Rubber Bushing Preservative

[landar]

The suspension bushings on my 02 LS430 appear to be in very good condition and I have been thinking about applying some sort of preservative to them to prolong their life. Since the elements like rain, salt and ozone help to break down rubber compounds, it seems reasonable to apply some sort of sealant or preservative directly to the exposed rubber. Does anyone do this on a regular basis and if so, what do you use? I am thinking a silicone spray may be best. Waste of time?

[mr.ajandkj]

303 Aerospace Protectant, awesome stuff!

[ggemigniani]

Driving style affects bushing life more than anything else. Accelerate and corner aggressively or drive on bumpy roads and they will deteriorate faster and no preservative will prevent it. That said, the 303 Aerospace protectant is excellent. I also like Napa's "Sylglide" silicone grease for any place where rubber rubs against metal or glass (e.g. window channels is an ideal place to use Sylglide).

[lex460]

Driving style affects bushing life more than anything else. Accelerate and corner aggressively or drive on bumpy roads and they will deteriorate faster and no preservative will prevent it. That said, the 303 Aerospace protectant is excellent. I also like Napa's "Sylglide" silicone grease for any place where rubber rubs against metal or glass (e.g. window channels is an ideal place to use Sylglide).

You will be sorry if you get silicone grease on your windows, I would keep it off seals and window slides it also attracts dust and dirt. One place it works good in on the door detents. Just a lite layer top and bottom makes a difference. I also use 303 on my tires.

[curiousB]

The suspension bushings on my 02 LS430 appear to be in very good condition and I have been thinking about applying some sort of preservative to them to prolong their life. Since the elements like rain, salt and ozone help to break down rubber compounds, it seems reasonable to apply some sort of sealant or preservative directly to the exposed rubber. Does anyone do this on a regular basis and if so, what do you use? I am thinking a silicone spray may be best. Waste of time?

Not sure any coating would help. A coating might resist surface damage but the bushings eventually break down due to the constant tearing that goes on while they flex. Add to this a loss of durometer as the compound ages and you have the formula for wear out. At a microscopic level the material tears and eventually the bushing fails.

[ggemigniani]

You will be sorry if you get silicone grease on your windows, I would keep it off seals and window slides it also attracts dust and dirt.

Never had any problem, though I might have a dust and dirt problem if I lived in a dusty environment. Ford owners manuals specifically recommend using Ford Silicone Grease on the door weatherstrips. That's how I got the idea of using it. I use it mainly on the window channels to help the windows roll up and down more effortlessly which in turns prolongs the life of the power window up and down mechanism. The grease makes a huge difference in the roll up effort of manual roll windows, especially if the door panel is removed so the grease can be applied to the window channels deep inside the door. Unlike 303 protectant, the grease lasts for years so one thorough application can keep the windows rolling freely for 5 years.