Thread: Poly bushes don't flex, do they..

Originally Posted by jik22

Actually, if you're ordering a fair few bits, and will be anywhere near Paddocks, go and buy them in person.

That way, you can get a VAT reclaim form which you take to the counter at Heathrow (With you bag with the bits in, so don't check your luggage first!!)when you leave, and they'll process it and send it back to Paddocks - then, a few weeks later, you get the VAT refunded to your credit card.

Thanks, cleared that one up.

Cheers
Simon

Originally Posted by agrojnr

I don't have to worry about freight because I land there in April

So I will order some bits and get them delivered to the in-laws place


Adam

Same here , going back for a couple of weeks to see my mates and do the Gaydon 60th trip from Lode lane to Gaydon. Got a car in the line

Rick and to the others that use Poly style bushes. What sort of longevity did you get from the Poly style bush.

I recently bolted on long travel suspension and after 4 x 4wd days i have flogged out the rubber bushes (that were replaced with new bushes when the suspension was bolted on) on my radius arms at both the chassis and axle ends. It will be an expensive exercise to replace bushes every 2 months at this rate.

MLD

Originally Posted by MLD

Rick and to the others that use Poly style bushes. What sort of longevity did you get from the Poly style bush.

I recently bolted on long travel suspension and after 4 x 4wd days i have flogged out the rubber bushes (that were replaced with new bushes when the suspension was bolted on) on my radius arms at both the chassis and axle ends. It will be an expensive exercise to replace bushes every 2 months at this rate.

MLD

Were the rubber replacement "Genuine" Land Rover?

either way, I think even those have slipped quality somewhat. Im running SP at the chassis end of TA/RA and A frame, rubber at axle end of TA/RA and Panhard. So far so good, id say at least 50k km.

I don't know how i missed this thread first time around.
I tried poly bushes in the Panhard rod of my RRC about 20 years ago.
They wore about 1MM on the centre tube in one trip to the Simpson.

When you think about it the bush must wear quickly if you do any sand/mud running at all as they rotate on the centre steel sleeve continuously. The sand gets in regardless of how much you grease and its bye bye bush quickly.
The rubber bushes work on shear (metalistic) within the rubber with the outer glued to the outer tube of the bush and the inner glued to the inner tube. That is why the bolts come loose on the tubes, as if they are not tight enough the tubes start to move. However there is no rubbing/pivoting movement.

However if you fit long travel shocks , the distance the rubber bush has to move in shear may be more than its limit and it may tear so maybe that is why they don't last long .

Aside from the ride harshness issue , you may get the same result by simply leaving the centre bolt of the rubber bush a little loose and grease up the bolt so that the rubber bush doesn't get overstressed. However this will wear out the mount quickly. You could of course fit some washers at the ends of the inner tube , so that they can wear.

I just posted this so that all can understand how each type of bush works . IMHO Poly bushes are no good for touring in the outback , but may be good for weekend warriors, but maybe the same articulation result can be obtained by just a simple loosening of the centre bolts.
Regards Philip A

Your 1 trip 20 yrs ago is grounds for that entire post?

Polyurethane compounds have come a long way since then, combined with designs which provide some sealing between the outer edge of the bush and the mount to reduce contaminate ingress.

I've fitted Super pro bushes to many vehicles and driven them in mud, sand, water and dust without any ill effects over thousands of kilometers, as have many others...

Yes, the bush and tube behave as described but for the tube to spin you didn't have it torqued properly...

Philip, IMHO you have vastly oversimplified what goes on and left out more important stuff that happens during articulation and more so with modified suspension travel.

Also Land Rover changed the design of the bushes for the axle end of the radius arms, that may improve performance on the highway but is detrimental off road.

And what Serg said about quality these days is supported by anecdotal evidence - genuine is better than aftermarket, but still not as good as the early genuine stuff.

Originally Posted by Tombie

Your 1 trip 20 yrs ago is grounds for that entire post?

Polyurethane compounds have come a long way since then, combined with designs which provide some sealing between the outer edge of the bush and the mount to reduce contaminate ingress.

I've fitted Super pro bushes to many vehicles and driven them in mud, sand, water and dust without any ill effects over thousands of kilometers, as have many others...

Yes, the bush and tube behave as described but for the tube to spin you didn't have it torqued properly...

I thought you left

anyway, it seems the only guys knocking "SuperPro" bushes are those that either ran or knew someone that ran the old "PolyBush" from 20-30 years ago so tar everything with the same brush…..kinda like saying all vehicle axle shafts are crap because a series Land Rover used them as consumables.