Parts for your 1998 Ford Falcon-Suspension bushes

1998 Ford Falcon suspension bushes: what they do, and when to replace them

Suspension bushes are absolutely relevant to the 1998 Ford Falcon. Ford’s AU Series I Workshop Manual (1998, sections covering 204-00/204-01) specifies rubber bushes at the front upper and lower control arms and the tension strut (caster) mounts. The rear uses trailing arm and Watts linkage bushes on live-axle cars, or control blade IRS bushes on IRS-equipped models. The Ford Microcat parts catalogue and Gregory’s Service and Repair Manual for Ford Falcon AU 1998–2002 list these bushes across the chassis, and aftermarket technical catalogues from Nolathane and SuperPro provide direct-replacement bush kits for the same locations.

On a 1998 Falcon, the suspension-bushes are the quiet achievers. They isolate noise, vibration and harshness, keep alignment stable, and let the control arms and links pivot smoothly. Good bushes mean better steering feel, consistent braking and even tyre wear. Worn bushes can cause front-end clunks, vagueness on centre, brake shudder (especially from tired front tension-strut/caster bushes), rear-steer wander, and odd tyre wear.

As part of regular servicing, it’s smart to inspect the bushes every 20,000–40,000 km or if you notice shake, shimmy or tyre wear. Look for perished rubber, cracks, torn voids, oil contamination, or a bush that’s walked off-centre. A pry-bar check on the hoist can reveal excessive movement at the front lower control arm bushes, sway bar link bushes, and the rear trailing arm or Watts link bushes. On IRS cars, also check the control blade and subframe/diff mount bushes.

Replacement tips the workshop will follow:

• Choose quality rubber for factory ride and NVH, or polyurethane if you want sharper response and don’t mind a touch more firmness. Mixing and matching (e.g., poly for sway-bar links, rubber for control arms) is common.
• Torque all arm and link bolts at normal ride height so the bushes aren’t pre-loaded, this prevents early failure.
• Replace single-use fasteners where specified and align any orientation marks on voided bushes.
• Use the correct grease only where the manufacturer specifies (usually on poly bushes). Don’t use petroleum grease on rubber.
• Book a wheel alignment after any front-end bush work, camber/caster/toe will shift as compliance is restored.

If the Falcon shudders under brakes around 80–100 km/h, tired front tension-strut/caster bushes are a prime suspect, fresh bushes and an alignment often transform the car. Keeping the 1998-ford-falcon suspension-bushes healthy protects tyres, calms cabin shake, and brings back that planted, Aussie big-sedan confidence.

What symptoms show my Falcon’s suspension bushes are worn?

Tell-tales include brake shudder, steering wander or tramlining, front-end clunks over bumps, harshness over small ripples, and uneven tyre wear. A visual check may show cracked or oil-soaked rubber or bushes sitting off-centre in their housings.

Do I need a wheel alignment after replacing bushes?

Yes. Restoring bush compliance changes camber, caster and toe, so an alignment is recommended immediately after front-end bush work. It helps prevent tyre scrub and makes the steering feel right.

Rubber or polyurethane for a 1998 Falcon?

Rubber keeps factory ride and low NVH and suits daily use. Polyurethane firms things up for crisper response and better longevity under hard use or towing, with a mild increase in road feel. Many owners run rubber in control arms and poly in sway-bar links for a balanced result.