Thread: Suspension bushing kits

Originally Posted by FANTOM P38

Well i've been a bit slack or too busy depending on h[I]ow you look at it.
Still have the complete bush kit in shed waiting till I order upper/lower ball joints & tie rods to go with the new track & drag rods & then plan to do the lot at once & get a wheel alignment of course then I can advise how it all goes.

Same here, have still got mine in the shed.

Is there a good place in Australia to get the SuperPro kit or is it still cheaper to get them shipped from the UK?

I think my OEM rubber bushes in my P38 are at or even past end of life.

UK is cheaper

Hi

Yes I noticed the Aussie price is around $500.00 and Paddocks is £189.00 so under $400.00 landed from the UK

Steve

I haven't fitted mine, either.

I replaced the rears with OEM rubber ones. The fronts are still to be done.

However, the new D697 (245/70/16 AT) LT construction tyres I pick up on Monday have transformed the ride... where previously running over cats eyes reflectors caused an uncomfortable bump, they are now barely noticeable... I'll enjoy the ride while it lasts...

Try Rob Mills at Ringwood auto parts.

(03) 9714 8196 OR, 0408 104 894

rob@ringwoodautoparts.com.au

He will generally do full kits cheaper than UK suppliers. Let him know you got referred to him from AULRO. If freight becomes a big factor I can pick up and hold for you until you can organise delivery via AULRO Courier Service.

What a dumb country we live in when its harder to buy a locally made (Fulcrum in QLD) product for a good price here than on the other side of the world. When we did the group buy, we got a good price from the factory but we (fellow forumites) took care of freight and ordered a reasonable size batch to help them still break even. Apparently its our government subsidising the export manufacturer to get their stuff out below cost. Sort of like what China does on everything they produce and export.

You gotta love it when your own tax dollars work against you hey?

BUMP!!

Small drama...haven't driven beloved P38 for 5 months!! Illness, lots of other things happening and sloppy steering which I traced to wonky front radius arm bushes ... had the bushes (for 3 yrs at least...sound familiar?), but no special tool to do the job... all that changed earlier this week...

P38 radius arm bushes DIY Replacement "Mission Impossible"

The following post details a method of replacing the standard OEM bushes in a P38 radius arm. The method applies to both front and rear arms.

The "correct" way to replace the bushes is to use a tool designated LRT-60-004. It is in three parts and consist of a cylinder with a slight conical shape plus two "pistons" each with a centred rod to hold the bush. In a press the bush drives squarely through the cylinder where it is compressed sufficiently to transition easily into the register of the radius arm. see LRT-60-004 | Bush Fitting Tool | Bushes | Britpart for illustration






LRT-60-004 is difficult to source, (I could find no supplier in Aus.) with prices varying between GBP50 (Brookwells UK) and 120 (other LR parts places) plus freight. A new standard bush has a plastic shell encasing the rubber bush. The diameter is 62.36mm +/- 0.51mm (average of 4 bushes). The plastic shell is between 2mm and 3mm thick. The diameter of the bush register in the radius arm is between 58.40mm +/- 0.30mm. So the bush has to be uniformly compressed a tad over 4mm without distortion or damage to the shell.

With the LRT-60-004 it should be a 10 min job to push out the old and replace the new bushes in each front arm and 5 mins for each rear arm excluding removal and replacement time of the arm itself.

I phoned five Land rover workshops in Brisbane earlier this week. None would admit to having ever replaced a P38 radius arm bush! One workshop (independent) "sort of" agreed they "might" be able to do it but the minute I said I had new bushes the tone became distinctly unfriendly despite have spent hundreds of dollars there over the past couple of years. Those in Bris who travel airport drive may have noticed the very large sign announcing a new independent LR workshop. I rang them as well and was promptly told that my vehicle was "too old" and they wouldn't have the tools for it anyway!!! The Redcliffe (MRA) crew were most courteous, very helpful and thought they might be able to assist but the chap I spoke to couldn't recall ever having to replace a set. D2s yes, P38s nah. Green Oval Inc. in Fortitude Valley said bluntly they weren't interested unless they could do the whole job on a drive in drive out basis (min $400+).

Superpro quoted me $235.72 incl GST to supply 4 bushes and four tubes to do the front arms (kit SPF1809K)?and they had only one left in the warehouse... (which means that those who got the kits a while back did extremely well pricewise.) This news on the phone resulted in me having
an immediate "philosophical moment" given that it's cheaper to buy stuff exported to the UK, from the UK than buy local AND I could import the damned LR tool for less than the cost of a set of Superpro bushes and if I included a full set of genuine bushes, it would almost be the same price?

Did I mention at this stage that I had already blithely pressed out the originals!?

But as you all know, some things you just can't leave well enough alone. To say I was "snakes" (hissed) is an understatement?

So I went and made a cup of coffee and re-read my "advice" to others on this issue some two years ago. While I had successfully changed out the rears, the fronts were diabolical! I had borrowed a set of ball joint cups etc and I have a 12T Supercheap $168 press! no go. Couldn't keep the damned thing straight, it kept going off-centre etc etc, ballooning the shell and I was worried about ruining the bush. Then a little "miracle' happened.. I read a vague 2010 post on RR.net relating to this matter and there was a step I had forgotten?

So here is a method, it works splendidly and I was able to press all 4 bushes into place in about 30 mins without damaging them.

Preparing the Bush: A 120mm M12 bolt with decent spring washer is placed through the bush. The threaded end of the bolt is placed into a 13mm chuck on a bench press drill, carefully centred then pressed down to compress the spring washer. Then the chuck tightened. This jams the bush between the spring washer and the bottom of the chuck. Turn on drill (400 rpm) to ensure the bush is spinning evenly without too much (less than 3mm) runout and using a rasp, carefully fashion a 6mm rounded chamfer on one end of the bush. Repeat for all 4 bushes. (pic shows "practice run" on used bush)