Bushing Grease

Nolathane bushing grease is a poly bushing grease made for fitting and servicing polyurethane suspension bushings. Polyurethane bushing grease lets the bushings pivot on their sleeves and in their housings without squeaking or binding.

The right grease also protects the bushing surfaces from wear, and keeps water and grit out. Each listing shows the pack size.

Why Polyurethane Bushings Need Grease

Rubber and polyurethane bushings work in different ways. A bonded rubber bushing is glued to its inner sleeve and outer shell, and it twists as the suspension moves. Polyurethane isn?t bonded. Instead, the polyurethane bushing rotates on its inner sleeve, and sometimes within its housing.

That rotation means two surfaces slide against each other. Without a lubricated surface between them, polyurethane bushings squeak, bind and wear faster. Grease lets them rotate smoothly and quietly, so they can last as long as they?re designed to.

Choosing Grease for Polyurethane Bushings

When you?re choosing grease for polyurethane bushings, compatibility comes first.

• Polyurethane-safe greases are formulated not to attack the bushing material.
• Silicone-based greases are a common compatible type, because silicone doesn?t react with polyurethane.
• Petroleum-based and general-purpose greases, including some lithium greases, aren?t always approved for polyurethane. Some can soften or degrade the bushing material over time, so avoid them unless they?re specifically labeled as safe for polyurethane.

Consistency matters too. A thick, water-resistant grease stays where you put it, rather than washing out after a few wet drives. A thin lube or spray lubricant won?t last in a suspension bushing.

Bushings That Shouldn?t Be Greased

Not every bushing needs grease. Bonded rubber bushings don?t rotate, because the rubber is bonded to the sleeves and twists instead. Greasing them does nothing useful, and some greases can soften or damage some rubber compounds.

Always follow the bushing maker?s instructions. If a bushing is polyurethane and designed to rotate, grease it. If it?s bonded rubber, leave it dry.

How to Grease Polyurethane Bushings

Apply the grease during fitting, before the bushing goes into its housing.

Inner Bore and Sleeve

The inner bore is the most important area. Coat the inside of the bushing?s bore and the outside of the inner sleeve, because that?s where most of the rotation happens.

Flanges and Washer Faces

Coat the faces of any flanges, and the washer faces they sit against. These surfaces rub as the bushing moves, and they?re a common source of squeaks.

Outer Shell

Where the bushing rotates inside its housing, apply a coat to the outside of the bushing where it contacts the shell or mount.

How Much to Use

Use a thin, even coat on every sliding surface. There?s no need to pack the bore full. Too much grease just squeezes out and collects dirt.

Sway Bar and Other High-Movement Bushings

Sway bar mount bushings are the most common squeak point on a vehicle, because the bar rotates in them every time the suspension moves. That makes sway bar bushing grease especially important.

Grease the sway bar bushings well at fitting, and re-grease them during routine service. Control arm bushings and other high-movement positions benefit from the same care.

Re-Greasing and Maintenance

Some suspension parts use greasable pins fitted with a zerk fitting, or grease fitting. On those, you can add fresh grease with a grease gun during routine service, without taking the bushing apart.

Where there?s no grease fitting, a bushing that starts to squeak can be removed, cleaned of old grease and grit, and re-greased. Check the bushings during routine service, especially on vehicles driven in wet, dusty or salty conditions. The same approach applies when you grease the rest of the suspension.

Limitations and Trade-Offs

• Grease can?t fix a worn, split or wrong-sized bushing
• Over-greasing attracts grit, which can wear the bushing
• Grease doesn?t change handling. It reduces noise and wear

Support

If you have questions about which grease to use, or where to apply it, our local support team can help.

Shop Bushing Grease

Bushing grease sits in our universal auto parts selection, along with general suspension grease for chassis service.

Find the right bushing grease for your polyurethane bushings, and order online with fast shipping.