neonovice Posted January 21, 2016 Share Posted January 21, 2016 We are about 1/2 way through finishing someone's unfinished project. A rather nice 1989 90 with galv chassis and new bulkhead. Next job is getting it up on the ramp. Having had a look round it's going to need a few bushes (it was sat for 10 years before I acquired it), I was wandering if it's going to be worth the time money and effort fitting a full pollybush kit to it. Are they a significant improvement? Do they last much longer, as advertised? Any thoughts appreciated. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
L19MUD Posted January 21, 2016 Share Posted January 21, 2016 You will find this is a subject that divides opinion......... my thoughts based on my own experience OE spec bushes are softer and cope better with flexing off road (and last longer in those conditions), give a more comfortable ride, less precise feel to on road driving Genuine Red polybushes - I fitted these as the 90 used to do a lot of 3.5 ton towing and practically 100% road work. They made the ride slightly more harsh but the handling was improved massively. Most of them have been fitted for 80k miles now and only the panhard rod ones have been replaced. Depending on your workshop facilities these ones are also a doddle to fit as they don't need a press. The harder bushes do seem to split (and reduce flex) on trucks used as competition trucks though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Roverdrive Posted January 21, 2016 Share Posted January 21, 2016 As above Certainly divides opinion. I fitted a complete set of genuine red polybushes to my RRC before using it as a trials motor. I used it for four years and again as above, only the pan hard rod bushes needed changing after two years. I personally like the genuine polybushes, and will fit them again. Never noticed any change in harshness as I was running diamonds anyway. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ejparrott Posted January 21, 2016 Share Posted January 21, 2016 I had a set of FloFlex polys to fit once, they were carp....the bush for the spring was so long it didn't even fit between the ears on the chassis. After that I bought a genuine Polybush set and they were a dream. I'm fitting them because I want to make the vehicles easier to work on - as I get less mobile I don't want to be fighting to get a spring off and under the press. Friend of mine has had them on all his, five years in the offroader and no trouble. They've not been in my long enough. I've not noticed the ride to be any harsher than before. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mickeyw Posted January 21, 2016 Share Posted January 21, 2016 I had a full set of genuine Polybushes on my 90 for 12 years before I had to replace one. I had the firm red at the axles and blue at the chassis to permit greater flexing. 12 years on a set of bushes is good IMO, and that was with plenty of off roading and towing. As you might had guessed, I'm a fan of these, but many here are not. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ozzy50 Posted January 22, 2016 Share Posted January 22, 2016 Have fitted genuine polybushes to a rrc ,a Disco and a 110 and they are the only ones I would recommend,same as above panhard bushes ,particularly the axle end ,don't last as long ,probably best to put OE bushes there ,have tried cheaper makes and they are carp ,as has been mentioned above a mix of red and blue seem best and they are easy to fit . James Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GW8IZR Posted January 22, 2016 Share Posted January 22, 2016 I have used genuine poly bushes pretty much since they were available on all manner of vehicles, they have never done anything other than what it says on the tin and they just work. However I have seen a bit of wear in the metals they attach to and for that reason I was a bit more selective on the last build. Shocks, and panhard rod I used genuine rubber and the rest I used poly They aren't indestructible Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
L19MUD Posted January 22, 2016 Share Posted January 22, 2016 Well...I didn't see that coming! Everyone seems to agree they are a worthwhile upgrade!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
daveturnbull Posted January 22, 2016 Share Posted January 22, 2016 If you do go for them, stick with standard rubbers in the panhard rod. Polybushes (of any brand) never seem to last very long in this position. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
honitonhobbit Posted January 22, 2016 Share Posted January 22, 2016 I fit SuperPro bushes to my vehicles and all my clients vehicles as an upgrade. I won't use the cheaper end of the market as many are simple rubbish. The worst being that yellow make that Britpart sell - they are actually made of stale processed cheese. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JeffR Posted January 22, 2016 Share Posted January 22, 2016 I fit SuperPro bushes to my vehicles and all my clients vehicles as an upgrade. I won't use the cheaper end of the market as many are simple rubbish. The worst being that yellow make that Britpart sell - they are actually made of stale processed cheese. NO NO NO, they are not made of stale processed cheese. They are made of that congealed stuff that comes in squirt bottles and is loosely referred to as Cheese Flavoured spread... 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
neonovice Posted January 22, 2016 Author Share Posted January 22, 2016 Hmmm. Having got it up on the ramp today, it appears that all the bushes are OK. I will stick it in for it's MOT as is soon and see what that throws up. Thanks for the replies, certainly interesting reading. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mickeyw Posted January 22, 2016 Share Posted January 22, 2016 Interesting comments re panhard rod fitment. This was one area I used to go through std bushes at a rate of knots. The panhard Polybushes outlasted everything else while having PAS fluid dumped on the O/S one every so often. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GW8IZR Posted January 22, 2016 Share Posted January 22, 2016 I fit SuperPro bushes to my vehicles and all my clients vehicles as an upgrade. I won't use the cheaper end of the market as many are simple rubbish. The worst being that yellow make that Britpart sell - they are actually made of stale processed cheese. That yellow one in my picture was one of the very first ones into the UK back in about '87 ( dont hold me to that exact year ) and the early ones were very hard. That one tore up on my RRC doing Monks Trod just before it was TRO'd Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
marktdi Posted January 23, 2016 Share Posted January 23, 2016 I have super pro on my 90 fitted on davids recomendation and they are spot on . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Snagger Posted January 24, 2016 Share Posted January 24, 2016 The problem the panhard rod bushes face is that the rod is under intense torsion whenever the suspension moves (because the axle rotates around the rear end of the radius arm) - with one end of the rod in the rotating axle and the other in the fixed chassis bracket, the bushes are given a really hard time as the rod end tries to twist out of parallel with the bolt through its centre. The only way around that is to have a rose joint in one end, like a lot of the aftermarket adjustable panhard rods do. I have no idea how quickly those joints wear, though, or how harsh that may make the ride (I shouldn't think it too bad if you keep the rose joint clean and lubricated inside its gaiter). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Reiny Posted January 26, 2016 Share Posted January 26, 2016 I'd go for poly bushes every time. The only reason I choose them is for ease of replacement. As for longevity, I really wouldn't know. I have destroyed a set in 3 years (I used to offroad a lot during that time) and the set that followed lasted 6 years. They weren't too bad when I replaced them but some clonks were starting to become evident. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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