Powerflexed the Lower Torque Rod

[JamesT5]

Today, I braved the showers and at times cold winds to finally get around to Powerflexing the Lower Torque Rod that joins the subframe to the gearbox. I also did another little job on the rear end today that I'll post in a separate thread. Anyway, here's how it went......

This is the rod immediately after I took it off the car....



The Torque Rod isn't actually that old, less than 12 months from what I remember, but to be honest the movement in the large bushing was pretty gob smacking (see video link)........

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IIf5f...ature=youtu.be

So I broke the rod down in to it's individual components, the 'snail' piece consisting of the large bushing, the centre tie bar and the small end that attached to the gearbox....



Incidentally, you can see just how inferior the original rubber bushings are by simply looking at the daylight poking through the crack in the large bush (shocking!) ....



Next, it was a case of drilling out the old bushings (the large one was the easiest, can't you tell! ), and then I had to cut the plastic casing out from the snail end using a hacksaw before twisting out with some plumbers grips....





Out came the blow torch afterwards to burn off the rubber from the small end (sorry about the poor lens focus on this shot)......



Next, all the parts went off to the 'JamesT5 Paint Shop' for a coat of good old Hammerite Silver.......



I got on with 'the other job' whilst I waited a few hours for the paint to dry and then it was time to push in the new bushes. The large bush went in really easily, the small bush was complete ball ache because the one side didn't quite want to push in all the way which meant getting the small end back in to the centre tie bar was nothing short of hard work. This of course was made a lot harder by the Black Series Powerflex compound being so stiff, but in the end I managed without the need to go and buy a G-Clamp or Hydraulic Press (I could of done with one). Incidentally, it helped to put the bolt through and tighten it up to press the bushing in before undoing the bolt again, then using brute force to wiggle it in to the centre tie piece, still, very hard work and a total PITA non the less.

The completed Powerflexed Mount, both off and on the car.....



(Again, sorry about the poor lens focus....)



In terms of how the car feels, well all I can say is it feels totally epic! I'm really pleased with it and the whole front end just feels 'alive' and just like it's behaving itself. Everything feels really nice and tight and I just feel that the engine is really 'connected' to the car. There is a slight increase in vibration around the footwell area during idle, but this is totally fine and actually enhances the driving experience.

I'm really pleased with the result and I now have every Powerflex bushing they make for the P2 V70 front end on the car and I'm lovin' it!