I love her but sometimes she is so annoying i could kick her

[castorcamber]

I have just changed all of the front suspension bushes for superflex bushes. I debated this for a long time as i was not trying to harden the suspension as such, just to lose some of the "sloppiness" that 20 years and 40,000 miles had put on the suspension. I did think about replacing with normal rubber bushes, but then thought if I do this and it is not that much better I would have done it all for nothing. So I plummed for the superflex polyurethane bushes. I made my self a spring compressor and removed all of the front suspension Rotary wirebrushing each component and painting before reassembly. Each bush was pressed in carefully and fully loaded with the correct lubrication and oodles of it as it went back together. New bolts and nuts to finish the job meant the front suspension now looks like new. HOWEVER, When turning left and braking or turning right and accelerating, i get a real graunch sound from the front left hand side. I got my ten year old to go underneath in the pit tonight as I induced the graunch by bouncing on the front and then lifting the front left hand side and he identified the front left antiroll bar bracket was where the noise was coming from. When i looked at it it looks as though the bush is being squeezed out by the bracket. So i loosened it and tried again. it stopped. so i loosened the nut and bolt and put a locking nut on it to ensure that it did not come loose, then drove it around the block, now it seems to come from the other side which i did not change by lossening. SO has anyone any good ideas as to why this could be happening. There is plenty of lubricant in and around the bar and bracket.

Please give me your advice.

Thanks

[badredwedge]

Hi Dean long time no see
Have you got the springs seated correctly ?? sound like springs rather than ARB , sounds like the springs trying to move round in their seats / mounts. Any creaking in the ARB should be easy to cure with a bit of WD40, but if you have replaced all the bushes and used the lub then it should not be the problem.mmmmmmmmmmmm Me thinks Springs

Good Luck mate see ya soon

[leorest]

My ARB poly bushes creaked like buggery. You could hear me coming from miles away, even over the sound of the blowing exhaust manifold! So I took them off, rubbed down the surface corrosion on the bar and painted it with graphite (DAG). All back together and not a squeak out of them

I believe Waxoil is ok for rubber bushes and silicone grease for polyurethane. I only had the graphite to hand and wanted to see if it worked because it is a dry film lubricant so won't pick up and hold dirt like normal grease.

[convert]

Agree with Leo, used a silicon spay lube on all my Poly bushes, and it cured any squeaks. I wouldn't use WD40 though, as it's not the best thing for Poly / Rubber. Use Waxoil at a push.

PS I've recently done my ARB and Tie rods with Poly bushes, then got it all aligned by Richrd Thorpe (RT racing) He states that really you should only use OE spec rubber (metalistic) bushes in the wishbones, or if you want to uprate use Nylon.

He tells owners of Poly - wishbone bushed cars that they need changing, or he won't work on them..

[AM400]

convert said:

Agree with Leo, used a silicon spay lube on all my Poly bushes, and it cured any squeaks. I wouldn't use WD40 though, as it's not the best thing for Poly / Rubber. Use Waxoil at a push.

PS I've recently done my ARB and Tie rods with Poly bushes, then got it all aligned by Richrd Thorpe (RT racing) He states that really you should only use OE spec rubber (metalistic) bushes in the wishbones, or if you want to uprate use Nylon.

He tells owners of Poly - wishbone bushed cars that they need changing, or he won't work on them..

Thats interesting considering he sells them in his catalogue!

[blueone]

Just fitted the ones Richard sells in his kits and they are hard nylon not poly

Phil

[tvrski]

convert said:

He tells owners of Poly - wishbone bushed cars that they need changing, or he won't work on them..

can he tell you the reason?

[convert]

Yup,
The poly bushes aren't very good in wishbones as they flex More than the OE ones, hence the ones he sells are nylon.

He only recommends Poly for the ARB drop link, and at a push the ARB mounts.

[castorcamber]

Sussed it !!!!!
Today i got my 11 year old to go back down the pit to determine where the noise was coming from, despite his protests, I dunno he keeps going on about "even in the old days dad, most parents didnt send their children down the pit until they were 14". So i told him that Darren says it is the springs not the ARB and as there is no corrosion on the ARB i Discounted Leo's comments a little. So off down he went. Meanwhile i am having a coronary trying to bounce the front of the car as well as i can, whilst he listens. "its definately coming from that bar thing Dad". "It cant be, make sure that you check the springs again". "Nope, Definately that bar thing". Look Bradley I said "I know how things work". "then how come i have to show you how to do the video and work your phone then Dad. was his reply. If I wasn't so out of breath I would have shouted at him. Ok then I thought, I will humour him. so I went down the pit with him and took the bush off again. Looking on the bush it says 25MM he asked me how big the Bar was. 25mm of course. Are you sure he replied. So I reached for the vernier to show him. What does that say son?, 26.7mm was his smart reply. Ughhh. I thought to myself, perhaps those three coats of paint to ensure that the underside of my wedge was as shiny as everyone elses was a little OTT. So I removed the paint from the bush area and guess what. No Creaks. There is probably some kind of ancient Chinese proverb to quote now. but I am going to quote an english one "sometimes you can't see the wood for the Trees". Especially the wood in your head.
Thanks for all your help

[leorest]

castorcamber said:

..."sometimes you can't see the wood for the Trees"...

I just said the same here Glad you got it sussed!

Edited by leorest on Saturday 26th August 23:41

[AM400]

blueone said:

Just fitted the ones Richard sells in his kits and they are hard nylon not poly

Phil

I stand corrected

I have just replaced all my A Frame bushes with Poly ones. Not driven it on the road yet but they are the red 95 shore ones which are one of the hardest grades, superflex suggest using this grade to replace nylon so they should be ok, fingers crossed!

Andy

Edited by AM400 on Saturday 26th August 22:41

[badredwedge]

If he reports you to childline I will delete my post, your on your own mate. Glad you got it sorted.