Automotive bushings for seats, hinges, pedals and steering
A car carries dozens of plain bushings that nobody ever sees or greases: in the pedal box, the door hinges, the seat tracks, the steering column, the shock absorbers, the wiper and window motors, the gearbox and the torque converter. They are made in millions, to tight tolerances, under automotive quality systems, and they must last the life of the vehicle without maintenance.
- 2,000,000Composite bushings per month
- 20Automated composite lines
- IATF 16949Quality system, PPAP Level 3
- 720 hSalt-spray testing, up to
Automotive bushings for seats, hinges, pedals and steering are mostly steel-backed composite plain bearings: PTFE composite (JBM-10) for dry joints, POM composite (JBM-20) for joints greased once at assembly. Bushing MFG makes them to drawing on 20 automated composite lines, 2 million pieces a month, under IATF 16949 with PPAP Level 3.
- Pedals, hinges, latches, seat mechanisms, steering columns: PTFE and POM composite, dry or greased once
- Shock absorber rod guides, strut bearings: PTFE composite running in oil
- Wiper, window, seat and actuator motors: sintered oil-impregnated bronze
- Transmission, torque converter, pump and driveline bushings: bimetal in oil
- IATF 16949 quality system, PPAP Level 3, salt-spray testing up to 720 h, 2 million composite bushings a month
Bushings for vehicles
Self-lubricating composite and sintered bearings in volume, bimetal for the oil-lubricated driveline.
PTFE composite bushings
Pedals, hinges, seat and steering mechanisms, shock absorber rod guides: dry, full temperature range.
JBM-10
POM composite bushings
Higher-load hinges and latches greased once at assembly.
JBM-20
Sintered bronze bushings
Wiper, window, seat and actuator motors: oil-impregnated, quiet, no relubrication.
JBM-700
Bimetal bushings
Transmission, torque converter, pump and driveline bushings in oil.
JBM-800
Where the bushings are
The vehicle divides into four bearing environments.
| Area | Positions | Duty | Usual bushing |
|---|---|---|---|
| Interior and body | Pedal pivots, door and hood hinges, latches, seat recliners and tracks, steering column, gear shift | Oscillating, light–moderate, dry, −40 to +85 °C, silence required | PTFE composite (dry) or POM composite (greased once); plastic on the lightest |
| Chassis and suspension | Shock absorber rod guides, strut mounts, stabiliser links, brake pedal and caliper pivots | Reciprocating / oscillating, moderate, oil or grease, heat | PTFE composite in oil; POM composite greased |
| Motors and actuators | Wiper, window, seat, mirror, HVAC and pump motors | Rotating, light, high cycles, no lubrication | Sintered oil-impregnated bronze |
| Driveline | Torque converter hub, pump body, planetary, idler and output shaft, pilot bushing | Rotating, high speed, in oil (pilot: dry) | Bimetal JBM-800 series; sintered bronze or PTFE composite pilot |
What automotive asks of a bushing
No maintenance for the life of the vehicle, so lubrication is built in: PTFE layers, POM pockets filled at assembly, oil in sintered pores. No noise: plain bearings do not rattle and composite layers damp squeak. Tight tolerances in volume: wrapped composite bushings are sized to the housing, so the running clearance is set by the press fit. Corrosion resistance for the life of the body: salt-spray testing up to 720 hours. And the paperwork: an IATF 16949 quality system, PPAP Level 3 submissions, and RoHS and REACH declarations per part number.
Materials
PTFE composite (JBM-10) is the volume automotive bushing: dry running, 250 N/mm² static, −195 to +280 °C, friction 0.02–0.20, made as sleeves, flanged bushings and washers with anti-rotation tabs. POM composite (JBM-20, DX / SF-2 type) takes the heavier greased joints in suspension and steering: 250 N/mm² static, 140 dynamic, PV 22 N/mm²·m/s oiled, to 130 °C. Sintered oil-impregnated bronze is the bearing of every small motor. Bimetal (JBM-800 series) with CuPb10Sn10, CuPb24Sn4 or AlSn20Cu linings runs in the transmission at 8–15 m/s in oil. Lead-free versions of the composite layers and tin-bronze bimetal linings are available with a material declaration.
Running an automotive programme
Enquiries arrive as a drawing with an annual volume. Bushing MFG quotes within 12 hours, supplies free samples for standard and custom parts, and supports PPAP Level 3 submissions for approval. Composite bushings are wrapped and sized on 20 automated lines with a capacity of 2 million pieces a month. The factory has an in-house coordinate measuring machine, and a CMM dimensional report is issued on request. Tooling for a new diameter or flange is quoted with the part, and there is no minimum order.
Frequently asked questions
What bushings are used in cars?
PTFE and POM composite bushings in pedals, hinges, seats, steering and suspension; sintered bronze in small motors; bimetal in the transmission and driveline.
Which bushings are used in car seat mechanisms?
Steel-backed composite bushings: PTFE composite (JBM-10) where the recliner, height-adjuster or track pivot runs dry, POM composite (JBM-20) where the joint is greased once at assembly and sees higher or edge load. Flanged bushings and thrust washers locate the parts axially, and the H7 housing sets the running clearance.
What bushing is used in a shock absorber rod guide?
A steel-backed PTFE composite bushing pressed into the rod guide, running on the chromed piston rod in the damper oil. The oil lubricates and cools the PTFE layer and raises the JBM-10 speed limit above 3 m/s; low friction at the rod guide keeps the damper responsive to small strokes.
Are your automotive bushings IATF 16949 certified?
The quality system is IATF 16949 certified, with PPAP Level 3 submissions supported for automotive programmes.
Do you offer lead-free automotive bushings?
Yes: lead-free PTFE running layers, bronze- and stainless-backed composite (JBM-1B, JBM-1S) and tin-bronze bimetal linings, with a material declaration for the part.
What corrosion testing do you do?
Salt-spray testing up to 720 hours. State the corrosion requirement on the drawing and it is quoted with the part.
What volumes can you supply?
Composite bushing capacity is 2 million pieces a month on 20 automated lines; programmes are scheduled from the annual volume on the drawing.
Send the joint, not just the part.
Pin diameter, load, motion, lubrication and environment: our engineers reply within 12 hours with a material, a size and a quotation. Free samples, no minimum order.