No question, Poly is super easy to install. Poly can also fail much worse than rubber, leaving the vehicle unable to drive on the road. I'm a huge believer in genuine rubber.
Bushings - OEM vs poly
Anyone have experience with aftermarket poly bushings or brand new genuine rubber bushings? I've heard conflicting things
Some say OEM are better, and if poly were better, then Land Rover would be using them.
Some say poly are better. Easier to install, just as durable.
Also I don't have a huge press. Is there another way to get the OEM bushings in other than a big press?
Some say OEM are better, and if poly were better, then Land Rover would be using them.
Some say poly are better. Easier to install, just as durable.
Also I don't have a huge press. Is there another way to get the OEM bushings in other than a big press?
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How hard are they to get in? Do you have a press?No question, Poly is super easy to install. Poly can also fail much worse than rubber, leaving the vehicle unable to drive on the road. I'm a huge believer in genuine rubber.
Not all Polybushes are made the same.
I have a "special set" on my 95 DI for the past 8 years without any issues.
I have a "special set" on my 95 DI for the past 8 years without any issues.
How hard are they to get in? Do you have a press?
Not super hard, but yeah we have a press at work that I use for bushings.
What's the consensus on poly for control arm bushings on a lr3/lr4?
Just replace with a new arm. Removing the old bushings are nearly impossible. Take way too much time to cut them outWhat's the consensus on poly for control arm bushings on a lr3/lr4?
Just replace with a new arm. Removing the old bushings are nearly impossible. Take way too much time to cut them out
Agreed
I saw in lro mag they now sell complete arms with poly.
I removed all my bushings using a punch and lump hammer ... you need a small sharp punch and drive it down between the bushing and the radius arm or whatever. The outer sleeve of the bush folds in and when the punch is all the way through it drops out ... no drilling, burning or press needed.
I used poly bushes which go in easily or at worst needed some encouragement from a vice.
I like to learn the shady tree techniques as I dream of roaming the world in my truck! ;-)
I used poly bushes which go in easily or at worst needed some encouragement from a vice.
I like to learn the shady tree techniques as I dream of roaming the world in my truck! ;-)
Renewed with genuine rubber as they are supposed to be superior to poly. It's a bugger to get them out and hard to install. A couple of them went bad after a year.. Replaced them again with genuine rubber.. Next time I'll swap them for poly as it is less hassle to fit. If they don't last as long as genuine rubber at least they'll be easy to renew.
I say it depends on how you use your truck. If it's got a stock suspension and generally is a road queen, 100% original bushings. Long travel suspension, lift, lots of off road use, I'd go Poly not because they are more durable but because they are easy to change. My truck chews through bushings with the long travel suspension so I view them as a wear item. Poly bushings failed a number of times but I can swap them out in a third the time without cursing or the use of presses, torches, etc. I've also had much better luck with the poly oranges. Had poly blues and bushings were failing all over the place. No experience with the reds.
Whatever your do.. stay away from those castor corrected radius arm bushings AB sells. Man those were the worst to install and they were so stiff my race car had more flex than the defender did.
Whatever your do.. stay away from those castor corrected radius arm bushings AB sells. Man those were the worst to install and they were so stiff my race car had more flex than the defender did.
I removed all my bushings using a punch and lump hammer ... you need a small sharp punch and drive it down between the bushing and the radius arm or whatever. The outer sleeve of the bush folds in and when the punch is all the way through it drops out ... no drilling, burning or press needed.
I used poly bushes which go in easily or at worst needed some encouragement from a vice.
I like to learn the shady tree techniques as I dream of roaming the world in my truck! ;-)
That's my attitude as well. I figure where there's a will, there's a way. It's just physics. It's got to come out somehow.
I have the Poly's and really like them but I agree it depends on how you use your truck............
If you can get Super Pro urethane bushes in the US for the Defender/RRC/Disco I I'd go for them every time over OE rubber, the current genuine rubber ones are crap.
The Super pro bushes are generally a better design than standard, they allow more articulation and are a softish durometer, or at least the durometer of the elastomer is tailored to the bush location.
An example of better design is the rear trailing arm to chassis bush. The SP bush has an annular groove and tapered faces on both bushes to allow material displacement during articulation and the mounting plate is a heavier gauge than the OE bush.
I don't have a photo handy but google it, you should be able to find a pic somewhere.
The Super pro bushes are generally a better design than standard, they allow more articulation and are a softish durometer, or at least the durometer of the elastomer is tailored to the bush location.
An example of better design is the rear trailing arm to chassis bush. The SP bush has an annular groove and tapered faces on both bushes to allow material displacement during articulation and the mounting plate is a heavier gauge than the OE bush.
I don't have a photo handy but google it, you should be able to find a pic somewhere.
I've used polys and they seem to work fine. Still have the same polys in my truck that I've had since 2011.
Which polys do you use and where do you get them? Do you buy a kit or get them individually?I've used polys and they seem to work fine. Still have the same polys in my truck that I've had since 2011.
I personally use the orange PU bushings from a Flo Flex kit (they are mostly two-piece bushings). They served my truck just fine. In fact, I sold my bushings off with my original radius arms, and they looked great when I took them off the truck last year.
I replaced the original radius arms with new-to-me RTE cranked radius arms and I installed with the stock bushings. I recently found that the stock bushes are totally knackered and causing noises. I ordered individual PU bushings.
I've heard polybush is the best, but that is purely anecdotal. My cheap bushes seem to work just fine.
I replaced the original radius arms with new-to-me RTE cranked radius arms and I installed with the stock bushings. I recently found that the stock bushes are totally knackered and causing noises. I ordered individual PU bushings.
I've heard polybush is the best, but that is purely anecdotal. My cheap bushes seem to work just fine.
Where do you find these?I personally use the orange PU bushings from a Flo Flex kit (they are mostly two-piece bushings)
I recently found that my radius arm bushings were knackered and causing noises. I ordered individual PU bushings.
I've heard polybush is the best, but that is purely anecdotal. My cheap bushes seem to work just fine.
1 - 20 of 34 Posts
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