Rear arm bushes

Whats on your mind? Alfa related or otherwise, the funnier the better!
Post Reply
alfadave
Posts: 1425
Joined: Sun Jan 17, 2016 6:57 pm

Rear arm bushes

Post by alfadave »

Just passed the MoT.......but got an advisory on spongy bushes in the four rear arms.

Daft prices from Powerflex on Ebay!

Is there anything sensibly priced out there?

Prefer original rubber.

User avatar
LooLooSud33Spider
Posts: 1756
Joined: Mon Dec 05, 2016 11:14 pm
Location: Staffordshire

Re: Rear arm bushes

Post by LooLooSud33Spider »

This was a common discussion I had to have with MOT stations. The bushes in the 2 forward arms are quite soft and spongy as std. (which is why Alfa had to fit sponge rubber disc washers) obviously if the steel
Bush has come away from the rubber then yes it’s Foobarred. Poly is a viable alternative but if always prefer new rubber ones if possible
Alfasud Ti 1984
Alfa Spider 2.0 Ts 916
Alfa Spider 20v Turbo

User avatar
KevJTD
Posts: 5112
Joined: Thu Sep 26, 2013 8:48 pm
Location: Lincs

Re: Rear arm bushes

Post by KevJTD »

As Lou says, they are designed to flex and be twisted by hand. Many an MoT tester doesn't know of this and in the past noted on them, common issue with testers rather than the bushes. If you fitted new OE ones they'd still twist, they're designed to. With the solid rear axle if they didn't allow twist then that wouldn't allow any body roll.
I don't like the polybush idea for that very reason, aside from having a personal dislike of them...the movement in them seems to be just in the sleeve being a push fit in the bush, rather than the bush itself having any flex.
Giulietta JTD 170
Lancia Delta integrale
Lancia Flavia coupe 1.8 1963
Lancia Dedra turbo
Renault Clio 197 RS

I'm bad with people things
But I should have tried more

Crank
Posts: 133
Joined: Tue Feb 04, 2014 11:07 am
Location: Penarth

Re: Rear arm bushes

Post by Crank »

I don't think the car feels right with poly bushes either. Also, as the poly bush itself doesn't twist, the securing bolts tend to work loose.
1976 1.5Ti
1977 1.2Ti
1989 1.7 Sprint Veloce
1989 75TS
2003 147 2.0TS Lusso
2004 MX5 1.8S
2002 1.6 Focus LX

alfadave
Posts: 1425
Joined: Sun Jan 17, 2016 6:57 pm

Re: Rear arm bushes

Post by alfadave »

I'll educate the MoT guy next time I'm there.

He is a child of 45 so still has a lot to learn.

Powerflex bushes prices are through the roof!

Alfashop have rubber ones, but say for 33 only.......I thought Sud/ Sprint/ S1 33 were all the same

alfadave
Posts: 1425
Joined: Sun Jan 17, 2016 6:57 pm

Re: Rear arm bushes

Post by alfadave »

The Sud passed its MoT.

But the guy told me the brake effort was a bit down on the OSR.

He must have good hearing.......told me he could hear a noise there.

Turns out the OSR wheel cylinder had a leak.

It had started to contaminate the shoes.

I've stripped/cleaned it and replaced shoes/cylinders on both sides.

A good advert for exempt cars being MoT'd. !!

Kegsti66
Posts: 2853
Joined: Fri Sep 26, 2014 7:20 pm
Location: Northamptonshire

Re: Rear arm bushes

Post by Kegsti66 »

Well done Dave, a good result and reassuring that the leak is fixed.
Like you say, just because they become exempt a proper check is not a bad thing.

Post Reply