SUPERPRO, RIVAL Bushing Grease

Bushing grease is a specialised lubricant made for suspension bushes. These are the polyurethane and rubber components that cushion the joints between your control arms, sway bar, leaf springs and chassis. The right bush grease keeps your suspension quiet, protects steel sleeves from rust and helps your bushes last for years.

Fulcrum Suspensions stocks SuperPro and Ezy Grease bushing grease in single-use sachets and 500 g workshop tubs. Whether you're fitting one sway bar bush or rebuilding a 4WD front end, you'll have exactly the amount you need.

Why Polyurethane Suspension Bushes Need Grease

Most factory rubber bushes are bonded to their inner sleeve and flex internally. Polyurethane bushes work differently: they aren't bonded, so they pivot around the metal sleeve, pin or sway bar much like a bearing.

That movement creates friction between the poly and the steel. Without polyurethane bushing grease, you can expect squeaks, extra noise, vibration and harshness (NVH), and faster wear. Moisture can also get in and rust the steel surfaces. A rusted sleeve acts like sandpaper and slowly wears away the bush's internal knurling.

A quality suspension bush grease prevents this. It creates a slippery, water-resistant barrier that stays put through thousands of suspension cycles. The grooves and knurling inside a well-designed bush hold small reservoirs of grease, so lubrication continues long after installation.

Types of Bushing Grease

Silicone-Based Grease with PTFE

Silicone grease with a PTFE additive is the industry standard for polyurethane bushes. It's very tacky, so it clings to both poly and zinc-plated sleeves. It also resists water washout and won't degrade polyurethane. Most poly bush manufacturers supply this type of grease with their kits.

Lithium-Based Grease

Lithium grease sticks well to metal and handles heat, which makes it a good choice for sealed, metal-on-metal parts such as ball joints and wheel bearings. On poly bushes, though, it's usually thinner and less tacky. Some bush manufacturers also advise that it may dry polyurethane out over time, so it's not the first choice for poly.

Clay-Based Pin and Bush Grease

Clay-based pin and bush grease is a general-purpose option for fitting rubber and polyurethane bushes. It's most often used as an assembly lubricant for press-fit bushes and rubber bushing grease applications.

How to Choose the Right Bush Grease

Start with the bush manufacturer's recommendation. Using the recommended grease is normally part of the installation instructions that bush warranties rely on.

Next, think about how you drive:

• Daily drivers and performance cars: A tacky silicone-based grease keeps bushes quiet through hard cornering and long highway kilometres.
• 4WDs and touring vehicles: Beach runs, river crossings, mud and corrugations put the most strain on grease. Choose a highly water-resistant formula and check your bushes more often.
• Greasable bolts and shackles: Choose a grease that suits your grease gun so you can top up without dismantling anything.

Finally, match the pack size to the job. Sachets suit a single bush kit or a quick fix. A 500 g tub is better value for workshops and for anyone doing a full suspension rebuild.

Lubricants to Avoid on Suspension Bushes

Some common workshop lubricants do more harm than good on poly bushes:

• Motor oil: It lubricates well in a sealed engine but won't stay on an exposed bush for long.
• Spray lubricants: Aerosols may silence a squeak for a few days, but they wash away quickly. They're a short-term band-aid, not a fix.
• Petroleum-based chassis grease: Over time, petroleum products can soften or dry out polyurethane, which can lead to cracking and early failure.
• Anti-seize and copper grease: These are designed for threads and metal-to-metal contact, not for pivoting polyurethane.

Avoid mixing different greases, because their bases and additives often aren't compatible. If squeaks come back soon after installation, or your bushes look dry, cracked or discoloured, the wrong lubricant (or too little of it) is usually the cause.

How to Apply Bushing Grease

Good preparation and generous coverage make all the difference:

1. Clean everything. Remove old grease, dirt and rust from the sleeves, bar and mounting brackets.
2. Grease every surface that touches metal. Coat the bush bore, the inner sleeve or crush tube, the outer faces, the washers and the section of sway bar where the D-bush sits.
3. Work grease into the knurling and grooves. These pockets hold grease for the life of the bush.
4. Fit the components. Grease also acts as an assembly lubricant, helping sleeves slide in and bushes seat correctly.
5. Wipe away excess. Grease on the outside of the assembly attracts dirt and grit.

Regrease when you hear squeaking, whenever bushes are removed, or after heavy off-road or wet-weather use. Greasable shackles and bolts can be topped up through their grease nipples with a grease gun.

What Makes a Quality Bushing Grease

The best polyurethane bushing grease has four qualities:

• High adhesion: It stays on the bush under load and suspension movement.
• Water washout resistance: It survives rain, creek crossings and pressure washing.
• A wide operating temperature range: It stays stable in Australian summer heat and doesn't thicken in the cold.
• Material compatibility: It won't harm polyurethane or rubber.

Grease that passes adhesion and water-resistance testing keeps friction low for longer, so you rarely need to pull suspension apart just to relubricate it.

Shop Bushing Grease at Fulcrum Suspensions

Fulcrum Suspensions has been Australia's suspension specialist since 1976. Our range includes:

• SuperPro Grease Tub 500 g: Formulated specifically to complement SuperPro polyurethane suspension bushes. Ideal for workshops and full suspension rebuilds.
• Ezy Grease sachets: Convenient, mess-free single-use packs in multi-pack sizes, ideal for individual bush kits and toolbox top-ups.
• Ezy Grease 500 g tub: A larger-volume option for regular suspension work.

Bushing grease is part of our universal parts range, which also carries trade packs for workshops that service bushes regularly.

Shop bushing grease online with fast Australia-wide shipping, or visit one of our stores. Our team can help you find the right grease, bushes and suspension upgrades for your vehicle.