OME bushes

[Wendle]

Anyone here using Old Man Emu REAR link bushes? The poly two part (shackle bush style) ones with the seperate crush tube? How much misalignment can they take, and how long do they last getting the shit twisted out of them??

[bazzle]

Ive used them for a couple of years with no real probs.
I regrease them if ive been sitting in water a while.

bazzle

[Wendle]

cool, thanks. how much shock travel are you running, assuming the shocks are what limits movement?

[bazzle]

OME L series N19L 555mm body end to end front
and N29L 720mm eye to eye rear

bazzle

[Wendle]

N29L 720mm eye to eye rear

they about 310-320mm travel??

I am just trying to work out how much misalignment these things will takw without tearing & cutting themselves to peices.

[John H]

I feel that rubber is the only way to go. It is quiet and the original Nissan units allow huge amounts of lateral give. Every time I have tried poly bushes where flex is required it has restricted wheel travel — especialy in long travel set-ups like yours. I only use poly bushes on my panhard rod where side-to-side movement is undesirable. Thats my 2c worth...

[bazzle]

About 300mm

But I do also prefer the OE ones for better flex. The poly ones loosen up to the same but may allow dirt in when fully flexed.

BTW I am running OE now.

bazzle

[Wendle]

I feel that rubber is the only way to go. It is quiet and the original Nissan units allow huge amounts of lateral give. Every time I have tried poly bushes where flex is required it has restricted wheel travel — especialy in long travel set-ups like yours. I only use poly bushes on my panhard rod where side-to-side movement is undesirable. Thats my 2c worth...

yeah, the nissan ones are probably better, but the OME style ones allow a bit more flexibility with fabricating mounts and links, I am going to narrow them down considerably, which should help them move a bit? If they don't restrict travel with a 300mm shock and standard links, that is getting pretty close to what I am after.

[John H]

yeah, the nissan ones are probably better, but the OME style ones allow a bit more flexibility with fabricating mounts and links, I am going to narrow them down considerably, which should help them move a bit? If they don't restrict travel with a 300mm shock and standard links, that is getting pretty close to what I am after.

Can't see why you shouldn't be able to find some steel pipe with the same ID as the nissan bushes and push them in — but then I don't know what kind of sick and twisted plans you have... I would think that substantialy narrowed poly bushes could present durability issues but there is only one way to find out.
My mate Scotty uses OE Nissan rubber bushes in his 'Rock Toy' and just fabbed the arms to suit. May be more hassle now but a better long term prospect. If it needs to be narrower to work with your plans then keep your fingers crossed that your long trailing arms allow you to obtain the travel with minimal movement at the bush.
Anyway you probably know what you are doing better than me so what am I telling you this for!?!?

[Wendle]

a mate is running the OME bushes at one end of his links, and 1.25" heims at the other, and the OME things seem bloody good,easy to work with, and very adaptable.. To use the Nissan bushes I would have to re-do a lot of work (link mounts) that I really don't want to because I paid for a lot of it to be done, my mistake, you live and learn I guess

[big red]

the oe bushes work far better in a side to side movement but when you get a lot of vertical travel they tear as they are fixed, the poly bushes swivel so they work better in that sense.
i loosen the adjusting nuts to let it flex when i really need it but that is a short term solution...johnny joints at one end and poly bushes at the other should work well.

[Wendle]

well, after looking through a couple of catalogues at the suspension and steering place, I am absolutley amazed at how many millions of different sizes bushes you can buy off the shelf. Write down some randon numbers on a bit of paper and you will be able to buy a lump of poly that size in whatever durometer you like.

[big red]

put the blue poly ones in mine 2 years ago [fulcrum ?] still ok.
have changed the front panhard ones when chasing a noise in the front end but they were ok.
pain in the butt was i had to cut one of them off as i was in the bush and didn't have a press or vise to get it out