David---From what I can gather, anyone who has changed over from rubber
to a synthetic bushing may say they've 'gone urethane.' I really don't
think it's all that important that one who uses, say urethane in the
front suspension use the same urethane in the rear suspension. Once you
decide to get out of the stock rubber to harder bushings, the
differences are minimal. Unless one has a way to test the car under
timed/track repeatable conditions, I don't think you can tell whether
there's nylatron, urethane, nylon or hard rubber in the suspension
pieces. The chassis in these cars flex a lot. All we're trying to do
when replacing stock suspension parts is to try to come up with
something that helps the car goe where you point it. Then it's just a
matter of trading off some comfort. It can also make the car harder to
handle if you dial in too much oversteer, so you need to know your
limits, too. There are some good books on chassis dynamics out there.
One by Carroll Smith comes to mind. If you're interested, I'll dig out
the particulars...
The cost difference in the different materials used and sold might also
reflect the longivity of the parts. I have no way of knowing whether my
nylatron parts are going to last any longer than the urethane.
Clear as pea soup?
Dick T.
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