Powerflex Black Series Ordered!

[V70 Graham]

Looking forward to seeing your results come Saturday night.

[partsforvolvos.com]

The rear bush design is already proved on other applications, just not on the Volvo. I think it was for a Peugeot amongst others.
I discussed it in detail with powerflex before it was released, and we reviewed other solutions available for this.
the other option was a swivel bush but it was felt the cost would have been way too high.
my own conclusion was that the polyurethane quality makes a massive difference, because a couple of designs can be ok in the correct quality.

don't forget powerflex have a lifetime warranty and they back it up.

[graemewelch]

The rear bush design is already proved on other applications, just not on the Volvo. I think it was for a Peugeot amongst others.
I discussed it in detail with powerflex before it was released, and we reviewed other solutions available for this.
the other option was a swivel bush but it was felt the cost would have been way too high.
my own conclusion was that the polyurethane quality makes a massive difference, because a couple of designs can be ok in the correct quality.



don't forget powerflex have a lifetime warranty and they back it up.

agree with all the above. powerflex have a very good repuataion and material quality is key when it come to quality and durability. powerflex are the only bush that i would use on my car. but only there normal range execpt for maybe the wishbone bushes.

[LeeT5]

Upper Engine Mount Small Bushing (see photo) arrived today, still waiting for the Lower Torque Rod bushings to arrive but i might burn off the rubber from my old torque mount today and prep it ready for fitting the bushes straight on when they arrive.

I don't see any point in replacing this one. When you remove the top mount and look at the smaller bush, I think you'll find its nearly rock solid anyway! Mine was, so I never replaced it. It's the larger bush that wears and needs to be poly. The smaller bushes NEVER wear out on the top engine mount.

I don't think much of Decat exhaust systems but I don't go slating them on a forum, however you make and sell them and will tell me they're the best invention since sliced bread. The point is it's down to personal preference.

If there wasn't a market for your decat exhaust systems and downpipes you wouldn't be on here trying to sell them, the same goes for Powerflex. I think it's safe to say that Powerflex did their market research before trying to flog bushes like this and if I recall you were actually trying to make some front control arm rear bushes some time ago to sell on here. If they're a 'pointless mod' then why did you go to the bother of trying to do up a Computer Aided Design drawing of them and get them moulded and made.

I find your comments very odd Graeme, I feel you're trying to write off mods that you yourself have either made or try to make or have fitted to your own car. Makes no sense to me whatsoever.

That's an interesting comment! How can you not think much of them?? It's a well known fact that on a Turbo charged car, decatting the exhaust makes a huge difference - mainly allowing the turbo to spool up quicker and a notable difference in turbo lag. Being as the manufacturers of motorcar parts have to be seen to be making a conservative effort in saving the planet, some bright spark invented 'Race Catalysts'!
Why might that be?? (For those that don't know) - its because Decatting an exhaust DOES make a difference and therefore, having a race cat not only improves performance but saves the planet too! As well as keeping the MOT tester happy and allowing your car to be road legal.

Regarding all these Black series bushes your in the process of fitting, I think it is you James that has not done your research.

Quote from Powerflex site...."Ultimate performance motorsport track and race bushes offering the most precise and accurate alignment for your chassis."

Unless your entering the BTCC James...your wasting your money!!

You will get better results by fitting yellow and purple bushes where possible and have a car that handles better yet still retains some form of comfort! It is you that decided to tell the world what your doing and it is you that is taking everyones comments personally. Nearly everyone thinks your bloody stupid for doing it and not only are you fitting the hardest bushes you can get but your not even going to trial each bush to see if it makes the car handle worse/better. As a qualified mechanic/vehicle technician I find this route completely chaotic and bloody minded. Doesn't mean I'm not interested in the results, just cannot get my head around what your doing. Will you be truthful in your findings when the car is finished?? I suppose we'll all have to wait.
I think that I'm not alone in thinking that the car will handle great on a track (providing you uprate the springs, shocks, ARBs etc) yet as a daily driver on UK roads it will handle like poo!

[LeeT5]

rewind a bit james and youll see i said the poly bushes in the wishbones will prob work very well. what i am saying is that solid black engine mounts in MY opinion are a step backwards and would take away everything that made me buy a s60 in the first place. there are certain mounts and bushes on our cars that benifit from uprated bushes. the wishbone is one of them. then theres others that have been tried time and time again and are proven to be a bad move. yet you wont take onboard any advice from other member that have been there done and went back to oe.

im on this forum because i drive a volvo james its that simple. i make down pipe and various other parts cause i can and that i want to fit them to my car. i doubt very much youll find me blowing my own trumpet about what i build for my car or parts that others have asked me to build.

i realy hope one day that some of the things you do to your car dont backfire as upto now i think youve been extremly lucky

I'm one of those ppl. Not all MODS work. Most do thou.
Bottom line is, when modding a car you should ALWAYS do one MOD at a time, especially when it comes to suspension components. Of course, if it's a Spring/shock combo or Remap + exhaust system, then that's very different because those parts have been trialled and tested to death and they are known to be sound.

[p fandango]

what i can't understand, is how can a thread on a simple thing like this go on for 6 pages. No wonder its getting depressing on here

i swear some people on here think they could teach Adrian Newey a thing or 2

[LeeT5]

What James should do is........(lets all sing a song).....

"STOP! In the name of love, before you break your car"...Think it ooh, ohhver. Think it ohh woah..ver!! STOP in the name of Love James!"

[graemewelch]

That's an interesting comment! How can you not think much of them?? It's a well known fact that on a Turbo charged car, decatting the exhaust makes a huge difference - mainly allowing the turbo to spool up quicker and a notable difference in turbo lag. Being as the manufacturers of motorcar parts have to be seen to be making a conservative effort in saving the planet, some bright spark invented 'Race Catalysts'!
Why might that be?? (For those that don't know) - its because Decatting an exhaust DOES make a difference and therefore, having a race cat not only improves performance but saves the planet too! As well as keeping the MOT tester happy and allowing your car to be road legal.


Its james way of having a dig at me. Ive read posts that say he wa ts a 3" downpipe. But cause i dont agree with fitting black bushes alround he gose all imature and has a sly dig.

[p fandango]

What James should do is........(lets all sing a song).....

"STOP! In the name of love, before you break your car"...Think it ooh, ohhver. Think it ohh woah..ver!! STOP in the name of Love James!"

He's gone for a harder compound bush. Believe it or not the world isn't going to end because of it, get over it

[V70 Graham]

One things for sure, we'll all know this time tomorrow, I'm sure James will be honest and tell us truthfully what he thinks.

[claymore]

He's gone for a harder compound bush. Believe it or not the world isn't going to end because of it, get over it

as long as the car doesn't drive so harsh that it hops across the road on a corner into the path of another car, I was under the impression that black powerflex was for track use, I wouldn't like to use them on a road car without any supporting mods.

EDIT:, off the powerflex web site "For the ultimate in performance Powerflex introduce The Black Series. a new range of bushes developed for Race, Rally and Circuit use."

[p fandango]

as long as the car doesn't drive so harsh that it hops across the road on a corner into the path of another car, I was under the impression that black powerflex was for track use, I wouldn't like to use them on a road car without any supporting mods.

as no one has used them on the road yet theirs no evidence it will have any adverse effect on harshness/ride (as the main ride comfort is determined by the springs & shocks) so can't see it being any unsafer than any other modification on a car. Especially a home done modification as no one knows how different combinations of components will react with each other

[claymore]

as no one has used them on the road yet theirs no evidence it will have any adverse effect on harshness/ride (as the main ride comfort is determined by the springs & shocks) so can't see it being any unsafer than any other modification on a car. Especially a home done modification as no one knows how different combinations of components will react with each other

having seen videos of James's car as it crashes and bangs along the road with the suspension on it at the moment, I can only imagine what effect it will have on his car....lol

[Harvey]

I think the only difference will be the noise & vibrations that will make it into the cabin.and not much more.

[Harvey]

i swear some people on here think they could teach Adrian Newey a thing or 2

Just to say the redbull's looked a bit better in Q1 today !.

[M-R-P]

Time to add my two penneth...

James has softer springs than my car and lower quality shocks. His car is almost identical to mine suspension wise. My car has standard poly front bushes and mayle rear bushes which, after fitting both mine and James's bushes and locking them in a vice and flexing said bushes to test their flexibility, I can confidently say there's not much in it. The black bush is definitely harder but not much - it's not like they're milled aluminium.

I fitted all my mods individually and can tell you exactly what does what and how much and, at the very worst, James's car will be noisier on the road and have a shaky steering wheel on rough roads.

To say it crashes about from just watching a couple of videos isn't really fair, if I fitted a camera the same way James fitted his, it'll look a lot worse.

I'll have a ride in James's car before I fit the new wishbones and of course, be there for the test drive so rest assured, I'll give a detailed and honest review of the change in ride quality.

More noise, possibly more vibration. That's it, that's my educated prediction.

I don't know anybody who's actually tried and tested this bush configuration, and as someone who has tested previously unavailable bushes, I would like to know how they turn out before I go telling James he's a wally for wanting to fit them. So come on guys, calm it down a bit please.

[Harvey]

Just to ask what size tyres-rims are on James car, smaller rims = better / softer ride.

[M-R-P]

Just to ask what size tyres-rims are on James car, smaller rims = better / softer ride.

225x45x17 Ameltheas, same as mine Harv.

[graemewelch]

i dont htink the black wishbone bushes will be that harsh, but we all know that all black engine mounts will be a silly move.

[M-R-P]

i dont htink the black wishbone bushes will be that harsh, but we all know that all black engine mounts will be a silly move.

But not a lot of people know that fitting the powerflex strut brace tensioners, reduces the engine vibration caused by fitting poly engine mounts

Part of the function of forums is to help rectify problems when they occur, not just tell people what they should or shouldn't do. they might like having their nuts jiggled