Urethane control arm bushings

[Graham]

Not that i'd like powerflex to find out their mistake, if it is a mistake or they are genuinly kind people, but i got a set of the 34.5mm ones for the front end and fitted them, ride is definitely improved. But the squeeking noise was terrible on a hot dry day, so i contacted them and they informed me of the 2 upgrades they have done to the sleeves and would send me a set of sleeves out. (I must say that their customer care is A1 ) A few days later a parcel arrived from powerflex and to my amazement it was a complete kit with uprated sleeves inside. So now i have had my rear end done for free, and now that i know what the modifications are i will take the old front ones out and re-machine to match the new design. Cool or what
Graham

[Greg_S]

yeah I had same problems thats why they did a second re design. Still need to fit the new new set yet though. will be the 3rd time ive had the suspension all off inthe last year then!

[91_S2]

Question about replacing the bushes. How much time is involved? Any special tools?

[Greg_S]

ball joint puller, worth getting a couple of extra wishbone bolts just in case.

time consuming bit is getting the old bushes out of the wishbones.

Not a bad job really

Greg

[91_S2]

Hmmm. I think I saw a clever tool for pressing the bushes out. Gotta dig up the site.

Cheers for the info.

[Graham]

Bush pullers for these are easy and i make them at work, i have supplied bush pullers to Volkswerks in Middlesborough, also, for my mate Shaun who has a garage. I will make a set up for the group if the need is there, i will make both sizes for the two bushes fit to our car. I only need the largest diameter of the larger bushes (my car has the small bushes), to complete all the measurements.
Graham

[91_S2]

Originally posted by Graham
Bush pullers for these are easy and i make them at work, i have supplied bush pullers to Volkswerks in Middlesborough, also, for my mate Shaun who has a garage. I will make a set up for the group if the need is there, i will make both sizes for the two bushes fit to our car. I only need the largest diameter of the larger bushes (my car has the small bushes), to complete all the measurements.
Graham

I don't know what a bush puller is. But I did find this solution on the web. Might be the same thing.

http://www.humanspeakers.com/audi/bushings-pix.htm

I might be interested in the puller if it is not too dear.

[91_S2]

My previous post was a bush insertion device. Here is what I would guess was a homemade bush puller.

http://www.humanspeakers.com/audi/bushings-pix2.htm

[Paul S2 Coupe]

Powerflex on rear??

After fitting the powerflex bushes on the front the steering response was very much improved. Steering is quicker and more precise and handles groved roads (tramlining) much better and braking stability is better too.
The only downside was a little more road noise inside the car and you notice a little more harshness when you go over joins in the road but they are minor compared with the improvements.

So I thought I would put them on the back..... bad move! I hate it now and next week will most likely change them back to OEM rubber. It has doubled the road noise inside the car and makes any rattles from the door glass and rear shelf much worse. The bumps or joins in the road sound terrible and Im sure it isn't doing the chassis much good either.

Can anyone suggest what the advantages are by having poly bushes in the rear??? I have not noticed any improvement at the rear.

Someone asked about tools? A good range of sockets and a big vice is what I used to get the old bushes out and the new ones in and that was what took the longest. Messing with the front took 6 hours a side because of problems getting the new bushes into the chassis. We ended up shoe-horning them in using a wall paper scraper smeered with copperslip while we jacked the wishbone into position.

You will need new nuts and bolts for the bushes and new nylock nuts for the wishbone where it bolts to the balljoint. The backs were much easier because there is better access and the roll bar is not in the way. That's just as well because I have to change them back to rubber.

For those that still want to go ahead I can confirm that there are NO squeeks from any of the wheels and they are using the modified machined inserts packed with copperslip grease - I just don't like the harshness.

Regards,
Paul

[Tote]

Stupid question, but wich colour does your Powerflex bushes have?
Mine are black but my friend have purple...

Atleast I got the not so noicy ones... http://tote.mine.nu/temp/DSCN1236.JPG

Anyone tried Superflex bushes?

[Stick Insect]

Peter Andre thought he was a bush puller......

[Paul S2 Coupe]

[QUOTE]Originally posted by Tote
[B]Stupid question, but wich colour does your Powerflex bushes have?
Mine are black but my friend have purple...

Sorry for the delay in replying but all of my bushes are black. They are not noisey themselves but only by transmitting the road noise back into the car.

Paul

[Greg_S]

purple ones are an older design, It was deemed too soft by powerflex in end because a couple of customers had them replaced after 2 years because they had worn out.

latest ones are black and have a metal insert with a spiral groove cut into it and 2 horizontal ones for copper slip to keep the bush lubricated

[Tote]

Originally posted by Greg_S
purple ones are an older design, It was deemed too soft by powerflex in end because a couple of customers had them replaced after 2 years because they had worn out.

latest ones are black and have a metal insert with a spiral groove cut into it and 2 horizontal ones for copper slip to keep the bush lubricated

Ok, my friend is not going to be happy when he hear that...

[Markus]

Make sure you lube them properly to minimise the chance of squeaks. Mine are silent but others have had speaky ones after installing.

Old thread, but a new question:

I've got the newer, black powerflex bushes with the grooved pin. I was thinking of installing them this weekend.

Where should I apply the grease that came with the bushes? Between the pin and the bush for sure, but anywhere else? Between the pin and the bolt? Probably not between bush and wishbone?

Then there's a plastic "disc" (sort like a washer) that came with the bushes, should this one be lubed too?