Energy Suspension Rear Control Arm Bushings for 00-09 S2000

Energy Suspension Rear Control Arm Bushings for S2000

If your S2000 has gotten loose in the rear, wanders under throttle, or will not hold a rear alignment, the rear control arm bushings are a prime suspect. The S2000's independent rear end leans hard on these bushings, and after 15 to 25 years the factory rubber has cracked and gone soft, which lets the rear arms move around and your alignment drift every time you load the chassis. This Energy Suspension set replaces that worn rubber with polyurethane that locks the rear arms down, so the back end stays planted and predictable. On a car as rear-sensitive as the S2000, tightening up the rear bushings is one of the most worthwhile chassis refreshes you can do.

This fits the full 2000-2009 run, both AP1 and AP2, including the 2008-2009 CR. The S2000 is a car that rewards a tight rear end, and worn bushings are exactly what makes an older one feel vague or nervous mid-corner. Firming these up sharpens how the rear tracks and holds your alignment honest under load. Polyurethane also shrugs off the oil, road salt, and grime that rot rubber, so unlike the factory bushings these are not going to sag and split on you again.

What you get and how it installs

This is the rear control arm bushing set, one set covers the left and right sides. One thing to know before you start, and it is the key install detail on this part: the lower bushings reuse your existing outer metal shells. You press the new polyurethane into the original shells that stay in the arm, rather than getting all-new sleeves. The bushings are full floating and non-binding and press into your stock control arms, so you are buying the polyurethane wear parts, not new arms.

Specs

Color options

Red and black are the same polyurethane at the same hardness. The black is graphite-impregnated so it is slightly more self-lubricating, the red is just the color. There is no performance difference, so pick whichever you want.

Fitment

This set covers the entire S2000 production run, 2000 through 2009, both the AP1 and AP2 chassis and the 2008-2009 CR. One set does both rear sides.

What to know before you buy

First, the honest tradeoff. Polyurethane is firmer than the soft factory rubber, so you will feel and hear a bit more of the road than you did when these were new. Energy is upfront that poly adds a little NVH versus rubber. On a sports car like the S2000 where you want the rear end communicative and tight, that is exactly the point. If your S2000 is a comfort-first cruiser, just know the ride firms up slightly.

Second, plan for the outer-shell detail and a press. The lower bushings reuse the factory outer metal shells, so you are pressing the old rubber out of those shells and the new poly in. That means a shop press or press tool, and on a car this age, expect a fight with the old bonded-in rubber. Grease the bushings well on install, a control arm bushing rotates a lot against its shell, so a dry poly bushing is what squeaks later. Coat every contact surface with polyurethane-safe grease.

Third, do the related rear bushings while you are in there. If you have the rear suspension apart for this, it is the right time to look at the rear differential carrier bushings and the front control arm bushings, since the S2000's rear and diff mounts wear together and you have already done most of the labor. This rear set is one of the components in Energy's S2000 master package, so if you are refreshing the whole car rather than just the rear arms, the full kit covers this position along with the front arms, the diff carrier, and the tie rod boots.