10 replies to this topic

[richw911]

We restored a mini 2 years ago and of course replaced all the rubber bushes/ boots/ mountings.

Now the MoT is up we checked and most of the rubbers have perished and need replacing!

I know they dont last forever but we dont want to be stripping the car down every two years, to be fair most of the itmes were cheap.

So what to you use? Uprated rubber? Which makes actually last? Unipart? Poly?

Pros and cons of poly?

Any help advice or experience would be much appreciated.

[MrBounce]

I have always tried to use OEM equipment; cheaper bushes have always failed me.

And if you are thinking of buying Polybushes, ask yourself whether you are doing it for a specific reason or whether you've just read "they're better". Unless they're a decent brand, don't bother.

[tiger99]

Don't use polybushes on the tie rods, as they may suffer fatigue fracture because the poly does not compress and forces the front end of the rod to flex. They are no good on the engine end of the steadies either, due to the heat, but do work well at the other end.

The poly subframe mounts currently available are badly designed and probably unsafe. They use the material in a way that it should not be used. An all solid subframe mount kit is best for handling anyway.

So what does that leave? Lower arms, maybe, but I have severe reservations about the life of poly, as it does not deform in torsional shear like rubber, but actually rotates on the pin, which is not a good bearing surface.

I used to get upwards of 100k miles from standard rubbers, which were Unipart at the time, although the top engine steady did not last nearly as long.

[charie t]

I was going to add decent standard rubber aswell, but everyone else has

[mini13]

moder rubber parts are largely rubbish, there is one exemption, the uprated engine steady bushes from minispares, the really last!

for the bottom arm the mprated minispares bushes are also worth a try.

[richw911]

Ok thanks for that.

So forget the poly and use unipart rubbers.

Is there any other makes that are recomended if unipart dont have some parts?

Edited by richw911, 18 August 2012 - 07:26 PM.

[Cooperman]

For my own cars I use the original rubber tie-bar front rubber bushes. For the lower suspension arm inner bushes I use the best quality ones made from rubber as supplied by Mini Spares.
I always mount the front sub-frames with solid metal mountings and never use the poly ones.
For the steering rack gaiter again I use the original type from Mini Spares.
The best rule is to use parts of the best quality and the original type.
I hope this helps.

Regards,

Peter

[BritishRacingGreen]

Edit: ignore me, I didn't read the post correctly...

Edited by BritishRacingGreen, 19 August 2012 - 10:06 PM.

[jaydee]

The rubbers on the market wont last 1 year, if you can get hold of the original unipart mountings they're worth a try.

[richw911]

Many thanks for all the input

[1984mini25]

I haven't had any problems with running poly bushes, even on the tie bars. As for things like CV gaters, the last one I replaced I used a genuine second hand one from a local mini brakers.

But most rubber parts now seam to disintegrate within a few months. The engine steady bushes on one of my project minis were perished within less than a year and had to be replaced. But the were fitted new and the mini hadn't even been out of the garage or driven in that time.