TAS holiday - need to fix radius arm bushes?

[LavisLane]

Hey all, Merry Christmas :)

I'm looking for some advice on some serious clunking going on during a holiday to Tassie.

My P38 has some serious clunking when hitting bumps on the road, coming from what is likely radius arm bushes.


I've done some heavy off roading around Hill End a month ago and think I may have worn out the bushes. Pre xmas trip checks in Sydney at Midas suspension advised that all of the suspension in the car is great and they're assuming that the clunk is coming from the radius arm bushes. They couldn't fix them pre trip and told me that i'd be fine to drive down. However, off roading in Tassie means a level of clunking that feels like im about to break something!

So, I want to change the bushes and need help with;

-Bushes supplier that can send to Tassie.
-A confirmation that poly bushes are easier to fit than standard.
-A contact for a great LR mechanic in Tassie, hopefully close to Bridport
-A sense of how big a job this would be on my own, tools required.

Thanks all :)

Dave

PS - have found some awesome tracks down here around north east coast! Tassie is a must see for all :)

[peter51]

Hi lavislane,
It can be several things. It is a big jump to assume its radius arm bushes. Put the thing in high ride height and inspect them. While you are there check front and rear panhard bushes. With a good torch you will easily see their condition.

Do you have aftermarket shocks. I had terrafirma shocks that had too large a tolerance on the front upper mounts. They would clack just like a bush noise.

BTW i had 1.5cm tears in the rubber on my front radius arm bushes ( closest to axle) and there was never any noise. It just wandered in the steering.

So doubt radius arm bush is your issue. Could be the chassis to radius arm bush on the front arms - they are Cheap and DIY. More likely culprits are the Panard rods - cheap and easy fix.

As for the main radius arm bushes on the front axle you need a special tool to push them in as they are about 4mm oversize, and the outer shell is plastic. Most workshops cant get them pressed in without damaging them.

Landrover use a special tool to compress them down to size as they press them into the arms.

[Keithy P38]

Ill second the shockie comment.

Before I lifted my Rangie I had a noise coming from the front left. Turns out I had a shockie on its last legs and it was wobbling a bit as I hit bumps.

Cheers
Keithy

[Hoges]

Hi lavislane,
It can be several things. It is a big jump to assume its radius arm bushes. Put the thing in high ride height and inspect them. While you are there check front and rear panhard bushes. With a good torch you will easily see their condition.

Do you have aftermarket shocks. I had terrafirma shocks that had too large a tolerance on the front upper mounts. They would clack just like a bush noise.

BTW i had 1.5cm tears in the rubber on my front radius arm bushes ( closest to axle) and there was never any noise. It just wandered in the steering.

So doubt radius arm bush is your issue. Could be the chassis to radius arm bush on the front arms - they are Cheap and DIY. More likely culprits are the Panard rods - cheap and easy fix.

As for the main radius arm bushes on the front axle you need a special tool to push them in as they are about 4mm oversize, and the outer shell is plastic. Most workshops cant get them pressed in without damaging them.

Landrover use a special tool to compress them down to size as they press them into the arms.

A light chamfer on the plastic edge and a heavy duty jubilee clip about 1.5cm from the end done up very tightly will get you started to press in the bush successfully. Use petroleum jelly or lanoline grease to lubricate the outer plastic casing.

[rc42]

I recently put a full set of Superpro bushes onto my P38, I also had a cheap set of yellow poly bushes from the UK but I never used them (except for the front anti roll bar bushes as Superpro don't supply those.

The original rubber bushes were quite bad, especially the front radius arms, a jack under either front arm would push the arm up several cm before the axle started to lift. It wandered all over the road and rolled excessively on corners but never made any knocking noises though.

I've had knocking and rattling noises from loose shock absorber top bolts and broked exhaust brackets but that's about all.

In terms of fitting, poly bushes are much easier than oem rubber bushes and Superpro are only a little harder than the cheap ones. Removal of the rubber bushes can be difficult without a 20 tonne (or so) press, I had to drill multiple holes through the rubber and then get a hacksaw blade in to carefully cut the outer steel of the bush, once cut it could be hammered out.

Fitting tools for even the Superpro bushes are little more than a vice and a bolt and nut with some large washers, the bolt should be at least twice as long as the widest bush and the washers larger diameter than the largers bush hole (front radius arm), with thet you can put the bolt through and wind the nut down to press the bush into place. Cheaper poly bushes come in two pieces and one pushes in from each side, they are easy to fit but nowhere near as good.

It took me about 7 hours in total to fit a full Superpro set, it takes a while to get the arms and rods off the car as things like the drag link are in the way and have to be removed first, plus the bolts can be corroded and very tight. Most of the time was spent removing the oem rubber bushes though. Two jacks are best for moving the chassis and axle relative to each other for refitting and you may need a ratchet strap to re-align the rear axle if you're doung the trailing arms too.

Overall its a fairly easy DIY prospect but does take time, good luck to you.

[wrinklearthur]

If you need a hand, I am near Brighton, just north of Hobart, send me a PM if you want.

I don't know if JC is working at the moment, but his workshop is at Kingston , about the same distance south of Hobart as I am north of Hobart.
.

[parasnoop67]

I think Justin is on holidays till 6th jan.