Watts Linkage bushes, Flo-Flex v OEM

Time for an update. It's a bit delayed but I have been trying to sort it out Paddock Spares but once they start stating stupid things, I know they are clutching at straws and trying to avoid giving me a refund.

This Flo-Flex kit consists of Poly bushes on the Watts to Chassis bushes and I current have no problems with these. The center bushes however and just commercially packaged rose joints with machined alloy sleeves to make them fit.

https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/im...2014/08/90.jpg

https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/im...2014/08/91.jpg

https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/im...2014/08/92.jpg

https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/im...2014/08/93.jpg

The poly bushes on either side of the rose joints do very little work. They mainly keep the rose joint centered and stop it just flopping about and they also prevent dust getting in but I suspect rubber would be a better choice for sealing.

I thought they maybe poorly sized but I like to give them the benefit of the doubt and believe the centre sleeve is stepped so the larger bush goes on the smaller side. Lets hope so as I had a big and small in each pack. I'm hopping it wasn't just a coincidence and they are poorly made.

https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/im...2014/08/94.jpg

I emailed Flo-Flex to ask if I should grease the rose joints but they took over 3 week days to reply so I decided as they are a metal to metal joint, they should be greased and did just that. Flo-Flex did end up replying and they said they are self lubricating but they should be greased just to keep out road grim.

https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/im...2014/08/95.jpg

https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/im...2014/08/96.jpg

Now here is where my problem has started. The RAVE manual states the outer center Watts bolts should be done up to 155nm and the center bolt to 230nm. The Watts to Chassis bolts to 140nm.

The alloy used for the sleeves just isn't strong enough to hold the tension of the bolts. As you can see from my pictures the sleeve has just crushed and this is with my torque wrench only at 100nm. The material might have been nice and soft for machining but it just doesn't work here.

https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/im...2014/08/97.jpg

https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/im...2014/08/98.jpg

https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/im...2014/08/99.jpg

https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/im...014/08/100.jpg

https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/im...014/08/101.jpg

What they should look like: (I had only started to do up one side)

https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/im...014/08/102.jpg

https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/im...014/08/103.jpg

Now my problem with Paddock Spares is I called they several times yesterday at international calling rates and sent them all the above pictures. I really wanted to get this sorted out as my Disco is off the road without a watts linkage.

They thought the sleeve was the wrong length so I sent a picture of the still remaining good sleeve and the old factory bush to show they are the same lenght.

https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/im...014/08/104.jpg

https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/im...014/08/105.jpg

Then they told me they are the wrong length because they should be 45mm. Well my bloody photo shows they are exactly 45mm (1.77 inches). WTF.

And they still didn't get it sorted yesterday so I'm back on to them today.

I'll keep you guys posted.

Paddock have just told me they will send me out some standard bushes. My first question was "Factory Land Rover, NOT BRIT PART" to which she replied yes.

I'll just have to wait and see what turns up. I'm hopping its the whole 5 bushes are while the outer bushes look fine as well, the sleeves are the same material and those bolts requires a tension of 140nm. Knowing the inner bushes didn't hold up to 100nm, I think they will have buckley's.

See Post 7 for some more background.

Before they said they would send the factory bushed, they tried to tell me they had ordered replacement Flo-Flex bushes from Flo-Flex and they would test them before they sent them to me. If you see post 7, they knew they had a problem with the sleeves and they told me they had to wait for a new batch before they sent me mine and that was their reason for delaying sending me the bushes.

Happy Days.

For those that are interested the standard factory Land Rover bushes are just rose joints as well but with some excellent seals. In the future and for anyone else I would just use factory bushes for the centre bushes but still consider something else if you so choose for the Watts to Chassis Bushes.

These are mine at 205,000km

https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/im...2014/08/86.jpg

https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/im...2014/08/87.jpg

https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/im...2014/08/88.jpg

https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/im...2014/08/89.jpg

https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/im...2014/08/87.jpg

Happy Days

Boy what dramas you are having. It may have been better going for stand replacements. Bushes and suspension bushes are consumable components, and after 205K that's a long time after being subjected to what bushes have been subjected to over that time and milage. Nothing lasts forever, trying to modify to get longer life span on consumable part some times isn't worth the effort.
Hope it works out for you, nothing worse than not being able to use your vehicle.
Cheers, Mario

Hey Mario,

With the information I now have, I'd sources some standard factory bushes for sure. I guess you'd know what there worth more than I would but I think they average $100 per bush so that's $300 just for the centre bushes. The cheapest I've seen for genuine was $70 or so but that was without shipping from the UK.


205,000 is exceptional. I would have been happy if these ones would have lasted 100,000. I think I said before, they look great. They've just been made from the wrong materials. The Linkage doesn't normally move over they great of a range but makes a lot of small movements. When I had them all greased up, it took me a while to get the poly parts into place as they do seal pretty well and with the grease helping the seal, I had an air lock. I think had the sleeve been right they'd last just as long as the factory bushes.


If I had more time and hadn't already handed my money over to Paddock I would even investigate the possibility of finding a rose joint of the correct inner and out diameter then spacing it to keep it centered. But the Disco has been of the road for long enough and the wet season will be here soon. No one wants to be out fixing cars in hrs wet season.


Happy Days.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by joel0407

No one wants to be out fixing cars in hrs wet season.


Happy Days.

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You should have ac in the garage. ;)
That's a bugger they don't work, good luck with the replacements.

Hmmmm... This is a bit worrying. I ordered a set of these bushes direct from Flo-Flex last week.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by twr7cx

Hmmmm... This is a bit worrying. I ordered a set of these bushes direct from Flo-Flex last week.

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Maybe ask them what torque to use on the bolts? Before fitting.

Still watching with great interest.

Will

Quote:

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Originally Posted by twr7cx

Hmmmm... This is a bit worrying. I ordered a set of these bushes direct from Flo-Flex last week.

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I'm interested to see if you get the same things I did. Also intereted to see if Flo-Flex tell you to use less torque.

Happy Days