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MG MGF Technical - Poly bushes fitting ?

I've got a nice set of poly bushes to fit to my shocks over the weekend but before doing so I thought I'd tap into the knowledge of those who have already replaced them DIY....

Any tips, tricks or things I ought to know for a 1996 registered car..... an estimated time to do the job too perhaps..

Does anyone host details of their web site...?

Ted, I know you've had a go, how was it....?

Tim
tim woolcott

I've had a quick trawl through the archive and have a couple of questions...

Do I really need a hydraulic press to replace the bushes.

What is this I read about having to drop the front sub-frame....? bit scary...!
tim woolcott

Tim check out dieters site http://www.mgfcar.de/index.htm

on the left look for Bushes, there is a complete how to guide I believe with some pictures.
HTH Mike
Mike

Mike, I tried looking there but couldn't see it.... I must remember to remove my blind fold :0)

I'll go for another look now..

Even so, any further comments from anyone....?

Tim
tim woolcott

>Do I really need a hydraulic press to replace the bushes.

Certainly its VERY hard to get the front ones out without one. BIG hammer time, if you don't! I suspect that with the right diameter of drift you could do it without a press but its difficult (double diameter drift so as to not damage the new bushes).

The rear tie bar ones, OTH, are quite easy.

Don't forget the 4 wheel alignment after fitting: you'll need it!

I did the back ones myself and got Mel to do the front ones. I can't remember how many hours he charged, but he also replaced the bottom arm as they were on the way out too... I think, however, he took the parts to the local small garage who DO have a press.

Once fitted, the tracking stays put, though, so I don't regret it.

Neil.
Neil @ work

Neil,
thanks for the info... I'm only replacing the shocker bushes this time.... looking for a friendly garage with a press might be an advantage but can you desribe what you mean by a 'double diameter' drift....

Mike,

I had another look at Deiter's site but no luck... there is a PU bushes link but only with part numbers not 'how to..' :o(

Tim
tim woolcott

Tim

Are we talking ALL bushes or just the SHOCK ABSORBER bushes?

If just shock absorbers then it takes about 15 minutes per 'corner'.

You will need a strap wrench or plumbers grips for securing the the upper part of the shock absorber when undoing the the top nuts. - The top nuts are inside the the car but can be got at without too much of a problem and the top part of the shock absorber can be reached inside the wheel arch when you have the wheel off and the car jacked up and the wheel hub hanging free.

The bottom nuts are a 'piece of cake' to remove. Once you have the shock absorber off the car it is a simple job to remove the old bottom bush - it virtually falls out - but if it is a bit sticky then a drift and a largish bench vice does the job and you will find it simpler to use vice to reinsert the new bush.

The top bushes are just slide off/slide on BUT do remember to use the supplied silicon grease when refitting the bushes to the absorber (top and bottom) and to the car - otherwise they can/will creak like mad!

Normally I would say bring the car over to me if you want to do it in my garage but unfortunately I am working these weekends - we have just moved our business into a new office and there are masses of jobs for me to do:-(

Good luck and feel free to phone me if you want - my office number is 020 7499 7611.

Ted

Ted Newman

Good luck Tim, with the fitting of those shock-absorber bushes. Just remember to take some pix! LOL

Or go for uprated dampers. Go on. You know you want too. ;o) ;o) LOL

[The Dark-side runs deep with this one... ]
Rob Bell

Just the shockers Ted. Thanks for the info.... very very useful... all I need to do is find a vice which I have somewhere in storage.... Bish, bosh looks like a job for Sunday.... should all be done in an hour (unlikely...).



tim woolcott

Cheers Rob.... Bilsteins are calling but since your site needs some pics I'll fit the bushes anyway...

Tim
tim woolcott

I'll try and dig out the pics of fitting the bottom bushes for you, Rob. Nice bright sunny day in the camping area at Silverstone :-)

Neil
Neil

Cheers chaps :o)
Rob Bell

Done.....

An hour and 20 mins, or there abouts, and all the shocker bushes are replaced.

A vice was perfect for the job of squishing the lower bushes in place. If anyone else does decide to replace their bushes a deep 14mm socket and extension would make life a whole lot easier too.....

I can't advise whether there is a difference in the cars handling yet but I'm looking forwad to Rockingham...

The old bushes were looking pretty sad after a couple of '1stLotus' days (they were fine until then).... :o)

Rob is going to host my 'How to guide' for anyone else who is interested in this DIY.

Tim
tim woolcott

Well Tim it sounds like you had alot more fun than I did whilst replacing your bushes!
After about an hour trying to get the topmount/tennon nut off on the nearside rear damper and having lost my sense of humour a couple of times I finally got the bugger off only to discover the damper is knackered anyway so a set of adjustables will have to be ordered.
For future info does anybody know the torque values for the upper and lower damper mounts?
R Baker

Workshop Manual says:

Front: Top: 37 Nm
Front: Bottom: 45 Nm after fitting wheel and lowering to ground.

Rear: Top: 37 Nm
Rear: Bottom: 45 Nm after fitting wheel and lowering to ground

HTH
JohnP

Thanks for those torque settings John - will add them to Tim's words on the bush replacement.

Page now live on http://www.mgf.ultimatemg.com/chassis_and_handling/shock_bush_replacement.htm
Rob Bell

Thanks for posting your guide. I've been thinking of replacing the bushes of my 97 F, and I'm encouraged by how straight-forward it seems to be!

One question though - in the guide, it mentions "Polyflex manufacture performance bushes which can be ordered from Mike Satur, B&G and similar for about £10 per set ( 4 sets needed ). The bushes featured here were purchased from Mike Satur."

I can find Powerflex bushes on Mike's site, coming in at around £200 for a front+rear set, and Shocker Bushes at £37 for a full set. I'm a bit new to this suspension business, so what's the difference between these two sets, and which would be better for general road use and occasional track-days?

Thanks,

Nigel.
Nigel

The two kits are for different bushes Nigel. The 37 quid damper bush replacement kit is the one that Tim's reported upon in that guide, and this is a job that is pretty straightforward.

The other kit is for all the other suspension bushes - some of which are fairly easy to do, whilst others are rather more tricky! (Ask Neil!)

There are benefits of replacing all the bushes (T.E.D. did this on his F, and was very happy with the results) - but you'd need to do a fair amount of track work to derive the full benefit from them.

The shock bushes are different because these bushes seem to be of inferior quality, they fall apart and yet are easy to replace. Replacement yields an improvement on any older car, even for normal road use.

So that's your choice in a nut shell.

Plenty of other suspension upgrades to consider if you want to do the occasional track day which may represent slightly better value for money (replacement dampers for example ;o) )

Hope that's of some help
Rob Bell

For someone in the UK who's recently had all his F's bushes changed to polybushes - speak to Stu Dickens - although you'll have to wait for him to come back from Italy where he's working until the end of the month.

Alternatively, speak to Roy at TechSpeed who did the job for Stu. There are a lot of these bushes apparently and as Rob says, you may not feel replacing every single one is worth the expenditure. Again, Roy would advise on what's worth it. Stu decided to go the whole hog - his choice - his wallet!

Dave
Dave

Must be the 'in thing'! :-)

'Fitting of Poly Bushes' just gone live at http://members.aol.com/apttony/

Also, for anyone who has an early model with a hardtop AND still has the old rear brackets, there's a new section on upgrading these.

Tony
Tony

Thanks, guys. Sounds like the £37 set would be sufficient for me, and leave mw with some spare cash towards a Daytona exhaust :-)

Nigel

Nice work Tony! :o)

Since my hardtop is still completely original, your words are of great interest to me!

Cheers
Rob Bell

I had all the bushes fitted except the ant-roll bar bushes and the labour was charged for 6 hours.

Shock absorber bushes only will be much faster to fit as Ted says.
T.E.D

Bonjourno guys

Back from italy for the weekend so i thought i'd have a butchers...

I can't recommend highly enough the difference the Techspeed visit done for me.. its difficult to say if i'd have felt the difference if only the bushes were replaced but i had the full tech speed suspension mod with the infamous "4 nipple job !" done at the same time..

I was amazed at the handling difference, really a different car, which reminds me 'I must driver slower!'

the cornering is so sure footed i'm going into corners i previously took at 40 at 60+ without any hestitation..

Any way got a go and wash me smalls, back to Genoa tomorrow afternoon... catch up wiv you all in about 10 days...

cheers all

Stu
STU

This thread was discussed between 17/01/2003 and 25/01/2003

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