polyflex rear suspension bushes

[batty]

just had a set of these fitted to my S2 avant. The bushes seem very well made, precision items, the car seems to have a much firmer rear (ooeerrr), but I have noticed a change in handling for the worse.

The rear does not seem as well damped as before. The car bounces a couple of times over slow, largish bumps. Also had a scary moment when chasing an X5 over an undulating country road, when the rear seemed to get itself into a bounce mode. (We were going quite fast).

A couple of questions to pose the knowledgeable possie.

- has anyone else experienced this problem after fitting uprated bushes?

- do you think the bushes may be so tight as to resist the suspension movement? - I am planning to inspect the free movement, with no springs or anti-roll bars fitted, (new RS2 items to be fitted soon - woo-hoo!!)

- do you think the more precise bushes have just shown up the weakness of my tired (80k miles & 9 years) shockers?

any info gladly received, as I seem to be spending money like its going out of fashion, and would like to make the best of the improvements.

ta.

[Greg_S]

Shocks seem to me the most likely cause.

Greg

[s2avant]

Are they powerflex bushes? Any part numbers or prices?

I could do with sorting out my rears as most of them are original. Seems silly to replace them with standard bushes when I've got H&R's and that monster Neuspeed rear bar.

Ben

[s2driveruk]

Yep sounds like the shocks are tired, do you know if the bushes were torqued up with the proper load on the wheel? I doubt that would make any real difference with a bouncing movemnt, but if they were overtightened in mid air then the car dropped back onto the wheels for you to drive home, then they *may* not have much free movement????

Just undo the rear ball joint where it joins the base of the strut and the wishbone should drop to the floor...no need to take the strut out or remove th spring to check then. and your suspension geometry should be fine (have you had a recent four wheel alignment done?) probably worth it.

My car can get choppy but i have h&r and bilstein shocks on it not stock...

Good luck sorting it.

David

[karlblues2]

- do you think the more precise bushes have just shown up the weakness of my tired (80k miles & 9 years) shockers?

any info gladly received, as I seem to be spending money like its going out of fashion, and would like to make the best of the improvements.

ta.

Errr yes. Sounds like shocks to me. Exactly the same thing happened to me after I upgraded my bushes and was only rectified when I replaced the worn shocks (I could compress the front left fully with very little effort!!!) with H&R coil overs....Sorted

[batty]

thanks for the advice, guys

hopefully having the RS2 shockers & ARB's fitted tomorrow, will also check for free movement.

s2driveruk - the bushes are designed with a steel central sleeve - the pivot bolt should tighten against this & leave the bush to rotate around the steel sleeve. In theory, it shouldn't matter how the suspension is sitting when the pivot bolt is torqued.

s2avant - all bushes were bought from vagparts - see

https://sslrelay.com/s74326199.onean...dex.shopscript

when pricing up the job, you need to be aware of the labour costs, as there are multiple bushes to change. I didn't fancy doing the job myself, so my local VAG specialist did it and took 3 days to do them all (front & rear bushes & front top mounts, new bomb & dash bulbs) !! Luckily, he didn't charge me the usual hourly rate, or it would be re-mortgage time.

[s2driveruk]

Batty - just going with advice I have come across over the years, I think you might be ok with those bushes but i know the oem ones should be finished with the cars weight on them or the wheel lifted to simulate kerb weight....I think it stops the bush being twisted.

Cheers,

David

[batty]

just a quick update on this thread.

I had RS2 rear shockers fitted & after a suitable development period (sorry guys, didn't forget about the thread, honest) I can safely say the result is superb !!

a very controllable rear end, if a little choppy at low speeds, but the faster the better....