When shopping for car suspension parts, you should look for a reliable supplier for quality. Presently, many players in the market offer these car components. With many dealers around, getting a decent one might be pretty challenging, especially if you do not have much exposure to the auto industry. To help you out, we bring you the Prothane vs. Energy suspension discussion.
Prothane and Energy deal in suspension parts and have been in the scene for a long time. Their lengthy stay makes them one of the most reliable parts partners. So, which one of the two is the best? Hang on as we look at each of them.
Prothane Suspension
Prothane has been in existence for almost two decades, the brainchild of a college graduate looking for car parts. The difficulty he experienced led to his establishment of a website to easily acquire auto parts.
Prothane exclusively deals in suspension parts, boasting an extensive catalog. You can check out this brand’s collection on its website.
Another distinction that Prothane has is dealing in high-quality products. A thing that you will realize is that most dealers stock rubber parts, mostly the bushing. While rubber does a good job, it won’t sustain you for a long time.
Converse to most suspension part dealers, Prothane parts come from polyurethane. This material is very sturdy; hence, it is very reliable. It does not wear fast, saving you from replacement costs. This brand also has a diverse collection of parts, as earlier hinted.
It is the go-to site if you want to bush for different vehicles. For your convenience, you may opt to shop by car model when on Prothane’s website. You get a control arm, sway bar, and leaf spring bushings from this dealer.
Other parts are body mounts, bump stops, motor mounts, dust boots, and many more. With a great customer support team, you are sure of the best service from this suspension part stocker.
Pros of Prothane Suspension
Prothane suspension has plenty of advantages, which make it a popular site amongst car owners seeking replacements. One of the great things about its products is quality. Instead of rubber, the firm uses polyurethane for components like bushings. Polyurethane is very resilient and will serve you for a long time.
Versatility is the other attribute you will notice about this brand. A quick look at Prothane bushings review, you come across its excellent catalog. Besides bushings, you also have motor mounts, motor mount inserts, body mounts, and driveshaft couplers.
Still, on the bushings, the material curbs squeaky sounds, which may be a nuisance. Prothane’s products are also relatively affordable and will give you great value.
Cons
The major advantage of Prothane parts also happens to be its downside. We are talking about its polyurethane construction. While it is resilient, its hardiness makes it pretty brittle, especially under extreme temperature changes.
Energy Suspensions
On the other side of the debate, we have Energy suspensions. Like its counterpart, it has been in the automotive parts scene for a decent time. Additionally, it also has a vast catalog of parts, which are of top quality.
It shuns rubber, opting for polyurethane instead due to its durability. Energy and Prothane seem to have plenty of similarities. However, there are many differences that you have to consider when picking between the two brands.
Both use polyurethane to make parts like mounts and bushings. In the case of Energy suspensions, it uses a varying formula, featuring hyperflex poly. Prothane vs. polyurethane with hyperflex poly, what is the contrasting point? The latter is more resilient and less prone to degradation brought by temperature changes.
Energy suspensions products include many bushings, body mounts, motor mount inserts, and sway bar end links. It is a reliable dealer to check out if you want replacement parts for your car suspension system.
Pros of Energy Suspension
Durability is one of the noticeable advantages of Energy suspension. This feature comes from its product’s entire polyurethane composition, with the addition of hyperflex poly. The additional material makes polyurethane more flexible, reaching the standards of rubber. As such, you are sure of a smooth drive without noises when you go for Energy parts.
Another impressive thing about this car parts brand is its comprehensive catalog. You will find many types of bushings on its online sites, such as control arm, leaf spring, UTV, and sway bar bushings. Furthermore, there are motor, transmission, and body mounts.
The suspension system components are available for many car models, cementing Energy’s reputation as a versatile dealer.
Cons
Energy’s downside comes in the form of its products’ price, which might be quite steep. However, you get the best value from your purchases as they will serve you for a long time without the need for replacements.
Prothane Vs. Energy Suspension Sway Bar Bushings
The sway bar, also known as a stabilizer bar, is a critical part of your vehicle’s suspension. Its primary role is to offer stability, preventing the car from rolling. For this part’s effectiveness, you need sway bar bushings. If you have bad stabilizer bar bushings, you may notice problems like a rough drive due to poor handling and clunking noises.
Prothane vs. Energy suspension sway bar bushings, which one should you go for? Both are very durable, as they are polyurethane builds. Energy parts seem to be of a better quality as they have a component that boosts their elasticity. It makes them less prone to breaking due to temperature changes.
Prothane’s parts come in a complete package, where you have both frontal and rear sway bar bushings for enhanced stability. We can say it is a tie on which dealer is the best as both bring excellent attributes to the discussion table.
Prothane Vs. Energy Suspension Motor Mounts
Suspension motor mounts secure the engine to the vehicle frame. Besides ensuring the engine is stable in the engine bay, they also help prevent vibrations from the motor from reaching the body. Steering wheel shakes are some of the signs of a bad motor mount. If you notice such, you need a replacement for smooth driving.
It brings us to Prothane vs. Energy suspension motor mounts discussion. When looking at motor mounts, a thing to pay attention to is the height achieved. Prothane mounts are taller than those of Energy. Taller mounts are more prone to shakings, though polyurethane does an excellent job in dissipating vibrations.
Energy Suspension motor mounts are better as they are short and thick. They come in handy in absorbing vibrations.
Prothane Vs. Energy Suspension Body Mounts
Suspension body mounts’ primary roles are securing this car unit and preventing vibrations. Rubber is the standard material that features on most vehicles; however, it wears fast. Here is where the two dealers come through. Their parts are entire polyurethane builds, which are very strong.
When looking at Prothane vs. Energy suspension body mounts, there are several factors to look at. For durability, Energy comes on top, as it combines this material with hyperflex poly for elasticity. It makes it less prone to engine fluids and temperature variations.
Prothane body mounts are excellent in doing away with vibrations. It achieves this feat courtesy of its design, where it is thicker and taller than Energy suspension and gear mounts.
Prothane Vs. Energy Suspension Miata
The Mazda Miata is a rear-wheel-drive lightweight sports car. Its popularity comes from its impressive performance and fuel economy. Prothane vs. Energy suspension Miata tries to find the best part for this Mazda model.
Energy suspension takes the top spot, as it is very versatile. From Energy’s online platform, you come across many products for the Miata. They include a rear control arm bushing set, front, and rear alignment bushing kit, and rear differential mount bushings.
Prothane has fewer products for the Miata. It makes up for this shortcoming with having reasonably priced parts.
Prothane Suspension Application Guide
Car suspension replacement may be pretty challenging, especially if you lack experience. The good thing with Prothane suspension parts is that they come with an application guide. You may find the guide on the product’s package. If not available, look for it on the website.
A critical topic that the manual introduces you to is how to burn out suspension bushings. Burning is where you expose rubber bushings to heat, to remove them, and replace them with newer ones. It is an intricate procedure that needs keenness.
Once you understand burning out bushings, you focus on fixing new ones, which the guide will introduce you to. Fixing new bushings is simple and does not require sophisticated mechanics tools. You will need a blow torch to heat the rubber and a hammer to remove the heated bushing. Additionally, you may need a hacksaw to cut the bushing’s metal shell.
Energy Suspension Application Guide
Energy suspension’s application guide will show you how to remove old bushings and put new ones. The manual is quite comprehensive, even showing you how to deal with fluid-filled bushings. For this type of bushings, avoid using flames as there is a burning risk. Instead, drill the rubber surface to drain out the fluids.
You then bring a hacksaw and hammer to remove the rubber and metal shell from the housing. For your safety, if you do not know how to replace the mounts and bushings, please consult a professional.
FAQs
Q: Which Is Better, Prothane Or Energy Suspension?
Prothane and Energy suspension are market leaders in the suspension part market. When looking at a better brand, you factor in various attributes. For instance, both of them have durable parts as they rely on polyurethane instead of rubber. Energy’s products are more resilient as they have hyperflex poly, which improves their elasticity. As such, they are resistant to temperature changes. Energy also has a diverse catalog, similar to Prothane’s. Prothane’s selling appeal is that its products are affordable.
Q: Are Prothane Bushings Any Good?
Prothane is a top brand when it comes to suspension system components. Among the items, Prothane stocks are bushings, which are of high quality. The polyurethane parts are very sturdy; hence, an assurance of durability. Durable bushings will save you from replacement costs.
Q: Are Energy Suspension Bushings Any Good?
Energy Suspension has been in the auto-parts scene for an extended period and is a credible brand. A look at t catalog, you will realize that bushings are its primary products. The bushings are of high quality and are of different types to meet different driving needs.
Polyurethane is the main element of Energy suspension parts, reinforced with hyperflex poly, to give them an edge of elasticity. It boosts the bushings’ robustness, as they are resilient to temperature changes.
Q: Where Are Prothane Bushings Made?
Prothane is an American brand that has been in existence since 2003. It was the innovation of a college graduate who had difficulty getting suspension parts for his car. Presently, it is one of the leading brands that deal in suspension unit components. Prothane has its headquarters in Texas.
Q: Do Energy Suspension Bushings Need Grease?
Grease is a must-have product for the maintenance of your vehicle. Suspension bushings need a smear of grease once in a while for their efficiency. Greasing helps in reducing friction and does an excellent job of doing away with noises. Friction reduction slows the bushings’ wear; thus, they will serve you for a long time.
Final Word
The suspension system is significant, aiding in achieving a smooth drive. If any part of this car unit wears, you need to get a replacement. Polyurethane parts are some of the most reliable, courtesy of their durability. In this piece, we look at two brands that have polyurethane products, Prothane and Energy. Pay attention to their various attributes and pick a befitting one for your vehicle’s needs.
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