Polybush Shock Absorber Bushes

[BogMonster]

Just been looking around to see if Polybushes are available for Defender shock absorbers ... the particular type I am after is the bottom bush for the rear shockers on my 90, they are the new type big "cone shaped" bushes similar to those found on the back shockers of a late Discovery Tdi, genuine part number is RNF100190L I think.

Has anybody used Polybush shocker bushes and are they a lot harder than std? I am pretty sure my lower bushes are what is causing the annoying knock in the back end of my 90 when I hit small sharp bumps at speed, if you lie underneath grab the rear crossmember and pump the back end of the vehicle up and down the bushes have a lot of flex in them, too much it seems, but I had a look at some new bushes (was going to change them) and they don't seem to be any better - they seem to be far too soft rubber compound for a bush. I think something a lot harder would be better - the old type bottom bushes (552818 as fitted to older 90/110/Defender rear shockers) allowed no movement in the shock relative to the axle bracket at all, these things just seem a rubbish design.

Feedback please. I am getting a set of Monroe gas shocks which may well come with better bushes, but they are a couple of months away yet (drawback of living in this part of the world!) and the knocking is starting to get well over to the right hand side of my irritatometer also if the Monroes only come with rubber bushes I will have the same problem

Ta

[DEANO3528]

I had polybushed top and bottom mounts on Shed until I renewed the ES9000's, and while the bottom ones (being pins) were ok, the top ones had worn quite badly. Mind you the motor get's a lot of stick and did too, before I had it.

[BogMonster]

Just for clarity these are what I am talking about

with the late type bushes the cups are welded onto the axle brackets and there is a very soft cone shaped bush inside, I think the "clonk" I am getting is the outer washer hitting the cup -- there is that much movement in them! but not obviously worn

bluddy rubbish idea IMHO

before anybody mentions it yes I know I missed a bit with the pressure washer last weekend

[BogMonster]

Now I really hate them!

I bought some new non-genuine bushes (grand cost of £1.76!) after posting this and replaced them as a temporary solution to the noise till my Monroes arrive ... problem sorted, but:

ONE BLUDDY TRIP off road last weekend and they are knackered as they are clonking again!!!

Not impressed - bring back the old design!! I think Mr Cold Chisel is going to be talking to Mr Axle Bracket in the near future, and the old sort will be put on there with the separate washers.

[Ivan]

I have poly bushes on my Discovery (at least I think they are poly bushes). They came with the OME springs and shocks I fitted 3 years ago. Still going well and no signs of wear (yet). They are yellow and appear to be quite soft when you squeeze them but they seem to be doing the job.

Ivan

[Hybrid_From_Hell]

FFS steve,

Genuine last far longer than pattern or Polybush

except if you wnat real help with articulation, then a set of worn out bushes makes a huge difference !

Nige

[BogMonster]

'Kin hope they last longer.....

.....took me longer to change them than it did to wear them out!!!!!

[Paul90]

BogBuster,

Have you tried using a big lever on the rear axle ball joint to check for any play ?

That has been the source of annoying "clonks" on my 90 but the play isn't obvious without some leverage.

Just a thought.

Paul

[white90]

also loose trailing arm mountings.

[BogMonster]

Now I'm really getting ****ed off with these stupid shockers

Been using the 90 the last couple of days as it's been a bit snowy (middle of winter at this end...) and the carpets are a PITFA to take out of the Discovery if they get wet (and go mouldy/smelly if you don't)

The clonk has been getting worse and worse and by the end of this afternoon every time I hit a pothole - which is quite a lot on our roads - it sounded like the back axle was going to fall off so I decided I had better investigate ... a bit of bouncing my "slender frame" up and down on the bumper and then the NATO hitch confirmed it was the back that was making the racket. So half an hour ago I fired up the heater in the garage, armed myself with a beer and a torch (essentials for modern maintenance) and crawled under the back to see what was falling off....

Uh oh....

Would you believe it? I always knew that non-genuine suspension bushes were junk - I just couldn't get any genuine ones the other day otherwise I would have fitted genuine the first time but...

Left to right:

- Original (genuine) bush fitted from new, removed one week ago after about 10,000 miles and a fair bit of off road use, a bit worn but not too bad

- One of the "brand new ones" fitted last week done about 150 miles about 15 of which have been off road, totally shot away

- One of the others, the other way up, starting to split around the edge as well

Moral of the story: DO NOT waste your time and your money on non-genuine suspension bushes it is NOT worth it and you WILL end up doing it again.

Got to be an all time record - the previous best (worst) I know of was a set of radius arm bushes which lasted three weeks (not mine I am glad to say)

Four new genuine bushes in there and they'd better last more than 150 miles or I shall be really really really ****ed off!

As they say you get what you pay for.........