Thread: Preventative Maintenance

Thanks mate
yeah I have read it causes vibration requiring a double cardan prop shaft so would rather not go down that $$$ path at the moment (I will likely invest in HD props one day however). Where did you purchase your nolathane kit from if you can remember, I'm struggling to find any online retailers?

Originally Posted by wllgbsn

.... Where did you purchase your nolathane kit from if you can remember, I'm struggling to find any online retailers?

back in the early to mid 90's .. no way I can remember but it wasn't online.

They have a stockist search function.
I used it to find out that my local parts store(walking distance) can get the parts I need in.
Because I use them so regularly they don't make me pay deposit and stuff.
They order it, if they can't get any part I order they just send me a message that they can't.

I did my panhard rod bushes a few months ago, and ordered it from them.

Locate the stockist search function, just type in any dummy local address to yours (eg. any main road) and use a 20klm radius setting it'll come up with a few real stores for you to choose from.

Alternatively use the part numbers from Nolathane and punch them into an ebay search if you don't have a local store you regularly rely on.

nolathane was designed for more precise steering and stiffer suspension on track cars. it is too harsh for 4wding. read up on it. plenty of forums have info with first hand experience on it. as they are not very flexible they will wear and split if pushed. some after only a few weeks of fitment.

there is mixed feelings with super pro bushes. apparently they are less harsh and feel more like rubber with the added advantage of resistance to environmental/oil exposure. but if you ask here there are still some people who recommend staying clear of them and just sticking with rubber as per vehicle design. my rubbers are original and still in reasonable condition. i believe after market ones or later rubbers are not as good as the original ones and wear a lot quicker. I will be changing them soon but whether to rubber or super pro i am not sure yet.

Yes, some urathane bush's are harder than others, and can cause problems by being to hard.

Going back to rubber, I forgot about Mackay Rubber. They make very good products

Mackay Consolidated | Excellence in Rubber Technology

Thanks guy. Ultimately this is what I was after, a discussion on the different types merits and disadvantages. My neighbour is the manager of the repco nearbye so ill have a chat to him about the nolathane bushings and I'm also going to MR tomorrow to drop off the girl for a timing issue so ill see if they can source genuine OEM rubber bushings, from what I've seen they are the best but it's hard to get ones that are actually genuine and not ****part which will not stand up to the harsh Australian conditions. The SuperPro ones seem to be used a fair bit by Toyotas which are reconditioned and put back in good nick but if the jury isn't convinced ill steer clear (particularly with the price they command). Thanks again guys and I'll let you guys know what I end up doing! 🙂

Also just to to get things straight: the nolathanes will give the best handling, but at a cost of comfort right? while the rubber OEM are a little more vague but a better ride. In the end I'm looking for decent durability and comfort over rough conditions such as currugations (my suspension is quite stiff - I typically travel with large payload to HD springs were forced front and rear (lots of barwork, winch, roofrack too)).

Originally Posted by wllgbsn

....

Also just to to get things straight: the nolathanes will give the best handling, but at a cost of comfort right? ...

I never found the nolathanes made the ride 'costly' .. that is, uncomfortable or harsh.
Just made the suspension tighter. Less bouncy and roly-poly would be a better way to describe it.

I have to disagree with Val's comments tho re: durability, off road ability and so on with urethanes(Nolathanes at least)
I changed plenty of rubber bushes over the course of my 15 years of driving my RRC.
I did 500K klms in it(I got it with 120K on the clock). I reckon the first 200-300K I'd changed maybe 2 or 3 sets of front radius bushes(as well as panhard) and I reckon at least 4 or 5 sets of the rear radius bushes that bolt up to the chassis.
I changed the coils(sagged) and bushes(to Urethanes) just before a drive up to Darwin via oodnadatta then across to Purnululu and so on up to Darwin.
I remember the track to Chambers Pillar being very hard on articulation and rock crawling somewhere near Palm Gorge(??) (near Uluru) .. never had any issues with suspension articulation.
And those Nolathanes must have done the last 200-ish K klms with zero problems.

Way back then Les Richmond was known as Rangie Spares, and they did a neat modded rear trailing arm bush.
That's the biggest bush in the LR arsenal of bushes. Big donut thing mounted on a large triangular metal plate.
The Rangie Spares bush had extra rubber to stop any unwanted fore/aft movement of the rear axle. Made it much more stable at the rear over rough roads.
That would be the only rubber type bush I ever get again if I had to do bushes on any car(ie. not just Landrovers). But it still wore out.

Another thing to be mindful of is to replace any bolts or nuts if you do bushes as well.
I don't remember the rear trailing arm bolts(at the axle end) being a problem, but those front radius arm bolts(4 of) don't need much wear to cause looseness too. Same with panhard bolts too.

One thing to point out

New bush's will make your vehicle feel much better, but will also highlight other issues like worn shock absorbers, wheel bearings... etc

I have always gone the whole hog when it comes to replacing things like bush's, throw a set of bearings in as well, do the uni's, caliper kit, pads, rotors

Much easier to do in one go, then its done and doesn't take that much extra time if you have everything ready to go



25yrs of owning English cars has taught me this.....

Morry948 you nailed it mate, thats the plan.
obviously it really just comes down to how much tim ill have (i hope for 7-9 days of working on disco time). But yeah priorities are the bushes and wheel bearings, might squeeze the brakes in there too, alternatively ill book that in for a few weekends