Omega Owners Forum

Omega Help Area => Omega General Help => Topic started by: J.S.B. on 05 August 2011, 17:38:33

Title: Front Suspension Bushes (Rear Polys?)
Post by: J.S.B. on 05 August 2011, 17:38:33
Hi,

I've bought a set of PowerFlex Front Suspension and Antiroll bushes but when I looked at my arms I noticed the rear bush looks a bit tired on both sides, so I though I'd try and find replacement bushes for them too before starting work.

Can you get rear poly bushes? If so can anyone link them for me please?

Regards
Title: Re: Front Suspension Bushes (Rear Polys?)
Post by: Osprey on 05 August 2011, 17:45:54
Rear bush polys are not available as far as I know. 
Title: Re: Front Suspension Bushes (Rear Polys?)
Post by: razzo on 05 August 2011, 18:12:54
they are not available off the shelf, but it can be done

(http://i199.photobucket.com/albums/aa297/razzo_photo/KY8L0003-2.jpg)  :y
Title: Re: Front Suspension Bushes (Rear Polys?)
Post by: Mr Gav on 05 August 2011, 18:35:59
Quote
they are not available off the shelf, but it can be done

(http://i199.photobucket.com/albums/aa297/razzo_photo/KY8L0003-2.jpg)  :y

Does anyone know which powerflex bush was used?
Title: Re: Front Suspension Bushes (Rear Polys?)
Post by: razzo on 06 August 2011, 10:36:08
Quote
Quote
they are not available off the shelf, but it can be done

(http://i199.photobucket.com/albums/aa297/razzo_photo/KY8L0003-2.jpg)  :y

Does anyone know which powerflex bush was used

not made by powerflex, i made them up myself  :y
Title: Re: Front Suspension Bushes (Rear Polys?)
Post by: feeutfo on 06 August 2011, 10:39:34
Think you may have found a gap in the market there Razzo.  :y
Title: Re: Front Suspension Bushes (Rear Polys?)
Post by: J.S.B. on 06 August 2011, 11:40:29
Yeah  :y

How much for a pair of them?
Title: Re: Front Suspension Bushes (Rear Polys?)
Post by: Mr Gav on 06 August 2011, 18:51:50
Quote
Yeah  :y

How much for a pair of them?

I`d be interested too  :y
Title: Re: Front Suspension Bushes (Rear Polys?)
Post by: Lazydocker on 06 August 2011, 18:58:19
And me, and probably another 50 or so omega owners ;)
Title: Re: Front Suspension Bushes (Rear Polys?)
Post by: Nick W on 06 August 2011, 22:16:35
Considering the movement that particular bush has to accomodate, surely it has to be a void bush, and not a solid one? Which is a pity, as a length of polyurethane and a sharp tool in the lathe would soon produce such a thing.

It's yet another instance of just good enough design; after all, Escorts suffer from exactly the same problem, although a new wishbone is only £15.
Title: Re: Front Suspension Bushes (Rear Polys?)
Post by: feeutfo on 07 August 2011, 10:56:23
Can Polly be bought in a tube? Possibly in the relevant in side and outside diameters...?


Center spacer should be easy enough.
Title: Re: Front Suspension Bushes (Rear Polys?)
Post by: Gaffers on 07 August 2011, 11:04:46
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And me, and probably another 50 or so omega owners ;)

And me, I would delay fitting the new wishbones I was planning for this week if someone is going to make some......
Title: Re: Front Suspension Bushes (Rear Polys?)
Post by: razzo on 07 August 2011, 11:12:21
Quote
Can Polly be bought in a tube? Possibly in the relevant in side and outside diameters...?


Center spacer should be easy enough.

its available in the right size off the shelf but it aint cheap, just need to cut them to length, drill the hole & get the tubes made up. Bar comes in 12 inch lengths so should get a few bushes out of one bar, if enough peeps are interested shouldn't cost too much per pair  :y
Title: Re: Front Suspension Bushes (Rear Polys?)
Post by: Gaffers on 07 August 2011, 11:15:24
Count me in if it can be done soon.
Title: Re: Front Suspension Bushes (Rear Polys?)
Post by: Kevin Wood on 07 August 2011, 11:56:07
Quote
Considering the movement that particular bush has to accomodate, surely it has to be a void bush, and not a solid one? Which is a pity, as a length of polyurethane and a sharp tool in the lathe would soon produce such a thing.

It's yet another instance of just good enough design; after all, Escorts suffer from exactly the same problem, although a new wishbone is only £15.

I must say, I'd also be surprised if you can get enough flexibilty from a solid bush yet have it last well enough in that application. Happy to be proved wrong, though.
Title: Re: Front Suspension Bushes (Rear Polys?)
Post by: feeutfo on 07 August 2011, 12:14:53
Is there anything to keep the wishbone at the right hight? Ie stop the wishbone working it's way down the bush outer wall. Or the bush sliding down the spacer...?  :-/
Title: Re: Front Suspension Bushes (Rear Polys?)
Post by: SteveAvfc. on 07 August 2011, 16:25:38
With regards to the poly bushes where would you recommend that they get purchased from who is the best/better thanks.  :y
Title: Re: Front Suspension Bushes (Rear Polys?)
Post by: Mr Gav on 07 August 2011, 17:28:35
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Is there anything to keep the wishbone at the right hight? Ie stop the wishbone working it's way down the bush outer wall. Or the bush sliding down the spacer...?  :-/

Any front to rear movement would be limited by the rear vertical bush especially if it`s a polyurethane bush.
Title: Re: Front Suspension Bushes (Rear Polys?)
Post by: feeutfo on 07 August 2011, 18:52:35
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Quote
Is there anything to keep the wishbone at the right hight? Ie stop the wishbone working it's way down the bush outer wall. Or the bush sliding down the spacer...?  :-/

Any front to rear movement would be limited by the rear vertical bush especially if it`s a polyurethane bush.
We are talking about the rear vertical bush itself. There's nothing to stop the wishbone working down the bush, or the bush down the spacer. Or indeed up, depending on the forces at play...?

The front horizontal front poly bushes have a lip on the outside edge of the two halves to stop any end float, but as you say, the rear bush will locate that :y

Should something similar be in place on the rear vertical bush...? Given the leverage involved I also imagine some road grime getting down the edges if it's levered up and down enough...???? :-/
Title: Re: Front Suspension Bushes (Rear Polys?)
Post by: Mr Gav on 07 August 2011, 20:13:26
Quote

Should something similar be in place on the rear vertical bush...? Given the leverage involved I also imagine some road grime getting down the edges if it's levered up and down enough...???? :-/

I would have though that there must be something to stop the wishbone moving on the bush. I can`t find a decent picture of one but on the Carlton vertical bushes there is a lip on the metal outer casing to stop the wishbone moving so I would assume there is something on the powerflex ones, although the polyurethane would have to be bonded to the metal casing.
Title: Re: Front Suspension Bushes (Rear Polys?)
Post by: Abiton on 07 August 2011, 21:08:28
Seems like a very good question to me Chris.
Title: Re: Front Suspension Bushes (Rear Polys?)
Post by: feeutfo on 07 August 2011, 21:09:52
Quote
Quote

Should something similar be in place on the rear vertical bush...? Given the leverage involved I also imagine some road grime getting down the edges if it's levered up and down enough...???? :-/

I would have though that there must be something to stop the wishbone moving on the bush. I can`t find a decent picture of one but on the Carlton vertical bushes there is a lip on the metal outer casing to stop the wishbone moving so I would assume there is something on the powerflex ones, although the polyurethane would have to be bonded to the metal casing.
There is no metal casing on pollys, and there is no rear Polly made anyway. Hence the one pictured is made by the owner....
Title: Re: Front Suspension Bushes (Rear Polys?)
Post by: feeutfo on 07 August 2011, 21:16:43
Quote
Quote
Quote

Should something similar be in place on the rear vertical bush...? Given the leverage involved I also imagine some road grime getting down the edges if it's levered up and down enough...???? :-/

I would have though that there must be something to stop the wishbone moving on the bush. I can`t find a decent picture of one but on the Carlton vertical bushes there is a lip on the metal outer casing to stop the wishbone moving so I would assume there is something on the powerflex ones, although the polyurethane would have to be bonded to the metal casing.
There is no metal casing on pollys, and there is no rear Polly made anyway. Hence the one pictured is made by the owner....
Although I would like to be proved wrong, if there is one made that would be good news.

This has been discussed before, and the rear vertical bush has a more complex job than the front, although arguable less stressed, and some sort of ball joint would cover the planes it moves on, however fragile or unsuitable a ball joint may be.

Having cut an oe one in half, apart from the fact it's bonded, there is also a bulb in the centre spacer of the rearward bush, almost ball like.
Title: Re: Front Suspension Bushes (Rear Polys?)
Post by: Mr Gav on 07 August 2011, 21:51:35
Quote
Quote
Quote

Should something similar be in place on the rear vertical bush...? Given the leverage involved I also imagine some road grime getting down the edges if it's levered up and down enough...???? :-/

I would have though that there must be something to stop the wishbone moving on the bush. I can`t find a decent picture of one but on the Carlton vertical bushes there is a lip on the metal outer casing to stop the wishbone moving so I would assume there is something on the powerflex ones, although the polyurethane would have to be bonded to the metal casing.
There is no metal casing on pollys, and there is no rear Polly made anyway. Hence the one pictured is made by the owner....

Sorry Chris, I`ve got my fronts and rears mixed up and I now understand what you`re saying and as you say there`s nothing to stop the bush sliding on the wishbone.
Title: Re: Front Suspension Bushes (Rear Polys?)
Post by: feeutfo on 07 August 2011, 21:56:29
Quote
Quote
Quote
Quote

Should something similar be in place on the rear vertical bush...? Given the leverage involved I also imagine some road grime getting down the edges if it's levered up and down enough...???? :-/

I would have though that there must be something to stop the wishbone moving on the bush. I can`t find a decent picture of one but on the Carlton vertical bushes there is a lip on the metal outer casing to stop the wishbone moving so I would assume there is something on the powerflex ones, although the polyurethane would have to be bonded to the metal casing.
There is no metal casing on pollys, and there is no rear Polly made anyway. Hence the one pictured is made by the owner....

Sorry Chris, I`ve got my fronts and rears mixed up and I now understand what you`re saying and as you say there`s nothing to stop the bush sliding on the wishbone.
No worries, just curious is all. It might be fine. Certainly would help if the rear diy bush works. I'm sure Razzo would have noticed an issue....  :)
Title: Re: Front Suspension Bushes (Rear Polys?)
Post by: razzo on 08 August 2011, 08:38:15
if you noticed in the pic i posted the tube is made up the same length as the one in the standard bush & the poly bush is only a few mil shorter than the tube so it fits well in the mount & there is no vertical movement in the arm or bush. To be honest i have not really seen any great advantages in doing this over the standard set up, mine has both bushes poly'ed & SWMBO's has standard rear bush & poly in the front, there isn't much difference handling wise, so if you asked me would i do it again i doubt it, they have been in a year now & seem fine, but for what it cost you could have bought new wishbones so is it really worth it?
Title: Re: Front Suspension Bushes (Rear Polys?)
Post by: Lazydocker on 08 August 2011, 12:20:32
Fair enough... And a nice honest answer considering we were all willing to part with a few quid for you to make them :y
Title: Re: Front Suspension Bushes (Rear Polys?)
Post by: twiglet on 08 August 2011, 12:43:11
Has anyone approached Powerflex themselves about the possiblility of them producing the rear bushes? I see they are adding new applications all the time...  :-/