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I can now do these at £16 per arm. Just managed to get a better deal :-)
Cheers
Terry
Ps I'm quite happy for you to mention this on the web site. If people
however want to get the old type they are from Sierra front inner track
control arm
I've replaced my top wish bone bushes today with the Rally Design ones, I went with the harder ones (PB013B).
Suspension deformation under normal braking as substantially reduced, it feels more solid at the front. I've not had a chance to properly drive it yet but I would say its very much a worth while improvement if you're still running standard fiesta TCA bushes.
Also my top wish bone had surface rusted underneath around the welds so worth a check ever so often.
I've replaced my top wish bone bushes today with the Rally Design ones, I went with the harder ones (PB013B).
Suspension deformation under normal braking as substantially reduced, it feels more solid at the front. I've not had a chance to properly drive it yet but I would say its very much a worth while improvement if you're still running standard fiesta TCA bushes.
Also my top wish bone had surface rusted underneath around the welds so worth a check ever so often.
How do they compare to the ones Marlin sent you (Powerflex?) for hardness?
I started to fit my new lower suspension arms this evening. First job was to fit the "new" aftermarket bushes. The problem is that they don't fit! They are too loose allowing the metal insert that carries the bolt to rotate within the poly moulding. Easily checked by clamping the bush in a vice and trying to move the suspension arm. The metal insert should not slip within the poly bush - all movement being absorbed by the poly bush itself distorting.
So they look good - but wouldn't last 5 minutes in practice. I am not sure what the problem is. Could be the eyes in the suspension arms are a little oversize, or just the bushes are not suited to the job. Any suggestions gratefully received!
I think I might have to return to original Ford Fiesta parts assuming I can get them. I would recommend anyone else using these bushes with the new suspension arms to check them carefully.
How loose is loose? You can normally push the metal bit in by hand with these. In my experience these tend to work more like a "ball joint" than a bush.
How loose is loose? You can normally push the metal bit in by hand with these.
Yes - mine are like that.
Yeah, my rally Design 'slip' rather than 'distort'
Hmm - yours as well. I can't help thinking that the metal sleeve rubbing on the poly bush is going to wear it quickly. I thought the theory of these was that the process of clamping the whole thing in place, with the through bolt, compressed the poly bit of the bush so that it gripped the metal sleeve and then all the movement was taken care of by the poly bush flexing. I wonder if anyone else can shed some light on this?
As an aside - I popped into my local Ford dealer today and he confirmed that the Ford Fiesta bush that we all previously used is no longer available - so whatever the answer it won't be this.
I cover my poly bushes with copper grease so they slip more easily and don't wear out quickly
The front lower rear wish bone bush on my E46 is a polyflex one, its made out of two pieces - these two pieces are covered in copper gears and slip inside each other. They move freely with the wishbone like a ball joint - so you get a much smoother less restricted movement on the wishbone. I figure the same theory applies to these. The bushes act like a rose joint / ball joint allow the components to move freely.
Mine where a tight push fit on all of the suspension eyes - top and bottom. I used copper slip to aid the fitting, as suggested on the note with the parts from floflex. The inner metal sleeve was much the same - tight, but not overly so
I have decided I am not at all happy with the polybush solution - particularly on the lower wishbone. If the sleeve rotates within the bushes then the bushes will be rotating with the wishbone (as it goes up and down) Therefore the outsides of the bushes will be rotating against the suspension mounting brackets. It won't be long before they wear in that case.....
Fortunately I was able to salvage the original Fiesta bushes (Supplied by Marlin but no longer available according to Ford) from my first set of wishbones so I am going to use these.
I presume that this would be the same for all cars fitted with poly bushes fitted?
I'm not so sure. The problem could be that the original use of the bush is in a stabiliser bar designed for lateral location rather than rotation. In this case the rotation around the sleeve would be minimal.
There is also another problem with the poly bushes as GOO discovered. The rubber Fiesta bushes allow some movement of the metal sleeve within the bush back and forward. This allows the wishbone to fit even if it is a few mm out of size. The poly bushes don't allow this meaning the wishbone has to be an exact fit. In fact my old and new wishbones are exactly the same dimensions - but neither would fit using the poly bushes without doing something drastic (as GOO did)
Having salvaged them I think I will stick with the rubber bushes for now...
I'm sure the poly bush suppliers might not agree with his conclusions, but nonetheless some interesting observations and food for thought.
I've currently got my nearside suspension in pieces for a clean up and fitting new ball joints. I wasn't planning on taking the lower wishbone off but after reading this article I might take it off and see how the Rally design bushes are doing after about 2.5k miles.
Thanks Peter, very informative article.
I wondered why the mechanics, with cars on the lift, used a transmission jack to push the wishbones up to ride height before snugging the bolts.
Now I know.
I'm sure the poly bush suppliers might not agree with his conclusions, but nonetheless some interesting observations and food for thought.
I've currently got my nearside suspension in pieces for a clean up and fitting new ball joints. I wasn't planning on taking the lower wishbone off but after reading this article I might take it off and see how the Rally design bushes are doing after about 2.5k miles.
I have to confess I wondered about the effectiveness of the Poly type bushes. I only have them at the top and that was only because I couldn't track down any more of the Ford bushes that were originaly used. It will be interesting to see what you find.
BTW - while I was playing with my car and fitting the new servo I checked all my Metro balljoints. All mine look fine. So I suspect the longeveity depends on getting a well known make. I think mine were all QH.
It's quite hard to find definitive instructions on how poly bushes should be fitted too. common sense dictates that the crush tube should be the only part bearing on the bracket but that always leaves me wondering it the poly could then work its way out of the wishbone. This is especially a concern on the sportster front top wishbones where the bracket is essential one sided. I originally fitted washers here that only touched the crush tube and then changed my mind and put big ones on to cover the poly too. Now I'm wondering again.
If you look at the outer surface of the powerflex bushes they have little channels molded in in 3 places. I'd come to the conclusion that this was to collect any debris as the entire bush moves in the wishbone eye rather than the crush tube inside the rigidly held bush.
I unbolted my nearside lower wishbone this afternoon. With the wishbone disconnected from the damper but still bolted to the chassis, everything seemed fine albeit a bit creaky.
I then took the wishbone off and dismantled the bushes. With the bushes out of the wishbone tubes, the crush tubes are now loose meaning the bushes have either shrunk or worn? These are the Rally Design Yellow (soft) ones. I think they have either worn or are too soft for the lower wishbones.
Not sure what to do next...new Superflex quality bushes, back to the rubber ones or just stick them back on and not worry about it?
If you look at the outer surface of the powerflex bushes they have little channels molded in in 3 places. I'd come to the conclusion that this was to collect any debris as the entire bush moves in the wishbone eye rather than the crush tube inside the rigidly held bush.
According to the Superpro website.....
BULLET GROOVES AND VOIDING
Bullet grooves are incorporated in the design of SuperPro bushes to allow for variances in control arm or spring eyes.
The voiding and bullet grooves also allow for the transgression of displaced polyurethane into the volume of the grooves as load is applied during normal vehicle operation. Even though polyurethane is in a solid form when it is manufactured into bushes, its unique properties enable it flow in a manner similar to a liquid when loaded. The action of the bush flowing into its voids prevents the generation of harshness and NVH within the bush and its mount.
