| Author |
Message |
    
terryrudy
| | Posted on Thursday, December 26, 2002 - 11:27 am: | 
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Hi, I am planning suspension work for my '94 D1 and am contemplating going to poly bushings.
I did a similar swap (from rubber to poly) on an old corvette and I had to do some serious cutting to remove the stock crusty rubber bushings, but the poly ones just popped in (no need for a press).
Have those of you that installed poly bushings required a press or can it also be done on the D1 without one? Just gauging if this suspension job is one I can do in my garage or not. 
thanks!
-terry |
Bill Bettridge (Billb)
| | Posted on Thursday, December 26, 2002 - 11:49 am: |
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You'll need to either use a torch to butn the centers out of the old bushings then just cut the outer shell with a sawzall and drive it out with a punch. Only other way is to press them all the way out - about 25 ton does the trick!
Also - you may want to consider replacing with rubber bushings and not poly - they really don't give you anything in a Rover application and you give up a few good properties that rubber has over urethane. Downside is that they do have to be installed with a press while the urethane do not.
Bill |
Bruce
| | Posted on Tuesday, January 07, 2003 - 11:47 pm: |
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I am also considering a poly swap. I have seen some comments about the blues being too soft, although marketing claims same handling as factory.
Also, Bill, what are the properties you loose when you choose poly over rubber?
As far as a press, I was considering getting the tool they sell to extract old bushings versus using a press.
Thanks
Bruce |
Frode Hübertz Haaland (Discofrode)
| | Posted on Wednesday, January 08, 2003 - 01:50 am: |
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Bruce!
The Bushwacka-tool are fine, precisionmade and very very strong. Err...and expensive. But if you install Polybushes, you'll only need the tool once in a lifetime... I would guess (if you go for polys) it would be cheaper to have someone press your old bushings out with an hydraulic press. There's a number of those around, and it's a very simple process if they have proper sized tools.
Terry!
Job is simple, but heavy. Read more at Ottos site:
http://home.halden.net/discovery
Roverly Yours, Frode |
Bill Bettridge (Billb)
| | Posted on Wednesday, January 08, 2003 - 09:51 am: |
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Bruce,
First of all - I'm not a believer at all in the current trend toward urethane suspension bushings - for most applications (street - off road) it's all hype IMO.
As far as what you lose by going to urethane:
1) urethane does not perform as well as a vulcanized elastomer in constantly loaded applications - outrigger bushings for one. The "set" factor is much higher with urethane. Urethane is great for impact aborbption, lower deflection (theory only), and oil resistance - but not much else. The only one that really applies ot a Rover is oil resistance (LOL!)
2) urethane-to-metal bushings are a cast product (ie: urethane poured into metal shells to harden (radius arm, trailing arm, a-arm bushings). Since it is just poured - there is no mechanical bond between the shell and the urethane - result is seperation over time (sometimes a very short time) and the bushing will no longer act as designed. Rubber bushings are vulcanized - ie: a mechanical bond created by heat,pressure and chemicals to actually bond to the metals shells - result is that it will stay attached for the life of the bushing and perform as designed.
Downside of rubber is lower oil resistance and shorter overall life, but my feeling is to treat the bushings as with any other wear part - change them on a schedule, not when they fail. With that being said, I've seen alot of the Rover urethane bushings looking pretty poor after some relatively short times - alot of extrusion of the urethane - especially in radius and trailing arms locations (axle side).
Finally - some say that the softer urethane bushings will perform better off road by allowing more articulation - in theory, yes, in reality - no. The supposed "soft" compounds I've seen are equal to or harder than the stock rubber durometer (hardness) and the firmer compounds are riduculously hard and make for a harsh ride.
Yes - I do this stuff for a living (automotive molded rubber products)
Bill |
Geoff 93 RRC (Geoff)
| | Posted on Wednesday, January 08, 2003 - 11:27 am: |
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I converted to the blue polys. Results have been good in 10K miles.
To get the old ones out, I was able to take a big screwdriver and hammer to bend in the sleeve edges. At some point the bushing will begin to move (don't be shy) and you can pound it right out. I tried cutting first with sawzall to weaken the sleeve, but usually not necessary and too easy to cut into the suspension component. |
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