Just wondering if new poly bushings can be painted a different color from the red they come in. Is there a special procedure or paint that is needed or will a spray can paint do the trick. I'd like my new bushings yellow. Anyone done this..

jmex

I would highly doubt anything would hold up. If you. If you had gotten white bushings you MIGHT be able to dye them.

Bushings are always solicitated so is the material it is made of.
Any paint would crack soon or later.

I personally like the red colour of poly bushing

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Bernard
Fiero V6 GT 1987 (Manual)

The only sources for the fiero poly bushings I've found are red, have not found any in white or any other color. I know they make poly bushings in different colors as I got some blue ones for my bronco restore. I've also seen yellow ones too but none other than red for the fieros. I may practice on a few with different paints and then rough them up a bit and see how they hold up.

I've seen black and gray Poly... I think the gray ones were some kind of factory-lubricated thing.

Poly bushings come in different colors to represent different durometers (hardness)
I've only seen red available for Fiero applications. If I recall the black bushings are not polyurethane but a different material with graphite lubricant embedded into them.
You cannot paint them because the paint won't adhere properly and once greased the paint will just peel off.
Be careful with the type of paint you use, Some chemicals can react with the urethane and soften it.
Also you don't want to get paint on the contact surfaces because the paint could gall and damage the bushings. Poly bushings are designed to be free-floating and anything other than a lubricant getting between the bushing and sleeve surface can cause problems.

[This message has been edited by Oreif (edited 02-14-2010).]

quote Originally posted by jmex: I'd like my new bushings yellow. Anyone done this..

By the time you grease them and dirt and grime collects, they won't be yellow for long.

Prothane has a complete poly suspension kit with everything in BLACK. http://www.summitracing.com...s/PTP-7-2034-BL/All/
They also have BLACK cradle mounts (PN 7-502 is red) http://www.summitracing.com/parts/PTP-7-502-BL/

People restoring classics want "original look" and usually buy their poly in black.
Energy Suspension has red, black and graphite, but have limted stuff for the Fiero (universal fit parts for sway bars)
I used their black poly parts for my Indy's sway bar bushings and end links.



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My World of Wheels Winners (Click on links below)

3.4L Supercharged 87 GT and Super Duty 4 Indy #163

[This message has been edited by fierosound (edited 02-14-2010).]

I have black Prothanes for mine.

As far as I know, the only difference between the red and black bushings are the color, and not any other properties.

I doubt any kind of paint would stick to polyurethane... even if you get it to stick initially, it's likely to flake off over time, looking really bad.

Just curious, why is the color so important? Is this a show car displayed without wheels?

It's not important, just don't have anything red on the vehicle and was just curious. On the early broncos I've restored I could get the bushings in yellow, red, or blue and I couldn't find anything but red for the fiero. Thanks for the info on the black ones though. I didn't think paint would stick to and last but thought I would ask. In light of these comments I'll probably just leave them as is and not worry about it.

Thanks again

The only thing that MIGHT work is black Duplicolor engine enamel. But I doubt you could use it on the suspension. Maybe the subframe bushings... but I doubt anything else.

You know what you might be able to use? Rubberized undercoating. If you could tape everything else off you don't want, you might be able to get that stuff to stick. It basically sticks to anything, and it's usually paintable too...

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Todd,
2008 Jeep Patriot Limited 4x2
2002 Ford Explorer Sport 2dr 4x2
2002 Ford Crown Victoria LX
1987 Pontiac Fiero SE / V6
1973 Volkswagen Type-2 Transporter