HELP! Powerflex advise needed.

[TT Tim]

A plea to anyone who's fitted Powerflex bushes.

My mind is addled so need your help.

I'm refitting my suspension and can't work out the order of the items on the top rear wishbone, it's the one that attaches to the outside of the upright. I've taken 100s of photos and still can't work it out. It just doesn't seem right.

Here's a pic, or 2, do I have all the bits and are they in the right order, did you need to modify the nylon washer to fit?





Aghhh!

TA

Tim

[TT Tim]

I'm getting very confused now.

Have looked at this again and basically the top hat spacer is way too small for the ID of the centre of the bearing. So, if you assemble the parts the bolt is being held by the nylon washers! That can't be right.

I'm in real trouble here as the car is due to go off next Monday to be set up and I have a pile of work several feet high on my desk and still 101 things to do to get the car ready.

Any suggestions from people who've been there.

Windsor where are you?

Tim

[caduceus]

Yes Tim, Windsor would be the man to advise. Not sure where he is though.
How about Steve Heath?
Let me know how this goes mate, as I'm more than likely to do the same to mine when i get round to the suspension. Keep taking those pics too, very handy

Cad

[Ireland]

I'm afraid I can't help you with this one.

I've done the front but haven't got around to doing the back yet.

But, if it's any help, I did have to file down the edge of one of the washers on the front a small bit.

[longbow]

Hi Tim, sorry, have been busy with work and only just seen your post. From memory the Powerflex kit all fitted together without any dramas. My Cerb is at home in the garage at the moment, about 170 miles away so I can't really help at the moment. But I do remember the large washer goes towards the rear of the car, where the long bolt joins the wishbone in line with the chassis mounts. Unless there has been som mix up with the kit you have??? I'll check my rebuild pics to see if there is anything useful in there....

[TT Tim]

Hi Guys.

Thanks for the replies.

It is the front I'm doing, NOT the back.

Where I seem to have a problem is that the internal diameter of the bush that is fitted is considerably larger than the size of the bolt, so it's loose.

Does that ring any bells?

Not sure who top ask?

Tim

BTW: here are a couple of shots showing the diffence in diameter between the bolt and bush:

Edited by TT Tim on Thursday 28th February 08:14

[Olly]

Call Joolz ! It's in his interest to get you back on the road ASAP as thats where the car is off to next week !

If you need another (tired) pair of eyes to look at it, give me a shout - I'll be at home all day (& passing you at about 9:30 anyway)....

[TT Tim]

Olly said:

Call Joolz ! It's in his interest to get you back on the road ASAP as thats where the car is off to next week !

If you need another (tired) pair of eyes to look at it, give me a shout - I'll be at home all day (& passing you at about 9:30 anyway)....

Ta m8.

Will be out scratchin' my head later. Need to get a bit more 'real' work done first :S

Tim

[julian64]

I can stick my car up on the ramp for you to have a look at this afternoon if you want. Original setup though.

[Ireland]

TT Tim said:

It is the front I'm doing, NOT the back.

Oops.

Here's a pic of mine on the car before I tightened it all up



I had to cut the white washer where arrowed.

I looked but I don't seem to have any pics of the washer after I cut it (I reckon my hands were too dirty or it was too late to pick up the camera) .

As for the bolt, I fitted new ones as well and I noticed the same and had to re-use the little bushings in your pic.

[trackcar]

It doesn't mater that teh bolt is loose in the big sleve, because the top hat spacer is what gives the location .. is teh bolt a good fit in the top hat spacer and is the thin sleeve part of the top hat spacer a good fit in the big sleeve? If so, that's correct. if not you have a problem.

[TT Tim]

Brilliant thanks.

I had worked out that I'd need to reuse the tophat washers, but mine are a lot smaller. That's where I'm confused.

I've just got the vernier out and the spec is:

O/D of Tophat washer: 12.55mm

I/D of Bush tube: 14mm (approx)

So, you can see my dilema.

Julian, I did shoot you a mail earlier, do you fancy making some new tophat washers to fit this afternoon? i'll bring the buns for tea this time.

Tim

[julian64]

Strangely I don't get mail at work . But in all afternoon, so pop round whenever .

[TT Tim]

julian64 said:

Strangely I don't get mail at work . But in all afternoon, so pop round whenever .

Brilliant, thanks Julian.

Any preference on bun type? Donut, rock cake, pastry or yum yum?

Will pop to steelholders to get some bar.

Thanks again

Tim

[julian64]

TT Tim said:

julian64 said:

Strangely I don't get mail at work . But in all afternoon, so pop round whenever .

Brilliant, thanks Julian.

Any preference on bun type? Donut, rock cake, pastry or yum yum?

Will pop to steelholders to get some bar.

Thanks again

Tim

I'm a donut man . I'll supply the tea.

P.S. you trying to make washers out of steel bar. That sounds weirder than me saying you should make your own nipples.

[TT Tim]

It's a tophat washer, shown here:





So, not a flat washer.

I'm still puzzled as to why mine is different to other peoples.

See you this afternoon.

Thanks

Tim

Edited by TT Tim on Thursday 28th February 09:36

[longbow]

No, thats completely right! The tophat washers are the parts that transfer the loads from the bolt to the bush. I remember thinking that it was a bit unusual, but Powerflex insisted that was entirely normal. So in effect the bolt running through the centre of the bush is not in contact with anything.

Edited to add: Ah, if the OD of the tophat washer is smaller than the ID of the bush then yes, that wouldn't work. See what you mean now. Didn't the washers come with the kit? If so, maybe they are simply the wrong ones from Powerflex.

Edited by longbow on Thursday 28th February 09:39

[TT Tim]

longbow said:

No, thats completely right! The tophat washers are the parts that transfer the loads from the bolt to the bush. I remember thinking that it was a bit unusual, but Powerflex insisted that was entirely normal. So in effect the bolt running through the centre of the bush is not in contact with anything.

Windsor,

I'm confused, did you mean that there's 1.5mm play between the tophat washer and the bush? i.e. it just floats around?

I understand that the washer acts of the bush, like the tie arms/sway arms, but as it is the whole load of the suspension is taken on the nylon washer!!???

I'm worried that I'm not making myself clear, here's a photo of the Tophat washer and the bush side by side and annotated to show the size diffential:



Tim

Edited by TT Tim on Thursday 28th February 09:55

[trackcar]

When you put the top hat into the bush is there any play?

[TT Tim]

trackcar said:

When you put the top hat into the bush is there any play?

Yep, it's floating about. There's 1.5mm diffence in size!

Joolz, tell me I'm not losing the plot.

Tim