TRD/ Magnuson 4.0 Supercharger Tips, Tricks, and Mods

I've ran Energy Bushings for years on everything on the Taco, including swapping out the rack bushings for Energy, and some on the Minitruck and don't have any issues or squeaks.. Conditions and Use are big factors I'm assuming. They haven't failed or worn.

 

This is also a valid point. Just like anything, bushings can be a wear item and none are exempt from wear, despite being more rigid and less prone to warpage/ cracking/ splitting than the OEM ones.

 

You've scared me away from ever buying a factory turbo'd anything lol

 

Man. Raptors look so cool. Say it ain't so

 

I've never bought anything turbo'd for a reason.

 

Maybe you can suggest something different that I do... I have poly bushings still in my rack that are all whacked out, and poly bushings in my leaf springs that make noise - need to add zerks in the spring eyes when I put in my deavers... and I want to replace my engine mounts but just fearing poly at this point...

 

Whiteline has can and steering rack bushings I believe. Superpro would be another option

 

Can you show me? I don't see either for rack bushings. Hopefully you see more than I do, and hopefully you aren't mistaken with 1st gen tacoma parts. I do see that whiteline has body mount bushings... but the kit looks identical in form to the energy one, and I am so much more happy with new OEM, I wouldn't consider changing to poly again for those at this point.

https://superprousa.com/collections/all/2005-toyota-tacoma-base-esi6400396
https://whitelineperformance.com/collections/all/2005-toyota-tacoma-base-esi4321788

for some reason both websites list more products when you select 'base' models compared to prerunner or xrunner.


conceptually, I don't like the poly body mount setup..too many parts and rubbing/contact of metal/metal is inevitable. I do wish you could body lift more with stock bushings... I'd totally take a 1/2" more of body lift if I could. OEM stock bushings have different durometer rubber front/rear/radiator for a reason, they aren't that expensive, and the front radiator bushings need to flex way more than the poly allows for, else the core support and fenders will take all the flex and start cracking. But, I digress, everyone that thinks poly is better is super convinced of it and since they spent money on aftermarket it must be the best thing since sliced bread. If stock mounts are collapsing after 100k miles,,, just replace them is my advice. I get it that others have different experiences. My truck is really heavy... I don't feel that I beat on it hard, but it does take abuse for sure. For me, OEM for the win on this one. And I am usually a proponent of customizations and improvements to factory parts.

The big question, replace motor mounts with stock and get that kind of reliability for another bunch of miles/time, or go to the aftermarket poly and deal with more vibes and stiffness overall.... I want to like poly but I just keep having bad experiences.

For my steering rack... I think I will put a new set of poly energy bushings in, since the stock are out already it should be easy to replace with the rack in the truck still... and this time I won't lube them. Maybe I had a bunk set of sleeves that didn't fit the bolts well, and perhaps they need to be dry/greasless, and get 'bite' on the metal that way,,, similar to how a CV boot clamped to a greasy axle will move and weep, whereas a dry axle will stay put and not leak...

But then you have to lubricate some poly, anything with rotation has to have lube on the sleeve and shoulders else squeaking and wear are result. I dunno...

 

guess whiteline doesn't have steering rack bushings. my bad i thought i saw them.

there is this from superpro which should be compatible.
https://superpro.com.au/find/superp...25-4wd-/productnr-SPF3144K/cid-999501237/vid-

 

good find! it is interesting, different design, although similar, to the energy. Do you know anything on the difference in the superpro blue material compared to energy red or black?


this has an added metal to metal point, possible movement or noise, where the washer can move on the sleeve. Whereas the energy is a one piece washer/sleeve, but an upper half and lower half. But the superpro has a single sleeve all the way through, instead of a two piece sleeve. So pros/cons...



When the bushings are really stiff... you get a lot of feedback into the steering wheel, jarring. But that isn't the same as bump steer really. But the shock loads tend to wear out the bushing material. And when the whole bushing/sleeve moves on the frame, the whole rack shifts, and the steering wheel goes crooked until it gets knocked back. I have both problems right now lol.

Thanks in advance for any real feedback on the difference in design, or material.

 

@racebug68 That shifting in the rack you're explaining (blown/sloppy bushings) is why I went to Poly bushings.. and havent had that issue since. IDK what else would be different. I havent done any crazy modifications to them.. Just lubed during install and keep them clean as best I can. All the poly bushings definitely stiffen up everything.. but again.. at least for me.. its such a drop in the bucket when compared to everything else going on with the truck (blower whine, Tire hum, loud stereo and random rattles from it or bumps in the road, etc, other squeaks and stuff.. blah blah.) I just dont notice them if they are even there.

 

I also believe the play in the steering comes from the rubber donut in the column.

 

https://www.carid.com/whiteline/fro...13400.html?filter=1&view=775681&year_id=10198

aren’t these it ?

 

yup, glad i haven't completely lost my mind.

 

I replaced the intermediate shaft way back when I first got the truck and was super OCD and I had a warranty and all that jazz... havent thought to check since but I'm sure its all worn out again too. It all adds up for sure.

 

poly es bushings are in my old hotrod/current work truck. they squeek but thats because they dont get correct lube service. 17 years no headaches. maybe a compond change? with correct lube mine may be aces. thing drove like a race car when lowered. my experience with es has been great years ago. now may be different story.

 

another good find, Thanks. I wonder why these products didn't show up when I searched by vehicle.. yet the fitment of them specifies compatible with said vehicle. Oh well, the whiteline bushings actually do look different, I'll do some more research.

Anyone out there put whiteline or superpro bushings in before? Any feedback or suggestions?

For the record, I don't have any play in the steering wheel that could be attributed to the intermediate shaft or the rubber coupler. no play when I move the wheel back and forth, it steers the tires with great sensitivity. but when the tires get hit by a pothole, crack, manhole cover, it will send a shock through the steering and jolt the wheel back and forth. And when I steer hard enough, or there is a steering load high enough, it will shift the rack and result in a crooked wheel.

 

I used to have this exact issues as well, like to a T, and for THE LONGEST time I couldn't figure out for the life of me WTF was going on. It was driving me absolutely nuts.

The issue started happening post rack install and the only thing different was the polyurethane bushings. As it turns out (after methodically narrowing everything down) I determined that the issue was that because the bushings were harder and allowed for less play, you also needed to crank down the retaining bolts on them harder than what I thought was good just to keep things in place. That being said it didn't help that I used an electric impact gun to torque them down in the first place, so this may had been the issue. A general lack of torquing power from an electric impact which may have had a weaker charged battery at the time. It has been a long time since I tracked that issue down and even longer since the install so that may be off.

Nevertheless I decided enough was enough and used a a large 2.5 - 3 foot 1/2" breaker bar to torque them down. Zero issues ever since.

If the issue persists for you after the fact you may want to check those tie rod jam nuts and make sure they are nice and tight as well. You should have no issues after that.

 

How's the durometer of your current bushings? I had the superpro way back on my sway bar bushings. The bushings were overly stiff and didn't conform to the shape very well. It caused suspension to knock rather than absorb any angle changes. As @12TRDTacoma stated, he found his poly bushings overly stiff and applied more torque. My bushings started deforming so I went to energy suspension and didn't have a problem after.