Polybushes

Have a look at these:

www.polybush.co.uk/shop/view/67_Jimny/17_Kit_52_-_Suzuki_Jimny

I have been thinking about my radius arm bushes at the moment as I have pulled one off the rear and it is so shot I could pull the tube out of the centre with my fingers!

I mentioned this to one of my Off Road friends who has a great deal of experience and that I had bad vibrations through the vehicle when using re-mould tyres (death wobble perhaps).

He explained that he had a similar problem with his Land Rover 90 and bought another set of tyres because of it, wasting a not inconsiderable amount of money. The vibration remained.

He then changed his radius arm bushes to polybushes and all was well again.

I mentioned that I didn't want to lose my articulation from hard polybushes and he explained the different rates of polybush and that they did not need to be hard. Hence they are used on Landrovers without loss of articulation.

He had a set of Landrover orange polybushes on the bench, which are the ones in the link above and I have to say, they are not that hard, possibly softer than a new rubber bush!

So I've come home and looked at the polybush website and found the above.

They are not cheap @ £181 for just the radius arm bushes inc VAT but that is the same price as new bushes from Rhino Ray at £15 a piece.

Could death wobble be caused by the radius arm bushes being worn and trying to steer the car one way and the other?

Could the standard rubber ones be a little too quick to wear but can look ok when perhaps they're not? I'm sure they don't come out the factory with "Death Wobble" but how long before it develops?

Has anyone tried these polybushes?

I have an unused set of the Superpro Caster Correction nylon bushes and they are very stiff, so I would not fit them to an off road Jimny but these Polybush nylon ones could be the answer!?!

What are everyones thoughts???

Kirkynut

I've had further discussions with someone else and they pointed out that the Suzuki bushes don't fill the gap between the arm and the chassis and the Polybushes do, and it is this that can restrict the articulation - so Suzuki ones it is then!!!

Kirkynut

I think its just the tyres ...

I hate myself for suggesting this, but i still have my old 15" rims and road tyres that came with my Jimny ... So I'll them on today, and take it for a test drive, and see if i have the D.Wobble?!

Those 15" wheels are gonna look so silly with my 3" spring lift - i sense a photo coming on!!

Nope!

Its not the tyres or the 32mm Wheel Spacers..

1) 15" Rims and standard road tyres and 32mm spacers = D.Wobble at 45mph - Jeez it was worse than ever - nearlu poop'd me pants!

2) 15" Rims and standard road tyres without spacers = D.Wobble up at 50mph, and Jeez when it wobbles, kinnel it wobbles!!

3) 16" Rims and 205/16/76 Diamond Backs without spacers = D.Wobble at 45mph (acceptable wobble - no need to wear brown underpants) D.Wobble gone at 50mph

4) 16" Rims and 205/16/75 Diamond Backs with spacers = D.Wobble at 39mph (acceptable wobble) and gone at 45mph.

Here are a couple of photos (as promised with small wheels/tyres on with the 3" spring lift!!

Crickey, you are committed to the cause!!!

Thanks for doing all that wheel changing, must have taken ages!!!

What do your radius arm bushes look like then??? Are they new or are they old and cracked or split?

Kirkynut

A silly question but have you got a steering damper on as i was getting the death wobble between 40 and 55 mph after i have just put my lift on and after putting new disco damper on today its a distant memory.

What do your radius arm bushes look like then??? Are they new or are they old and cracked or split?

... they are all sound ...

Front Radius Arms arms are from D&G Tuning, rear Radius Arms are standard.

A silly question but have you got a steering damper on as i was getting the death wobble between 40 and 55 mph after i have just put my lift on and after putting new disco damper on today its a distant memory.

... I dont have a steering damper - this could be next on the shopping list, eh!!

cgi.ebay.co.uk/LAND-ROVER-DISCOVERY-1-ST...?hash=item2c53b7677c

and i think you know where to get the brackets

Cheers - bought the fitting kits form BigJimny and a LR damper - hoiepfully it'll all get here for fitting Sat, and testing in the Peaks on Sunday??

Damper just arrived ..

All I need now is my BigJimny Steering Damper fitting kit ...where is it, i ordered them both at the same time??

It was posted 1st Class Post yesterday morning (20/4/10)

Martin

Cheers Martin - so should arrive tomorrow ....

Or with our cr@p postman - sometime next week - or next door??