Front drag link bushes

[markh1]

Have been doing a partial strip down and inspection of the cerb prior to it going back on the road in a month or so and found that the 'washers' for the front drag links did not look in that good nick...

this rubber surround came off the outside of one of the washers. Does this matter? I can't see what purpose it serves.





This is the state of the washer...



This is the state of the bush which is poly job that is pretty new...

[Tanguero]

Yes, it does matter! This rubber rim stops the drag link from shifting backwards and forwards under heavy load. I had exactly the same thing happen to mine a while ago (on a brand new set of poly bushes) and the car developed a rather alarming twitch under hard cornering.

It was suggested at the time that removing flaking powder coating from the inside of the bush aperture had increased clearances allowing the edge of the 'eye' to mangle the bush rim. I had the drag struts re-coated and replaced the bushes and have had no further problems.

[markh1]

Thanks Peter,

I forgot the design of the bush, and thought the rubber bit that came off had come from the outside of the metal 'tophat'

Will order some new bushes.