Replacing Discovery 5 suspension bushes

[KenFitLike]

Wondering if anyone has had to replace suspension bushes on their D5 yet and if they went for OEM rubber or PU bushes and had any opinion on the matter? Also indication of cost to fit?
Also, 5 years seems a pretty short time for bushes to last! Would expect wear from maybe 7+ years.

Haven't priced OEM bushes yet, but have found PU ones online: Discovery 5 L462 Polyurethane Suspension Bushes & Components - Polybush (https://www.polybush.co.uk/polyurethane-suspension-bushes-components-products/land-rover/disco5/)

Bought my 2017 Disco 5 second hand from main dealer about 5 months ago, always felt slightly rough from 85kph+ but not enough to be concerned.
Tried a wheel balance and alignment 2 weeks ago, didn't work - still pulls left slightly and vibrates at higher speed. Took it to Pedder's for a look yesterday they found both front lower control arm bushes (1DU) (LR Part#: LR078476/78477) are worn & allowing too much movement - wheel alignment pointless if the bushes think it's optional!

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2017 L462 Discovery 5 td6 HSE

[DieselLSE]

To get that wonderful ride, something has to pay the price. In modern Landrovers it is the suspension bushes. Think of them as sacrificial items. They are reasonably inexpensive and quite straightforward to replace. Expect to do the front every 60k to 100k kms and the rears probably about double that depending on whether you tow a lot. Personally, I'd always go original, but that's just me.

[Slunnie]

That video! Personally I would go straight to PU.

[scarry]

You won’t have to search to far on here to find out Genuine bushes seem to work the best on modern LR’s.

[loanrangie]

Don't go poly stick to rubber.

[Slunnie]

Don't go poly stick to rubber.

Why would you? Poly can be as sloppy as rubber if thats what people want, but it is so much more durable and long lived.

Is it due to bonded crushtubes and shells?

[loanrangie]

Why would you? Poly can be as sloppy as rubber if thats what people want, but it is so much more durable and long lived.

Is it due to bonded crushtubes and shells?

In a D1 or D2 i would say yes but not any of the IFS/IRS landy's, much more movement required in the arms.

[Tombie]

That video! Personally I would go straight to PU.

You never use PU in D3 onwards. It cause significant increases in NVH, places stresses on the arm mounts and has already resulted in several failures.

Hydro bushes have huge amounts of flex, and unless leaking are functional.

[Slunnie]

You never use PU in D3 onwards. It cause significant increases in NVH, places stresses on the arm mounts and has already resulted in several failures.

Hydro bushes have huge amounts of flex, and unless leaking are functional.

Are they fluid filled?

Boom, theres the tech on it!

[Tombie]

Are they fluid filled?

Boom, theres the tech on it!

Why yes they are…. [emoji41]

Watch a standard lower arm flex and there is torsional loading. Fitting a less compliant bush places stress in the arm and there has now been multiple failures of this component at the bush, in all cases they had aftermarket bushes (usually PU)

[jh972]

Control arm bush wear is a matter of distance, not years. On my D3 they lasted maybe 100k. Replaced with two after market types but went back to originals for the silent compliant ride. The Poly ones in particular were noticeably more harsh.
As others have said, they're a consumable on these vehicles.

[Tombie]

I find it amusing, the Red Bull (TRB) once again tells someone their suspension is worn... Those bushes in the photo show no signs of leakage - so its highly unlikely they have failed yet.

I took a fully rebuilt vehicle to TRB after fitting a full race spec package to it. All I wanted was an alignment done (they were just around the corner so convenient). Came back to a 'diagnostic' report stating I needed new shocks, my bushes were worn and spring had sagged [bigrolf]
To say I took the shop manager to task was to understate it - I never paid that invoice [bigwhistle]


Vibration / Pull over 85km/h is more likely to be tyre imbalance.

[KenFitLike]

Thanks everyone for your feedback![biggrin] I've opted to go for OEM rubber replacement this week.
Will likely buy some AT-205 re-seal to spray on other bushes, mounts, etc to prolong life.




Control arm bush wear is a matter of distance, not years. On my D3 they lasted maybe 100k. Replaced with two after market types but went back to originals for the silent compliant ride. The Poly ones in particular were noticeably more harsh.
As others have said, they're a consumable on these vehicles.
I've had to replace bushes on a 2007 Ford Focus with ~25,000mi on it at 7-8 years old and a 2013 Chrysler 300 (+ball joints) at ~250,000km on it also around the 7-8 year mark. No evidence they had been replaced before my ownership on either car. Combination of distance, age, environment and how hard the car's life has been I guess.
The Disco 5 is currently around 97,000km and 5 years old.



I find it amusing, the Red Bull (TRB) once again tells someone their suspension is worn... Those bushes in the photo show no signs of leakage - so its highly unlikely they have failed yet.

I took a fully rebuilt vehicle to TRB after fitting a full race spec package to it. All I wanted was an alignment done (they were just around the corner so convenient). Came back to a 'diagnostic' report stating I needed new shocks, my bushes were worn and spring had sagged [bigrolf]
To say I took the shop manager to task was to understate it - I never paid that invoice [bigwhistle]


Vibration / Pull over 85km/h is more likely to be tyre imbalance.
Yeah, sadly, I have little trust of the motor trade too.
I was there helping out when I had initial wheel alignment (on a new laser-based machine) and we definitely had all the numbers looking good. What confused us at the time is that they weren't that too off spec in the first place. Also had wheels balanced (albeit just at Costco) just days before that alignment. But still, the car pulls and vibrates and has got worse over the weeks since.

It was after this initial balance & alignment round I took it to the local Pedders who showed me under the car the state of the bushes and how easily they allowed a lot of movement - see vid in original post.
You're right, the bushes haven't totally failed yet - no noticeable knocking over bumps or rough roads, but degeneration has progressed to a noticeable tracking problem, accelerated uneven tyre wear and vibration because of uncontrolled movement allowed by the aging rubber bushes.

[Tombie]

I should take a video when the new front bushes goin in mine soon... hydro bushes have so much flex even new...

That vibration is a bit of an odity, and by now tyres are probably showin signs of it - so it will continue to amplify from here on.. you may need to rotate F-R and see how you go.

[Graeme]

Was the vehicle set to tight tolerance mode for the wheel alignment? If not then the alignment may be out which can cause tracking and balance issues.

[KenFitLike]

I should take a video when the new front bushes goin in mine soon... hydro bushes have so much flex even new...

That vibration is a bit of an odity, and by now tyres are probably showin signs of it - so it will continue to amplify from here on.. you may need to rotate F-R and see how you go.
Rotation was done with balance at Costco days before the alignment.


Was the vehicle set to tight tolerance mode for the wheel alignment? If not then the alignment may be out which can cause tracking and balance issues.
Yep, tight tolerance mode was activated. We knew before, but even the new alignment machine displayed the procedure after selecting the vehicle that was on the ramp - clever stuff!

[KenFitLike]

Just came across this helpful PDF about hydraulic / fluid filled bushes: https://www.pedders.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2018/03/ped-3916g-techstop-issue-18-hydraulic-suspension-bushes-v3.pdf

[Tombie]

Just came across this helpful PDF about hydraulic / fluid filled bushes: https://www.pedders.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2018/03/ped-3916g-techstop-issue-18-hydraulic-suspension-bushes-v3.pdf

That document is about the only useful thing they’ve released!!

[KenFitLike]

So after all that, the bushes replaced, 2 wheel alignments and 2 balances and a major service replacing all diff fluids, transfer case fluid and a gearbox service, the car is still vibrating and pulling left [bawl]
Not discounting the possibility of defective tyres, any ideas what it could be?

[Graeme]

Its time to start moving front wheels to the rear to determine whether there's any change in case a rim is buckled.

Is either rear brake hot indicating binding?

[KenFitLike]

Update:

The car was in for inspection at the dealer (Barbagallo) yesterday for the vibration / pulling issue I've had since buying the car that I thought replacing bushes would fix. They find that nothing's bent, all bushes look good, bolts are torqued to spec, brakes look good, but wheel alignment (toe) bad. Very frustrating as it should have been right after the FLCA bushes were replaced and alignment done by Roadbend.

I told them I think there's more to it than wheel alignment, but Barbagallo were adamant last night that alignment was the issue that they have corrected and assured me the tech took it for a test and all was well.

Lo and behold, driving on the freeway the following morning I've still got vibration, albeit slightly improved. As well as feeling it I can see steering wheel and passenger seat shaking and car still has a light pull left.
Back to the dealer I go...

[Tombie]

Now will be a challenge, once tyres have experienced poor alignment and wear it can take a while (or never) before they come back to even wear and it settles down.

[KenFitLike]

Hopefully final update:

Barbagallo took the car yesterday. Tested with wheels from another vehicle and said the vibration and pull went away. Hopefully this means it's mild tyre damage from the misalignment, so I can just swap fronts to the rear and wear them out until I upgrade to 275/55r20's :)

Thanks again all for help & sugestions.