Poly Bushes...

[cornclose]

Thinking of poly bushing my V70 before (or at the same time as) I get me shocks and springs done.

Question is, how many/which ones should be done ? I read of various ones being done on various cars, but which ones should I be doing on a Phase2 V70.

Top mounts, wishbones, drop links, anti-roll bars front and rear, engine brace etc etc - are they all available in poly for the V70 ? Which ones are essential and which make sod all difference ?

Opinions please ? Discuss!

[mikouk]

I've had the top mount and the wishbone ones done. The top mount was the most noticable difference. More vibrations though. The wishbones were all changed when I had my suspension updated so difficult to tell whether they alone make a difference. Russ from rt's would be able to tell you.

[cornclose]

Right - My theory is that if I am going to get springs and shocks replaced then I might as well polybush everything at the same time. I just don't want to 'miss' some bush or other when it could easily be done whilst the springs/shocks are being done.

[dave stew]

The most essential ones are the front lower wishbone bushes. The front bush is oil filled as standard which is fine to keep the noise down while Grandad piddles along in his 2.4 on the motorway, but really cause the front wheels to squirm about under heavy acceration and cause major torgue steer. I replaced my front wishbone bushes and the difference was incredible. I did the rear bushes too, but used Volvo rubber items as that was all that was available. Now Powerflex do rear bushes - I'd fit these.

As regards to the job, it is a bit of a pig and is done independently to the shocks/springs. The wishbones are not too hard to remove but you need to be very careful not to dislodge the inner driveshafts as this can split the joint which won't easily go back.

It is far better to plan ahead and prepare a set of wishbones firsst, before you start to strip your car. Fitting poly bushes (and indeed removing the old oil filled rubber bushes) is not a simple job. I know Dave at DPA has only done it once and doesn't want to repeat it!

The other bushes that you mention are to stabilise the engine and are independent of the suspension. The drop links are metal rods with a ball joint at each end that connect the anti roll bar to the chassis. These dry out and even bend so cause squeaking noises. They cannot be replaced with a poly bush as they don't have bushes in them.

Hope this helps. If you are interested, John (V70 Torslanda) does an exchange wishbone with poly bushes fitted service - that's how I did mine.

Let me know if you need any more help/info.

Cheers

[richiemat]

http://www.powerflex.co.uk/products/S60%2C+V70%2C+S80+2000+on-2615/1.html

i was looking at these recently - you may have already found this but it shows all the bushes that are currently available and the prices are all there too. Tempting to do them all :)

[cornclose]

Thanks for the info Dave - much appreciated. Yes I remember Dave at DPA cursing the blasted wishbone bushes, he did say that it was a pig of a job.

So the best way would be to get poly-bushed exhange wishbones then - sounds sensible.

Which rear bushes are you referring to ? Is it the rear anti-roll bar ?

I think at the moment I will plan on poly-bushing the front wishbones and top mounts. Also a pair of drop links wouldn't go amiss either by the sounds of it.

Save the question about the rear bushes (above) is there anything else worth doing ?

[cornclose]

http://www.powerflex.co.uk/products/S60%2C+V70%2C+S80+2000+on-2615/1.html

i was looking at these recently - you may have already found this but it shows all the bushes that are currently available and the prices are all there too. Tempting to do them all :)

I hadn't seen that, so thanks. It is tempting to get them all done (not necessarily at the same time, but...). My real question is what is 'all' of them. There are ones on that link which I havn't seen mentioned anywhere else, and there are others I've seen elsewhere that arn't on that list!

I'm only wanting to do the ones that will make a difference - if a standard bush is not failing/perished and poly-bushing it won't be noticable at all then I won't bother (if you see what I mean!). :smirk:

[richiemat]

I hadn't seen that, so thanks. It is tempting to get them all done (not necessarily at the same time, but...). My real question is what is 'all' of them. There are ones on that link which I havn't seen mentioned anywhere else, and there are others I've seen elsewhere that arn't on that list!

I'm only wanting to do the ones that will make a difference - if a standard bush is not failing/perished and poly-bushing it won't be noticable at all then I won't bother (if you see what I mean!). :smirk:

i know what you mean, i do need to get my front lower wishbone bushes changed over and will be going for Powerflex when i do. I have noticed clunking more so of late. If i recall correctly the fitting time for the lower bushes is fairly significant when changing them over and less so in replacement wishbones with them prefitted as Dave suggested

[dave stew]

Thanks for the info Dave - much appreciated. Yes I remember Dave at DPA cursing the blasted wishbone bushes, he did say that it was a pig of a job.

So the best way would be to get poly-bushed exhange wishbones then - sounds sensible.

Which rear bushes are you referring to ? Is it the rear anti-roll bar ?No, there are two bushes in each front wishbone, front and rear and that's waht I'm referring to. The rear ARB bushes cannot be purchased separately, so if your are perished, I'd go for a 24mm uprated Volvo item...

I think at the moment I will plan on poly-bushing the front wishbones and top mounts. Don't forget the lower engine tie bar mount too. http://www.partsforvolvosonline.com/product_info.php?cPath=2_546_385_954&products_id=6044 http://www.partsforvolvosonline.com/product_info.php?cPath=2_546_385_954&products_id=3064 Also a pair of drop links wouldn't go amiss either by the sounds of it.

Save the question about the rear bushes (above) is there anything else worth doing ?

Hope this helps

[cornclose]

Hope this helps

Thanks, it does. So, it looks like :-

Front wishbones (front and rear bushes)
Top mounts
Lower engine tie bar mount
Drop links
Rear ARB (24mm Volvo ones)

Any advance on this anyone ?

The only advisories on the MoT last week were the wishbone bushes and rear ARB bushes "slight movement but not excessive" - nowhere near a fail DPA said, but worthy of note.

[RobbieH]

Another option for the wishbone bushes is Superflex (http://forums.t5d5.org/index.php?showtopic=6391). Looks like they don't need the mucking about burning out the old bars but they are pricier as a result.


So far I've built up a stock of Powerflex bushes for the top & bottom engine torque mounts plus the wishbones (didn't see the Superflex info. until I'd bought the Powerflex ones :wallbash:. Also got the uprated ipd drop links from partsforvolvoonline (PFS).
Local indy says he's happy to change everything providing I get all the bits together (I've not got the room on the drive to this myself, nor the tools, jacks, etc plus I think what would take a garage a couple of days would probably take me a week and I've not got the spare time). If I can find the pennies, I'll probably get a set of H&R springs but keep the current shocks (seem OK and indy is happy with the condition), maybe change the spring mounts for securities sake at the same time.
Then it'll be all change in one go plus alignment check, etc.

Probably next year will look at doing the rear end but that is a much bigger job from what I've researched so far.

Really want to do all this before the end of June as we're off to the Alps with the barge and bikes for a couple weeks riding in the mountains in August. Want to have everything changed before then to allow it all to settle down and any snags to be sorted sooner than later.

[dave stew]

I'll be interested to see how you get on after all these changes.