Suspension bushes - rubber or poly for better ride?

To go back to the original. With leaf springs, it is unlikely that the spring bushes will have any noticeable effect on the ride. Compared to the bushes used in coil suspension links, the rubber is thin and wide, so there is little give, and they contribute almost nothing to the ride.

The only factors in my view then are durability and ease of fitting. In my experience, on leaf springs, the rubber ones are much longer lasting. They can be a problem, not so much in fitting, as in removing the old one, but this can be avoided (in the future) by judicious use of anti-seize compound. I have made a puller that makes fitting easy, and removal usually not too hard.

John

Many years ago I changed the panard rod bushes in my 83 RR. I used nolathene bushes. I found that they had a slight bit of movement in them even when new.

I removed them and fitted OE style rubber ones and all was as tight as a nuns you know what.

Dave.

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Originally Posted by JDNSW

To go back to the original. With leaf springs, it is unlikely that the spring bushes will have any noticeable effect on the ride. Compared to the bushes used in coil suspension links, the rubber is thin and wide, so there is little give, and they contribute almost nothing to the ride.

The only factors in my view then are durability and ease of fitting. In my experience, on leaf springs, the rubber ones are much longer lasting. They can be a problem, not so much in fitting, as in removing the old one, but this can be avoided (in the future) by judicious use of anti-seize compound. I have made a puller that makes fitting easy, and removal usually not too hard.

John

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So JD is your puller made from an old car scissor jack? I have heard this is a good way to do it but not sure exactly how to go about it. I have 2 scissor jacks sitting there so would like to knock one into a puller. Anyone got any tips?

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Originally Posted by pfillery

So JD is your puller made from an old car scissor jack? I have heard this is a good way to do it but not sure exactly how to go about it. I have 2 scissor jacks sitting there so would like to knock one into a puller. Anyone got any tips?

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No, it is simply a length of 1/2" threaded rod, with an assortment of pairs of fittings turned up on the lathe to suit various bushes. One has a hole deep enough to accommodate the length of the bush and slightly larger in diameter than the bush, the other is slightly smaller in overall diameter to the bush with a central hole deep enough so it does not push on the central bit of the bush, and slightly larger in diameter than it, so as to keep the tool centred. The 1/2 inch threaded rod is just strong enough, but adequate lubrication of the thread is needed. 9/16" would be better, as would a finer thread than Whitworth, but these are less easy to come across. The threaded rod and nut from a scissor jack would be OK if it fits through the bush, but some of them may be so coarse pitched that the spanner force becomes excessive. I had not thought of that, I might have a look - I think I have an old scissor jack somewhere.

John

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Originally Posted by JDNSW

No, it is simply a length of 1/2" threaded rod, with an assortment of pairs of fittings turned up on the lathe to suit various bushes. One has a hole deep enough to accommodate the length of the bush and slightly larger in diameter than the bush, the other is slightly smaller in overall diameter to the bush with a central hole deep enough so it does not push on the central bit of the bush, and slightly larger in diameter than it, so as to keep the tool centred. The 1/2 inch threaded rod is just strong enough, but adequate lubrication of the thread is needed. 9/16" would be better, as would a finer thread than Whitworth, but these are less easy to come across. The threaded rod and nut from a scissor jack would be OK if it fits through the bush, but some of them may be so coarse pitched that the spanner force becomes excessive. I had not thought of that, I might have a look - I think I have an old scissor jack somewhere.

John

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The one I saw used a combination of parts from the jack, spacer tubes and pushers made to suit the LR series bushes. I believe it could push a new one in and push the old one out in the same action. I now have 2 old scissor jacks both with relatively fine threadded sections and steel on steel mechanisms (not the plastic ones a lot of car companies are using now) so I'll have a play and knock something up when I need to do my bushes.