Vehicle & Technical > Defender

Bushed bushes ?

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Jimbo:
These two pics are of the rear offside top shock top mount bush, and the offside trailing arm end bush - the truck is currently sitting on a level surface, and is unloaded.........yet the bushes look distorted to me. I'm thinking that as the vehicle was ex-utility, and probably spent most of its 12,000 miles before I got hold of it, loaded to the roof, that the bushes are knacked.

Any advice ?

spinkster:
looking at the rear trailing arm picture.....have you got a suspension lift?? if not the bush could be goosed.......if you have thats entirely normal due to the different angle of the tgrailing arm the front one looks [!Expletive Deleted!] too btw

Eeyore:
Ex utility vehicles are also (usually ) well maintained (if a little abused).

The top shock bush is difficult to judge by the picture, so grad the shock and heav it about a bit. Some rotation is okay, but the shcok musn't 'piston' up and down on it's bushes.

If it doesn't piston, you're okay. But check the bottom bushes as well, they seem to be the ones that go first.

Now, with the radius arm, get a big flat-head screwdriver, or better yet, a crowbar and try and waggle the bush about. See if the radius arm moves in relation to the bush. If the arms moves and the bush doesn't - it's lunched. Try is with the wheel jacked and the bush in the neutral postion too. A very limited amount of slack can be taken up by tightened the radius arm nut, but again, this is a sign that the bush is heading south and will be in need of retirement shortly.

HTH

Cheers
 8)
Eeyore

Jimbo:
Thanks for the advice so far. The truck is not lifted, but is a 'heavy duty' factory jobbie. I've removed the rear helper springs already (small coils, sit within the main rear coils), this has helped soften the rear end, but it didn't alter the overall height of the truck.

If I hold the shock and rotate it, the top mount does move around the bush - as if the bush is a little tired!............I guess it's back to the million dollar question.....

Stick with OE bushes, or go for Polybush etc, etc.......

Eeyore:
I'd stick with OE, given the option.

Polys are great, but you need to keep a close eye on the major bolts, as they seem to be subject to geater wear when using them. OE's are cheaper and are easy to replace at the chassis end of the raius arms and on both ends of the shocks. The bushes at the axle end of the radius arm are a pain in the bum to change, but garages can whip 'em quickly enough if you do find 'em difficult.

Cheers
 8)
Eeyore

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