Installed poly bushes on Jaguar X Type... bouncing like mad!

Installed poly bushes on Jaguar X Type... bouncing like mad!

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Touche

Original Poster:

7 posts

116 months

Saturday 5th July 2014
quotequote all
Hi guys,

I've not posted here before but have been a lurker for many months, just bought an X type 2005 2.5 V6 estate a couple of weeks back.

The rear suspension was very squeaky so I bought a set of poly bushes.

I've done the rear ARB, rear upper and lower control arms only. Both control arms on both sides had shot bushes.

Been installing them over the past couple of days. Inner crush tubes are lubed up with lithium grease. All finished today... went for a drive around the block... awful ride! It bounces up and down when going at any speed like it's going over speed bumps. There is a knocking coming from the right rear end also frown

I've got the ARB off again and the noise is still there and no change to the bouncyness during a quick ride.

I've jacked it up, loosened the bolts, dropped it down and retorqued them again... no change frown

I've jacked it up again, reinstalled the ARB, loosened all bolts, dropped the car, retorqued all bolts... no change yet again. frown

Anyone have any ideas? I desperately need the car for tomorrow! not that I can see that happening now...

All I can think of is somehow the bushes were not installed properly... I can't see how, they seemed to push in fine and were lubed as per instructions... or wheel alignment... is there any way that could explain things?!?

Thanks for any advice/help, any input at all is very much appreciated! smile

Touche

Original Poster:

7 posts

116 months

Saturday 5th July 2014
quotequote all
Could it be the shocks?

They seemed fine before changing the bushes frown

I've just bounced up and down on the front... stops after 2 bounces...

Bounced up and down on the back... stops after 6 bounces frown

Could changing the bushes have exposed the worn shocks?

t400ble

1,804 posts

120 months

Saturday 5th July 2014
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Shocks deffo causing you an issue!

paintman

7,669 posts

189 months

Saturday 5th July 2014
quotequote all
Poly bushes - both genuine & copies - are the subject of much discussion in the Land Rover world. Some love them, others hate them. Many comment that the ride is much firmer or harder after fitment & some switch back to originals as a result.
Could well point up issues with other parts of the suspension, but if there were no issues with the rest of it in the first place then I wonder if its just down to the polys.
Never tried them, have no intention of doing so & have always used the original ones on my RRC. No issues.

Touche

Original Poster:

7 posts

116 months

Saturday 5th July 2014
quotequote all
Hi guys,

This isn't a "firm ride" (which I was expecting tbh)... this is a yoyo/bouncy castle type issue.

Maybe having the car suspension hanging for 3 days while the car was up on jack stands and then having to run on all new bushes has finished the shocks off?

Touche

Original Poster:

7 posts

116 months

Saturday 5th July 2014
quotequote all
Just been for another quick drive over some speed bumps.

Front of the car is perfect. Then as the rear goes over a bump it goes crazy! Bouncing up and down like a pogo stick!

Just done some googling...

http://forum.miata.net/vb/archive/index.php/t-1897...
http://forums.whirlpool.net.au/archive/2116209
http://forums.maxima.org/infiniti-i30-i35/654218-f...
http://www.automotiveforums.com/t1077610-bouncing_...

It seems jacking a car up for a few days when the shocks are on their last legs can kill them frown

So I guess that'll be a job for next weekend frown Sadly I know it'll be a pig. The suspension bolts are all very rusty/seized up. It took me 5 hours to get the upper control arms off with a 2ft breaker bar and the shock bolts looked in similar condition...

Still if anyone else has any suggestions I'd love to hear them smile

Super Slo Mo

5,368 posts

197 months

Saturday 5th July 2014
quotequote all
Rear dampers shouldn't be that hard to change but seized bolts will slow you down.
Start by soaking the bolts in plus gas now. Do it a few times over the next week and it should help you enormously.

TheRealFingers99

1,996 posts

127 months

Sunday 6th July 2014
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Would point to shocks -- 6 bounces would easily fail MOT.


Jimmyarm

1,962 posts

177 months

Sunday 6th July 2014
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TheRealFingers99 said:
Would point to shocks -- 6 bounces would easily fail MOT.
Not part of the test anymore...

TheRealFingers99

1,996 posts

127 months

Sunday 6th July 2014
quotequote all
Jimmyarm said:
Not part of the test anymore...
You sure? I read that it's due to be removed (pending legislation) but:

"5. At each comer of the vehicle, where practicable, push down (or pull down from beneath) and note the rebound of the body to determine if each shock absorber is producing a damping effect on the suspension."

andyiley

9,102 posts

151 months

Monday 7th July 2014
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100% shocks, poly bushes may only make the ride slightly harsher & possibly add noises that weren't there before.

BritishRacinGrin

24,602 posts

159 months

Monday 7th July 2014
quotequote all
Poly bushes are so inappropriate for a Jaguar.

BritishRacinGrin

24,602 posts

159 months

Monday 7th July 2014
quotequote all
Poly bushes are so inappropriate for a Jaguar.

Jimmyarm

1,962 posts

177 months

Monday 7th July 2014
quotequote all
TheRealFingers99 said:
You sure? I read that it's due to be removed (pending legislation) but:

"5. At each comer of the vehicle, where practicable, push down (or pull down from beneath) and note the rebound of the body to determine if each shock absorber is producing a damping effect on the suspension."
http://www.motinfo.gov.uk/htdocs/m4s02000701.htm

Been brought in, no tester I know is doing it anymore.

Touche

Original Poster:

7 posts

116 months

Tuesday 8th July 2014
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BritishRacinGrin said:
Poly bushes are so inappropriate for a Jaguar.
Not really. The risks/benefits of OEM/pattern/poly bushes are something I've considered carefully and tbh are my choice.

Back in the day I had an Alfa 156 which used to eat a couple of wishbones a year. I quite fancied putting poly bushes on it but for one reason or another never got round to it. Every year when it had a service or MOT at least one of the front wishbones would be shot and need replacing (quite often 2 at a time). As I was never really sure how long I'd keep the car I just kept replacing them.

When I bought the X Type I knew it had creaky rear suspension and was aware they eat rear lower control arms just like the Alfa used to eat front wishbones. Looking through receipts I can see it had a new set of control arms done under 18 months ago, but it's last MOT had some play in rear control arms noted. Rather than replace the things every year or so I just decided to man up this time and try poly bushes from the start. So last week I spent a few days installing the poly bushes.

Sure they might give a firmer ride etc but if they save me the cost of changing control arms every year and fix the current creaking I'm not too bothered. Changing the upper and lower control arms for new genuine parts would have set me back around £330 for parts alone. The poly bushes were much less!

In any case I've ordered some new genuine rear shocks and should hopefully be installing them on Saturday morning. I'll update this thread with the outcome smile

Mr2Mike

20,143 posts

254 months

Tuesday 8th July 2014
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BritishRacinGrin said:
Poly bushes are so inappropriate for a Jaguar.
I completely agree, IMO they are one of the worst modification you can make to car that's only going to be used on the road. The don't last (ignore lies about lasting longer than rubber bushes, they don't), they give a harsh ride and once all the grease has been squeezed out they squeak in a bloody annoying way

TheRealFingers99

1,996 posts

127 months

Tuesday 8th July 2014
quotequote all
I'd think it's unwise to make general statements. When all is said and done, it'll depend on the design of the bush, the car, and driver preference.

But so far I've used polybushes, from two different manufacturers, on Cinquecentos and MR2s. No squeaks, no obvious wear.

BritishRacinGrin

24,602 posts

159 months

Tuesday 8th July 2014
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Their main selling point is that they're cheaper and easier to install. I think lots of people recommend them for this reason but gloss over the downsides.


Touche

Original Poster:

7 posts

116 months

Saturday 12th July 2014
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Changed my rear shocks today... was a bit of a pain despite soaking in penetrating fluid daily. Took about 90 minutes to get one stubborn bolt off and had to buy a new 13mm deep socket to get the top bolts off. Anyway its all done.

Drives very well. No squeaking, no knocking and not too harsh so far. Am very happy smile

£170 for new shocks, ARB bushes and drop links, upper and lower control arm bushes... can't really complain smile

trikemaster

1 posts

88 months

Wednesday 9th November 2016
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Who supplied the poly bushes? where they specifically for the x type or a Mondeo?