Poly bushes

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Originally Posted by PAT303

Rick have you got them fitted to your truck?How much and were from?.I have noticed that the fender ''skittles'' across dirt roads where the disco that has rubber bushes is alot more stable.I'm starting to agree about the hardness of poly is upsetting the back end big time. Pat

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yep, check my earlier post in this thread ;)

Skittishness is usually a spring/shock miss-match issue or just worn out shocks. Big difference in rear spring rates 'tween a Disco and 'fender.

Click here for distributors. http://www.fulcrumsuspensions.com.au/fulcrum.html
Do a ring around too, prices can vary quite a bit.
Can't find any piccies ATM so will take a couple tomorrow.

This is what I wrote on LR4x4 forum two years ago. Add another 50,000km to that figure now.

"I've also found that Fulcrum Suspensions, the manufacturer of Super Pro bushes here in Oz make a superior designed bush that will totally outlast the OE one. Yes it is urethane, but it is the only spot I will use a poly type bush, and the Super Pro one uses heavier thickness plates (so the don't bow/bend with the load) and use a circumferal groove and chamfers around the OD of the bush to allow it to flex/articulate (more than the OE bush) without stressing the bush material, yet the actual compression characteristics are better than OE, reducing the dreaded rear steer.
They've been in my 130 for around 80,000km now."

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Originally Posted by rick130

and again I say, depends on the bush, depends on the durometer (hardness).

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Fine if you want to go softer but most people want stiffer. Thing is, how do you know when 'stiffer' is just too stiff? At least with OE parts, you know that many thousands of KM have been driven to work out the best compound.

M

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Originally Posted by BigJon

Both my Kingswood utes have had aftermarket poly type bushes right through the suspnsion and I never thought the ride was too harsh or it was wearing / damaging components. Horses for courses I guess. My Rangie has all genuine LR rubber bushes.

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yes i just read what rick wrote and its all super pro stuff i have found everywhere,
i think i will give them a go based on what he has said and when I get to doing the rear arms.


john

Poly bushes and Land Rovers DON'T MIX!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Panhard rod is the only pace to put poly in a LR, anywhere else is a disaster :eek::eek:

Had them in the past and never again, thay fall apart after a few off-road trips because they're too brittle, also it's complete crap thet they can last as long as rubber. I had the top rear shockie mounts wear out after 2 trips, falling to pieces :mad::mad:

May I add the hardness of poly bushes make the suspension too stiff. If you want stiff suspension, buy Toyota or a Nissan :wasntme:

Trav

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Originally Posted by aquarangie

Poly bushes and Land Rovers DON'T MIX!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Panhard rod is the only pace to put poly in a LR, anywhere else is a disaster :eek::eek:

Had them in the past and never again, thay fall apart after a few off-road trips because they're too brittle, also it's complete crap thet they can last as long as rubber. I had the top rear shockie mounts wear out after 2 trips, falling to pieces :mad::mad:

May I add the hardness of poly bushes make the suspension too stiff. If you want stiff suspension, buy Toyota or a Nissan :wasntme:

Trav

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So given your absolute certainty that poly doesn't last. How do you explain my front radius arm bushes that have done about 150,000km?
Rubber were lasting about 50,000km.

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Originally Posted by Dougal

So given your absolute certainty that poly doesn't last. How do you explain my front radius arm bushes that have done about 150,000km?
Rubber were lasting about 50,000km.

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the same with my rear trailing arm/chassis bushes.
OE were absolutely stuffed after about 80,000km, the poly ones are up to 150,000km now and appear to be fine.
I hate sweeping generalisations.

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Originally Posted by JohnE

yes i just read what rick wrote and its all super pro stuff i have found everywhere,
i think i will give them a go based on what he has said and when I get to doing the rear arms.


john

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A lot of poly bushes are also known to squeak like all buggery if either insufficient grease was used on install, or the grease has washed out. For this reason I've always disliked using poly in a rotating bush and have always tried to use OE. Their forte appears to be compression.
Having said that I broke my own rule and I'm really pleased with the poly bushes I fitted on the chassis end of the A frame. Over 3 years and close to 100,000km later and not a sound. Yep, Super Pro, but I did use a pretty trick synthetic/moly grease too. ;)

I run a mix of OE rubber, Super Pro poly and Haultech bushes (?? material), sort of what I consider the best for my purposes in each spot.

20 years ago I used Nolathane in a Jeep CJ6 and it was a disaster. The bush size was too small, the hardness too high.
It bound the poor little leaves up and they lasted all of 4 months. I went back to OE rubber a little wiser.

What I've found with most poly bush manufacturers is that they copy the OE bush in a harder durometer material. If the bush was a bit marginal in design to start with (eg. rear trailing arm/chassis) it becomes even worse.
It's just a shame everyone tars them all with the same brush

Fitting superpros to my disco today.

The axle end of the lower tailing arm are particularly nice.

They have a knurled bore to hold the grease and grooves externally to do the same. They are two piece bushes with a little clearance between them. I wondered if a grease nipple in the bottom of the trailing arm would help to keep them fresh. probably get clobbered off road though

I have used polyurethane bushes in virtually every suspension I have overhauled that could use them ever since they became available. Never had one that was not improved in respect to steering, handling, and durability. Yes, you MAY have increased noise and harshness, but if the car has sufficient distance on it to require a suspension overhaul, it is going to be rattley anyhow and not just suspension. I defy the average driver to be able to tell a poly fitted car from a rubbered one.