SeriousIIa Posted September 24, 2012 Share Posted September 24, 2012 My 127 is going through a set of radiusarm bushings in about 5K miles. So Now time to replace them again. I wil most definately fit a set of OEM ones. But going through my shed I found 2 variaties. Can anyone tell me which ones are stronger and if they have different part numbers? (don't watch the red paint) Cheers Bowy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
elbekko Posted September 24, 2012 Share Posted September 24, 2012 I think the quality of the genuine bushes has dropped massively recently, mine too are wearing way faster than they used to, and the damn things aren't cheap either! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Daan Posted September 24, 2012 Share Posted September 24, 2012 The ones on the left are wide ones, the later ones, the one on the right is the narrow one, earlier. I think the construction is the same from different suppliers, but I might be wrong. In true bodge style, I use narrow ones in my later front axle, with a washer either side. More flex is the idea, and I run early, narrow Rangerover radius arms (less weight). My bearmach ones are looking pretty second hand as well, despite only being used on sundays and national holidays. Daan Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hybrid_From_Hell Posted September 24, 2012 Share Posted September 24, 2012 I run OEM wide, but have drilled (3.5mm) a ring of 8 drill holes though them when new, similarly to allow extar flex, once drilled the holes "Vanish" but even odder they lasted longer than the new undrilled ones And don't waste your money on Polybush Nige Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Maverik Posted September 24, 2012 Share Posted September 24, 2012 And don't waste your money on Polybush I have been saying this for a while I don't rate Polybushes at all, but I just keep getting shouted down... the only plus point is easy of installation but thats about it... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Simon Smith Posted September 24, 2012 Share Posted September 24, 2012 Well my polybushes were fitted when I bought this Landy over ten years ago. Still as snug as the day I fitted them which is more than can be said for the genuine ones I used on the old one. Previous 110 used to need them changeing for every MOT which is why I thought I would try the polybushes. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mmgemini Posted September 24, 2012 Share Posted September 24, 2012 Another big vote for OEM bushes. I too get shouted down when I suggest that you shouldn't modify the suspension with those Polybushes bushes. Are you letting the car settle before you fully tighten the suspension ? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hybrid_From_Hell Posted September 24, 2012 Share Posted September 24, 2012 Polybushes are OK (if you have to) for on road, hopeless off - mine exploded and escaped on one off road event, was given another set Free, killed them too, went back to Genuine (Note : NOT OEM) Nige Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Simon Smith Posted September 24, 2012 Share Posted September 24, 2012 True, mine has done about 70,000 miles on polybushes with no problems at all. Off road wise it has been used on several shoots where there has been some serious gloop and ruts, but nothing that works the suspension particularly hard. I would imagine it's the axle twisters that would kill them, so for off road Genuine is probably better. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lars L Posted September 24, 2012 Share Posted September 24, 2012 Super Pro... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Team Idris Posted September 24, 2012 Share Posted September 24, 2012 I've got some double tube ones, and to be honest, and totally unhelpfull.......I used them as RV8 engine mounts I too will vote for black rubber bushes. That beastliness has to get out somewhere, and bushes are cheaper than drive train parts Any either way, I assumed the double tube would give less axel warp, as the enclosed rubber would have less room to warp? Perfect for the engine, but not what I wanted in my flexing axel. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SeriousIIa Posted September 25, 2012 Author Share Posted September 25, 2012 They are the same width so not early and late ones. But I think Idris is right that they will probably limit the flex and that is not what I'm looking for. For now I'll fit the rubber ones. Polý's are not my cup of tea because I push the truck hard offroad. Cheers Bowy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FridgeFreezer Posted September 25, 2012 Share Posted September 25, 2012 Daft question: have you investigated why your truck kills bushes so quickly in the first place? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SeriousIIa Posted September 25, 2012 Author Share Posted September 25, 2012 Daft question: have you investigated why your truck kills bushes so quickly in the first place? I presume that a 2500KG 127 with 250hp/430+Nm of torque, 4 inch lift and 36 inch tires is a bit outside the standard application of the bushes . So I'm going to live with it and try to replace them with the best available one. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
elbekko Posted September 25, 2012 Share Posted September 25, 2012 Daft question: have you investigated why your truck kills bushes so quickly in the first place? My driving tends to be a huge factor But I've replaced them twice this year, and they're worn again now, and I've done a little over 5000km on the last set now. It's ridiculous, even with my less than forgiving driving style. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mikec Posted September 25, 2012 Share Posted September 25, 2012 I had a spell of replacing the bushes on my 90, but since I stopped using the arm to jack the car on I've never had to replace them. Not sure if the two are connected but I won't be jacking it there again Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dailysleaze Posted September 25, 2012 Share Posted September 25, 2012 The ones on the left are for a Discovery. I accidentally fitted them on my Defender but I can't really tell the difference. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Michele Posted September 26, 2012 Share Posted September 26, 2012 Daft question: have you investigated why your truck kills bushes so quickly in the first place? What Fridge said ^^, and I don't think horsepower and torque are the reasons why they die so prematurely, but I'm no engineer and it's my feeling... Another vote for SuperPro bushes (which I got from OEC at time). http://www.oecinternational.com/products/superpro/superpro-land-rover- Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
simonr Posted September 26, 2012 Share Posted September 26, 2012 Why do bushes fail? There are obviously other reasons such as UV or the bush being badly made in the first place - but all other things being equal the failure mechanism is........ Like any spring (or any material for that matter), a bush has an elastic limit. A load beyond which it will either break (tear or split in the case of a bush) or extrude (permanently change shape). Also like a metal spring, they suffer from fatigue which is exhibited by the bush becoming softer as the individual polymer chains break meaning that the plastic/rubber is less tightly bound together internally. Eventually so many of the chains break that the bush falls apart. If the loading on the bush is small enough, a fraction of the elastic limit - the bush can have an effectively infinite fatigue life (as the polymer chains will not be pulled hard enough to break). The greater the loads it is subjected to, the shorter the time it will take to fatigue - and at it's limit when the force exceeds it's elastic limit, it will have zero life expectancy. This is why Simon_Smith's and Bowy's statements can both be true. It indicates that for whatever reason (torque, wheel size, flexibility, style of driving) Bowy is running the bushes closer to their limit than Simon. On the whole, rubber elastomer bushes can sustain higher loadings / give a longer life for a given loading. However some customers may want more or less flexibility than a standard elastomer bush allows - and that may be a reasonable justification for PU bushings. Plus they are a darn site easier to fit. PU Bushes are cheaper to make than Elastomer (They sell for more money because they are viewed as a 'bling' upgrade). If they were as good an option as the manufacturers make out, all the OEM's would fit PU as standard. However, as far as I know, none of them do! I think the reason is that on average, across all users, more PU bushes would fail within the warranty period than Elastomer which makes them less cost effective than Elastomer. There are always apparent exceptions where people have had PU bushings last for millions of miles - but the underlying physics of it is the same. Its just that the environment they are subjected to suits a PU bushing. However, these do not prove that PU is longer lasting in all cases, just as the cases where they have only lasted days do not prove they are useless. There will be just as many anomylous cases with Elastomer bushes. But on average across all users, the life of Elastomer will likely be greater than PU of similar quality. As a few people have said, I think the best quality PU Bushes on the market currently are SuperPro - and I have used them in a number of applications. Si Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bishbosh Posted September 26, 2012 Share Posted September 26, 2012 I used to sing the praises of PU bushes. Until I took a set out of some radius arms. As the bush is not an interference fit in the arm it allows water to get between the bush and the arm. the result is the arm corrudes rendering it scrap. See my original post HERE. I would only now fit genuine bushes (if I had a Landy to fit them to of course!) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
landroversforever Posted September 26, 2012 Share Posted September 26, 2012 I used to sing the praises of PU bushes. Until I took a set out of some radius arms. As the bush is not an interference fit in the arm it allows water to get between the bush and the arm. the result is the arm corrudes rendering it scrap. See my original post HERE. I would only now fit genuine bushes (if I had a Landy to fit them to of course!) Great excuse to buy another one Bish! OT: How is that buggy coming along? Time for an update I think ;-) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nicks90 Posted September 27, 2012 Share Posted September 27, 2012 my 90 gets a fair bit of abuse and road miles too - has longer shocks and hence more "droop" than standard and still has standard radius arms. genuine rubber bushes lasted 110k miles before getting sloppy. so i changed them to deflex and they lasted a few months. Threw some money at a set of the new (at the time) orange Polybush bushes that were meant to be mid way between the hard reds and comfort blues. In 18 months I have changes both rear radius arm bushes, front panhard rod bushes and front right radius arm axle end bushes. Seriously unimpressed. I wish i had access to a press and some time to spare - as genuine metalastic ones would be going straight back in! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
simonr Posted September 27, 2012 Share Posted September 27, 2012 Before I had a press, I used to just use a length of threaded rod, nuts & washers to push bushes in & out. Not as easy as a press, but perfectly possible. Si Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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