Fitting Superflex Front Suspension Bushes

M

mrecht

New Member
Any tips for fitting Superflex bushes into the front suspension top link mounting brackets ? I have tried using a vice to push them in parallel to the center line of the bracket after warming them with hot water & using plenty of lubricant, but part of the lip of the bush always ends up slipping into the metal bracket first and I haven’t found a way to shoehorn the rest in once it is squint.

I also checked the inner diameter of the bushes which seems too small compared to the diameter of the top link assembly bar they fit onto/rotate around – the material seems too hard to be able to open up by the required amount, but as I haven’t got the bushes into the fittings yet I can’t be sure !

Outer Bush inner diameter 17mm, metal bar diameter 19.0mm
Inner Bush inner diameter 16.8mm, metal bar diameter 22.5mm

Can any one advise whether this seems right and the bushes will be able to be squeezed onto the top link assembly bar once I have got them in the brackets ?

Thanks in advance, Mark….
 
Not paticularly helpful but I was advised not fit superflex bushes to the top link mounts as they would transmist the most noise to the bulkhead. Also the same people who advised this said when they had fitted them they had trouble with squeaking from the bush which was impossible to erradicate.

As to the bush diameters it doesn't sound right to me. As you probably realise from fitting the other bushes the sleeves supplied are more or less a sliding fit in the bushes.

Might be worth considering some replacement metalastic bushes if they can be sourced unless you are building an out and out racer.
 
What are other peoples thoughts or experiences regarding top links & superflex bushes? I'll be superflexing the whole V8 soon but will use Metalastic in the top links if the noise/sqeak problem is common. That could be a timely warning for me.
 
As a matter of interest I had a squeak problem with a metalastic bush that had seized on the top link bellcrank !
 
superflex bushes are self lubricating.i fitted them to all the suspension when i did my rebuild the ride is a lot firmer.i do have a sqeak on the back when it is bounced but on the move there is nothing.very easy to fit the only hard part was removing the old ones.
cheers steve
 
I used Graphite Grease when fitting a set of Polybushes to the SD1. No squeaks in the last 12-odd years since.

I think I will be sticking with Metalastik bushes for the P6 though.
 
Thanks for the feedback on that. I'll get some assembly lubricant.
PeterB76, any particular reason for sticking to the Metalastik? I'm assuming ride firmness is the reason.
 
Basically yes. I personally like to keep this particular P6 as it came from the factory. Especially as it has only had a couple of owners and is very original.

The Polys on the SD1 are good and did make a great deal of difference in steering precision, but they did also firm up the ride a bit. I wouldn't want to do that on the P6.

Saying that, I know that you can now get different grades of Poly-bushes. One with a similar shore to rubber may be ideal.

My dad had a set of Polybush Blue (comfort) bushes fitted to his Range Rover, and they seem great. They give an original ride but should last a lot longer than rubber bushes.
 
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