Standard Bushes or Polys??

[roseytvr]

I am in the process of overhauling wishbones, outriggers etc and could do with some guidance/opinions on bushes. I am upgrading brakes and suspension for mainly road use with occasional track days.

The roads around me are sh**e and I am worried polybushes will make the clunking noises worse when I hit pot holes etc. Your opinions would be appreciared.
Thanks

[dnb]

I live with very bad roads and have not had a NVH problem with my fully polybushed and rose jointed dampers. Yes, it's a firm ride, but it's predictable so good progress can generally be made.

[spend]

Far too much is made about compliance of the bushes IMHO. They are simply pivots and trivial compared to the compliance offered by the tyre rubber, springs and dampers.

[TVR Beaver]

Quinny said:

My car is fully polybushed, apart from the shocks, but they're almost new...I have to admit I was expecting a much firmer ride, with the new bushes...but this isn't the case at all.

In fact, the car is nicer to drive now,than it's ever been, I seem to have lost the "crashing" feeling, over rough roads, and the whole car feels compliant, but planted... I'm happy I bit the bullet and did the swap, plus there is another benefit, in that if a bush does fail in the future, it'll be a piece of cake to swap out..

What shocks do you have?... I'm still on Billy's but wanted to do this lot this winter.... But could easily turn into a £1.5K plus job by the time iv'e done the polybush bit's.. replaced the shocks... powder coated the arms... Got the Geo set up etc....
The Polybush bit's are a tad expensive for what they are.. wonder if you could fit actual ball race bearings in their place.. may be cheaper

Edited by TVR Beaver on Wednesday 6th October 11:29

[spend]

Suitable bearings start to work out quite expensive even compared to the cost of poly bushes. By the time you go down those routes you realize that new wishbones designed with rose joints give you a much better solution overall... cost, durability, adjustment....

[TVR Beaver]

Quinny said:

Standard Bilsteins, from an LE car... Owner said they were removed at 7000 miles, and looking at the condition, I'd say they were pretty much as new

I know!... The didn't work at first!

Edited by TVR Beaver on Wednesday 6th October 11:48

[TVR Beaver]

spend said:

Suitable bearings start to work out quite expensive even compared to the cost of poly bushes. By the time you go down those routes you realize that new wishbones designed with rose joints give you a much better solution overall... cost, durability, adjustment....

Indeed.. but that's a totaly differant ball game... So it's either Poly bushes or turning up some Delrin on mi lathe!.....
Guess it's onto Steve Heath then!

Edited by TVR Beaver on Wednesday 6th October 11:49

[TVR Beaver]

STOP IT!!... They should have been mine...

Edited by TVR Beaver on Wednesday 6th October 12:02

[TVR Beaver]

Quinny said:

You were to tight to bid on em:

Just to rub it in, I got £100 quid for the old ones

Yes.. I did read that post as well some time ago... just to add insult to injury!!

[TVR Beaver]

Quinny said:

So, are you going to polybush the??

Getting the old ones out is great fun



NOT

Think so... but may have to save up first and do it next winter not this one... coz if it's all coming in bit's then the shocks need doing at the same time (it's making me cry already.. us poor Yorkshire folk and all that!!)... Tending towards Gaz Golds I think... I have new tyres to put on and the wheels to re-furb etc... They do appear to be good items all joking apart... and now come with a lifetime gaurantee!... can't beat that!!
But like the OP, I did think it would make the ride harsher but having been in a poly bush car.. I agree with you and Dave... it actualy feels nicer, but more held together. if you know what I mean...
I have a few tips on removing the old rubber bush units... a press can split the arms so won't go that way... sounds like a turned up driver into a cup and a big hammer is the best option!

Edited by TVR Beaver on Wednesday 6th October 12:56

[spend]

Blow torch + 'I love the smell of burning rubber in the morning' then an (preferably air) saw to nick the outers and tap out in the afternoon..

Can't get more character built than that

..and you still get change from the 'when I was a lad' tales

[Simon.b]

Swapped to Gaz shocks some time back and changed to poly bushes with rose joint drop links earlier this year. No more crash bang much better ride than standard.

However if had to do it again I’d stay with the standard billies, I don’t need the adjustment and the new shock spring combination, in my opinion, aren’t that much better.

Removed my bushes with the press tool as detailed in the Griff Pages, piece of cake.

Cheers,

Simon.

[TVR Beaver]

So the poly ones push easily by hand into the hole / tube (nothing like as tight as the metal / rubber units)... So don't they compress a little over time and become loose?.. You'd think so with the pressures they see... Do you fit them with loctite or something to take up any gaps?.. Or just grease the full lot??

Simon.b said:

Swapped to Gaz shocks some time back and changed to poly bushes with rose joint drop links earlier this year. No more crash bang much better ride than standard.

However if had to do it again I’d stay with the standard billies, I don’t need the adjustment and the new shock spring combination, in my opinion, aren’t that much better.

Removed my bushes with the press tool as detailed in the Griff Pages, piece of cake.

Cheers,

Simon.

Mmmm interesting on the shocks... how many miles did the Billies have on them... you can buy 'Nickles' for £100 less but not sure they will be set for the Griff so although you don't need the adjustment now, may be you do need it for initial setting?.. .

Edited by TVR Beaver on Wednesday 6th October 13:29

[ray von]

Quinny said:

The way I did mine, was to run a hacksaw through them..still heavy going, but once a couple of saw cuts have been put down them, its sup rising how little effort is required, to actually push the bush through..

Holesaw to remove the rubber, then the hacksaw method. I thought they were easy to do but then I is a hairy arsed fitter

[Simon.b]

They don’t quite press in fully by hand a little gentle persuasion is needed. I used the same removal tool for the more stubborn and awkward to get at ones.

They clamp up with spacers so no gaps, in fact can be a bit tricky to get the arms back in the chassis if the new paint is a bit thick on the lugs.

Cheers,

Simon.

[spend]

Inserting the poly bushes is just a case of cleaning, lightly lubing and press in using the vice.. Doing it production line style on the bench isn't really taxing like when you have to contort and lever under the car.

The only real trick is to spread the chassis brackets out where they have been clamped up over the years as necessary. It's trivial to pop the re-furbed wishbones back in and clamp up if you have done that in preparation.

[red griff roger]

spend said:

The only real trick is to spread the chassis brackets out where they have been clamped up over the years as necessary. It's trivial to pop the re-furbed wishbones back in and clamp up if you have done that in preparation.

Yup - wot he said. Very light tap with a hammer spreads the brackets enough to fit smoothly. Don't give them a wallop. And I bought extra copperslip.