM
We installed the KOR trackbar conversion on my girls street queen 93' ZJ
(3.5" RE based lift)

And we found it is also notable that with the much tighter steering, death wobble resistance & all around tougher bushings you get very little increase in road noise/harshness


Absolutely fantastic product all around

Jim311
09-21-2006, 05:03 PM
I'd like to report that my front "super hard" bushings are officially worn out. I go through trackbar bushings pretty quick, though.

gonecheenin
09-21-2006, 05:52 PM
How long did they last

You grease them good when installed? (i actually put grease between the two pcs so it would squeeze out when tightened)

Jim311
09-22-2006, 07:57 AM
What is there to grease? They've got a metal sleeve inside of them that the bolt runs through? I actually don't think they lasted as long as the stock ones that came with my JKS track bar strangely enough.

gonecheenin
09-23-2006, 10:55 AM
theres no provision for greasing after installation

So you need to get as much in as possible when your inserting them



Wouldn't be hard to add a grease fitting where the two halfs meet though, if mine wear out prematurely thats what i'll be doing with the next set.

KevinF
08-19-2008, 12:03 AM
What is there to grease? They've got a metal sleeve inside of them that the bolt runs through? I actually don't think they lasted as long as the stock ones that came with my JKS track bar strangely enough.

Jim:
I'm happy to send you (and anyone else who purchased them) a replacement set if they wear out. Though I've had a customer or two need another pair, this is a rarity that they are needing to be replaced at all. Just shoot me an e-mail.

kevin@kevinsoffroad.com

Thanks,
Kevin

MUDDTRACKS
08-19-2008, 02:37 AM
hey Kevin a little behind that was 2 years ago lol


but always nice to see a vendor who stands behind there work

I actualy broke your steering gear brace but i know that was from the way i wheel. So i modified a bit and works great now.

ArloGuthroJeep
08-19-2008, 09:41 AM
I had some a while ago that I bought through Kolak. They worked great when my axle wasn't centered (about 1-1.5" to the drivers side). It was like that for probably 6-8 months. When I finally got around to centering my axle, the bushing failed 2 weeks later. Kolak sent me a freee replacement. It too failed about 1 month later (after a trip to Moab). Replaced with the JKS ones and they have held up better. Something about my set up doesn't like them, which is too bad because they were much nicer then the JKS ones other then the durability for me:(

KevinF
08-20-2008, 08:16 PM
hey Kevin a little behind that was 2 years ago lol


but always nice to see a vendor who stands behind there work

I actualy broke your steering gear brace but i know that was from the way i wheel. So i modified a bit and works great now.

No problem, my friend. I didn't even notice the date when I posted.

KevinF
08-20-2008, 08:18 PM
I had some a while ago that I bought through Kolak. They worked great when my axle wasn't centered (about 1-1.5" to the drivers side). It was like that for probably 6-8 months. When I finally got around to centering my axle, the bushing failed 2 weeks later. Kolak sent me a freee replacement. It too failed about 1 month later (after a trip to Moab). Replaced with the JKS ones and they have held up better. Something about my set up doesn't like them, which is too bad because they were much nicer then the JKS ones other then the durability for me:(

Now that's odd. Why do you think re-centering the axle would have anything to do with it...? Shouldn't matter at all. Strange.
Kevin

ArloGuthroJeep
08-21-2008, 11:23 AM
Now that's odd. Why do you think re-centering the axle would have anything to do with it...? Shouldn't matter at all. Strange.
Kevin

No idea, I am considering trying it again now that I am running Claytons. Only thing I could think of is that the trackbar was centering the axle, but something else wanted to push it to the side causing stress to constantly be put on the bushing.

93ZeeJ
08-21-2008, 01:17 PM
i was contemplating ordering these for the KOR track bar conversion im getting and after reading this i think im going to give them a try ( the KOR conversion is used and needs new bushings anyways)

hopefully i dont have the same problem that you did Ryan... i dont think i will though.

BigDaveZJ
08-21-2008, 01:26 PM
FWIW, we run the Super Hard Durometers now in my ZJ, Pam's ZJ, and my dad's ZJ, and all 3 have held up fine for a few years now. Pam's is the only one that gets DD'd, but they have held up very well in the year or so they've been in. They've been in my dad's ZJ for almost 2 years now, and it sees somewhat regular use, and then in my ZJ for a little over 3 years now.

fpkites
08-21-2008, 02:19 PM
I believe the conversion I got from JSteves has the duro bushings, but not positive. Mine looked great when I installed the trackbar. No telling how long Justin had it in use.

ArloGuthroJeep
08-21-2008, 02:52 PM
i was contemplating ordering these for the KOR track bar conversion im getting and after reading this i think im going to give them a try ( the KOR conversion is used and needs new bushings anyways)

hopefully i dont have the same problem that you did Ryan... i dont think i will though.

I wouldn't worry about that. I think I was the exception, not the rule. I am the only one I have heard of to have problems with them.

fpkites
08-21-2008, 03:12 PM
Ryan, duro bushings weren't the only ones you were eating like candy - I seem to remember you going through CA bushings like water too.

ArloGuthroJeep
08-21-2008, 05:34 PM
Steep control arm angles do that:D

WJJEEPIN
08-21-2008, 06:17 PM
I've had mine for a few months now. I went to 5" springs and the DW came back. (I've ordered LA's to correct, just waiting for them to ship)

I had the other style Kolak sells for over a year before that and these are way stiffer and have calmed the beast.

Just an fyi, if your rocking the other bushing from Kolak which require replacing the JKS sleeves and are going to swap back your going to need your original JKS sleves for these bushings. I stuipdly tossed mine when I did the swap over a year ago and had to order a new set as these dont come with sleeves. (For WJ owners, dont know if that is the same for ZJers)

KevinF
08-25-2008, 07:19 PM
I've had mine for a few months now. I went to 5" springs and the DW came back. (I've ordered LA's to correct, just waiting for them to ship)

I had the other style Kolak sells for over a year before that and these are way stiffer and have calmed the beast.



Did you have the toe-in readjusted? If not, that's probably the cause more so than bushings. Also, did you replace tire/wheel combos at the same time. Sometimes that is enough to set it off as well, particularly if the size of the contact patch has changed.

Also, unless you know about some SUPER-SUPER-DUPER durometer bushings that Nick sells that I don't know of, our SD bushings would be the stiffest on the market. If you compared a set of the SD bushings next to the Energy Suspension (that Nick sells) and the Daystar bushings (that come in most aftermarket track bars), you'd notice a HUGE difference. The Daystars are around 43D, the ESP around 48D if memory serves, and the SDs around 61D. Here is a link to the Rockwell scale of hardness if you're curious how these are rated: http://www.calce.umd.edu/general/Facilities/Hardness_ad_.htm#3.1

Kevin

napajeep
08-25-2008, 07:30 PM
Also, unless you know about some SUPER-SUPER-DUPER durometer bushings that Nick sells that I don't know of, our SD bushings would be the stiffest on the market.
Kevin

I think if you re-read his post you would see that he was stating that your bushings are harder than the ones Nick sells.

WJJEEPIN
08-26-2008, 07:44 PM
I think if you re-read his post you would see that he was stating that your bushings are harder than the ones Nick sells.

Exactly. :D

The supers are harder, not contest!!! I was just meaning that I got the bushing after the lift to calm the wobbles from the old softer bushings. Swapping to LA to clean up the steering as a whole.

Will

KevinF
08-27-2008, 05:35 PM
Ok, got it! I think what confused me was that Nick sells BOTH our products AND the Energy Suspension products as well. Thanks for the clarification on what you meant!!

Kevin

quadratokn
01-06-2011, 06:15 PM
these bushings cured my death wobble 99%. longs arms seemed to be the only sure cure

Daniel-J
11-13-2019, 05:04 AM
Thank you for the link, I was just planning to order them this month.