How much of a change new bushings make will depend on how worn out / bad the current bushings are. Generally speaking, as you take slop out of the suspension components you'll tighten up the handling and "feel" of the vehicle and reduce wandering.
On my 80 the suspension bushings were very worn in all locations. Before I replaced the susp. bushings I had been working my way through fixing issues like servicing/tightening wheel bearings, repairing steering system components, changing shocks and removing slack from steering box, etc. As a result, when I replaced the bushings on my 80 the change was remarkable. New bushings dramatically lessened or removed tendencies that the 80 had to bump steer, follow surface variations on roads, redirect under braking or acceleration, etc. With the old bushings the axles had been wiggling around far more than they should and the sway bars weren't engaged in an initial, small range of motion which contributed to body sway, etc.
On the 120ish mile drive home after purchase my 80 was the worst driving vehicle that I had operated on a highway. It had all of the issues from loose wheel bearings to sloppy tie rods and worn out, mismatched tires, etc. etc. I had to stay very close to the edge of the road/shoulder to have buffer space for when it darted one way or the other and when I was in a middle lane it was truly white-knuckle and scary. I should have had it towed and will never forget that drive... In any case, I took it on shorter test drives after every set of repairs and they all were important improvements in drive ability. It was a big milestone when I could safely drive with one-hand only on the steering wheel. Another milestone was when caster, toe and slop/slack were all sorted and the 80 could be relied on to continue going in the direction it was pointed. Getting body roll under control (sway bushings, shocks) helped make more dynamic situations safer, etc. At this point my 80 likely drives much like it did new and I am comfortable letting anyone drive it and with taking it on long trips, etc. These rigs drive really well in my opinion and certainly don't have to feel like a "truck" or dedicated off-road vehicle that you've taken on road.
On my 80 the suspension bushings were very worn in all locations. Before I replaced the susp. bushings I had been working my way through fixing issues like servicing/tightening wheel bearings, repairing steering system components, changing shocks and removing slack from steering box, etc. As a result, when I replaced the bushings on my 80 the change was remarkable. New bushings dramatically lessened or removed tendencies that the 80 had to bump steer, follow surface variations on roads, redirect under braking or acceleration, etc. With the old bushings the axles had been wiggling around far more than they should and the sway bars weren't engaged in an initial, small range of motion which contributed to body sway, etc.
On the 120ish mile drive home after purchase my 80 was the worst driving vehicle that I had operated on a highway. It had all of the issues from loose wheel bearings to sloppy tie rods and worn out, mismatched tires, etc. etc. I had to stay very close to the edge of the road/shoulder to have buffer space for when it darted one way or the other and when I was in a middle lane it was truly white-knuckle and scary. I should have had it towed and will never forget that drive... In any case, I took it on shorter test drives after every set of repairs and they all were important improvements in drive ability. It was a big milestone when I could safely drive with one-hand only on the steering wheel. Another milestone was when caster, toe and slop/slack were all sorted and the 80 could be relied on to continue going in the direction it was pointed. Getting body roll under control (sway bushings, shocks) helped make more dynamic situations safer, etc. At this point my 80 likely drives much like it did new and I am comfortable letting anyone drive it and with taking it on long trips, etc. These rigs drive really well in my opinion and certainly don't have to feel like a "truck" or dedicated off-road vehicle that you've taken on road.
