Lifetime/price/perfromance of the Front slotted bushings

[Jay]

Some of you might have insalled and tested front slotted bushings for Disco's.
Appreciate feedback on :
-lifetime/durability
-increased articulation
-road stability
-Price

Thanks
Jay

[DiscoDino]

Jay,

As you know I installed them and used them for a total of 3 days, 2 of which offroad...my premature findings are:

Articulation:
Well, before the slotted bushes I had new Polys, and the maximum amount of stuffage did not allow the 36" IROKs to touch the flares...well, with the slotted bushes, the tires DID touch, actually CRACK the flares to a point where I had to trim the flares a LOT (ask George Hawa - I borrowed his grinder) - lesson = a LOT ore articulation 2-3" up/down from either side at LEAST.

Road Stability:
Seeing that the truck used to handle like a caddy ( - hey, you drove it, so you know), the slotted ones did not affect this at all (all 3 days of it)

Lifetime/durability:
3 days and they still look new

Price:
Got them at 160 AUST shipped internally

PM (Personal Message) Strange Rover on this board (a.k.a. Sam) as he's the supplier.

[Strange Rover]

We have found that the later style wide bushes are are lasting reasonably well. I guess how long they last depends on how hard your suspension is on them. A suspension setup that really bottoms out the bushes is alot harder on them than a suspension setup that the shocks limit the suspension travel. Now my buisness partners rig runs these bushes, his rig is very heavy (like 2.7t empty) and uses the bushes to limit the travel and is very hard on them. The first prototype set of these bushes (the proper ones with the cast slots) were in the car for more than a year (actually just found a date - they have been in there since 17/2/2003 so its more like 18 months) and have actually only just been changed over to a new set about 2 weeks ago. Now this rig does about 40000 km per year, would get wheeled at least once a month.

heres the pirate thread of when they were first installed
http://www.pirate4x4.com/forum/showthread.php?s=&threadid=115952&perpage=25&pagenumber=1

Now the story with the early style narrow bushes is different. A guy that runs them would be getting less than 6 months out of a set. The narrow ones dont have the extra piece of rubber in them that the wide ones have. We didnt intentionally make the wide ones with the extra rubber in them - it was just easier to make them this way and as it turns out it seems that this is making them last alot longer. Basically when sombody wants a set of the early narrow ones I tell them that they flex like crazy but dont last as long as they should....

Of the wide sets I have sold (guessing 10 sets) nobody has gotton back to me saying that they are stuffed.

So any other feedback???

Sam

[Aquarangie]

In Aquarangie I run the earlier ones as I have an earlier frontr axle housing (which was done on the cheap at the time, long story) but like Sam stated, they don't endure the punishment the later style do. Pending what happens with the Aquarangie insurance wise (PM me for more info), I am going to return the front end to it's original housing ASAP.

Don't get me wrong, they have been bloody fantastic, but my second set have now worn out in a yeatr, but in all fairness I am hard on my Rangie and expect this so I wasn't too suprised at all. Can recomend them to anyone who wants a great set of front bushes. Plus with worn out shocks ansd soft springs this does not help matters much at all.

Regards,

Trav

[GRIMACE]

I got the later style ones (woider) and the extra flex is noticable but only after the rear end has flex quiet abit (the rear is so much flexier than front) and after quiet abit of offroad use they still preform very weel and look like new.

Only thing is in parked/stopped pisitions they give the impression of worn bushes sometimes as they dont hold centre aswell as the standard OE bushes. But who cares they still holding together and they definately help the front with the extra articulation

And at a 160 bucks each 18-24 months (assuming they last that long, most probably would last longer) for an extra 4-6" total articulation I not gonna be complaining

[wilsby]

Can't really comment on how long they will last, but they definitely do the job of increasing articulation in my Defender 110. The were part of my most recent change in setup, and I'm very pleased with everything:

Wide slotted bushes
Bilstein 7100 short body exo resevoir, 12" front, 14" rear
OME 981 Patrol springs and 50 mm spacers in rear, retained
King springs 480 mm fre lengt front, dislocation cones
Bent trailing arms, blue poly bushes most places
Rear sway bar
Bilstein steering damper
Equipe4x4 adjustable panhard
DC front prop
Michelin XZL(?) 255x100R16 on Wolf's w Tireloc

And yes, I'm more than confident that these will age better than the previous drilled ones

[tony cordell]

So any other feedback???

fitted Feb 04
covered approx 7000miles
tons of offroad work that including a site that snapped an OME shock
water/mud/sand(see my website)
and not a mark on them look as they did the day I installed them.

Awtg another set for some new Castor correction lightweight radius arms I have just fittted.
drive like standard bushes
no effect on braking at all
and the extra flex required more arch trimming.
the front is a good match for the rear.
I'm over the moon with them and would recommend them to anyone.

setup:
OME springs/shocks
rear, cranked radius arms
dislocation cones
lower shock mounts
front, castor corrected radius arms
Simex 35/10.5-16 ET's

[DiscoDino]

So we got representatives from around the world! Woohoo!

Wanna organize a "slotted 'bush' " club?

[wilsby]

So we got representatives from around the world! Woohoo!

Wanna organize a "slotted 'bush' " club?

Might get expensive to meet for wheeling...

So who are we, Warriors of the Holey Bush?

Anyway, while holey bushes are a great and simple mod, a word of caution might be in place. Like all mods that improve offroad capability, there is a small price to pay on tarmac.

[RaginRover]

Yep got them in my 91 Rangie

Setup
Standard Springs
Munroe 80 series cruiser shocks
spring retainers
Wide Holey Bushes.

Setup is great doesn't wander and has great front end flex,
probably got them 9 months ago, and btw these are hand me downs,
they are off haultech's old disco we swapped them out (arms and all)
before they sold it

Tom

[DiscoDino]

I prefer KNIGHTS OF THE HOLY BUSHES (sounds like a porn flick too )

[MJP]

Hey Sam,

have you tried a dual compound bush with a soft compound section where the hole is and a firmer compound for the rest? Might help longevity? Just a thought....

Cheers,
Mark.

[Strange Rover]

Hey Sam,

have you tried a dual compound bush with a soft compound section where the hole is and a firmer compound for the rest? Might help longevity? Just a thought....

Cheers,
Mark.

I dont think that would work. When the centre pin moves it will move all the way to the inside edge of the outer shell so if there was anything in there (even a soft compound rubber) it will have to be squashed somewhere and would just cut.

Even bushes dont have holes in them but are made from really soft rubber will cut themselves the first time they are flexed up.

Sam

[Maggot4x4]

Sam, any ideas if there would be any problems running them with a flipped (on top of the diff) conrol arm set up?

[giacomo.m]

Hey Sam,

have you tried a dual compound bush with a soft compound section where the hole is and a firmer compound for the rest? Might help longevity? Just a thought....

Cheers,
Mark.

I dont think that would work. When the centre pin moves it will move all the way to the inside edge of the outer shell so if there was anything in there (even a soft compound rubber) it will have to be squashed somewhere and would just cut.

Even bushes dont have holes in them but are made from really soft rubber will cut themselves the first time they are flexed up.

Sam

Hi Sam,
I am owner of Defender 90 300 Tdi 1995 LHD,and I would want to know the price,postage and payment details to Italy,for your wide slotted bushes.
Thank you.
Giacomo.

[tony cordell]

Another European user.
you'll be well pleased with them if you go ahead.

[giacomo.m]

Another European user.
you'll be well pleased with them if you go ahead.

Hi Tony,and yhank you for your answer.Now I would want to know:
- prices ?
- how much extra articulation?
- arch trimming ? where with precision ?
- where you have acquired your front dislocation cones ?
Thank you.
Giacomo

[tony cordell]

Another European user.
you'll be well pleased with them if you go ahead.

Hi Tony,and yhank you for your answer.Now I would want to know:
- prices ?
- how much extra articulation?
- arch trimming ? where with precision ?
- where you have acquired your front dislocation cones ?
Thank you.
Giacomo

Sam will have to quote costs to you
they allowed my 90 to climb another 5inches up an RTI ramp
no arch trimming on my Defender
I have not fitted from Cones although they are available readily in the Uk
The shock limit my travel now
Cheers

ps Sam any news on my new set?

[giacomo.m]

Hi Tony. why you have to fit the front castor correction radius arms?how much the front lift? Qt services?
Thank you.
Giacomo

[tony cordell]

Hi Tony. why you have to fit the front castor correction radius arms?how much the front lift? Qt services?
Thank you.
Giacomo

50mm lift throws castor out by 3degrees = loss of self centering on steering.
I got the QT ones as they are 40% lighter and correct he castor.
steering back to normal and a weight saving as a bonus.

[giacomo.m]

with 50mm lift,only problem of loss self centering on steering?
propshaft vibration?
Thank you.

[tony cordell]

with 50mm lift,only problem of loss self centering on steering?
propshaft vibration?
Thank you.

Props have been ok
a few new UJ's as these wear a bit quicker but no vibration to mention.

[lr90]

Sam,

what's the price inc shipping to the UK for a set of narrow bushes?

And what's the best way to get monies to you from the UK? The bank details you posted on the original thread didn't seem to do it for my bank. Tony, what method have you used?

Trev

www.lr90.com

[up2nogood]

A little off the track here, but as you guys have all raised your vehicles I fugure you'd be in the know.

The mention of u-joint binding has me wondering what is done to counter this.

With my front end completely clear of the ground, the drive shaft is about 1mm from rubbing on the sway bar. That's no real drama, as it can be dropped down a bit if necessary.

More importantly the u-joint on the t-case is very close to binding. With a 50mm increase to the standard ride height and we definitely can feel prop shaft vibration.

Is it an accepted practice to fit a cardan joint to eliminate the vibration and chance of binding up?