Bottom Link ( Trailing Arm ) Bushings-Which style is best?

[kjj0506]

Hi all ! I am hoping to gather some info on the different styles of bushings so I can make a good decision on what will work best for my rig. There are several styles of trailing arm bushings out there :

*Factory rubber
*Rubber with concave base ( these are designed to disallow the the ' rear-end steering ' that is prevalent in these older Range Rovers per the manufacturer ) - I am guessing there will also be a compromise here in the articulation because of the design. Can they be re-shaped slightly to increase downward travel and while maintaining the material on the sides as designed ?
*Poly bushings  - These ( mostly ) have a shape that will increase the ability of the arm to move and help increase articulation but have a different durometer of material. How do they handle on/off road ?

I am hoping that some one may have some useful input and experience. I drive my Rover on the highway for long road trips and do quite a bit of off road exploration so a good compromise is important. I have OME medium springs , 1.25 inch billet spacers , Pro Comp Es9000HD +2" shocks , extended stainless brake lines , new a-arm ball joint so the bushings are about all that is left to do in the back end for a while .

[Skibum346]

KJ,

I've not heard of your middle option so can't comment on them.

what I would say though is I would choose poly over OEM  rubber anyday. In my experience they have lasted well and provide a comfortable ride but must importantly they are easy to change if they need to be.

The only question now is whether you go for the red performance or the blue comfort.

Skibum

[clbarclay]

I had poly bushes on the V8, but they were too stiff and were noticably affecting articulation with no significat change to on road handling. Its back on standard rubber bushes which gives enough movement to get most of the travel out of 11" travel dampers (nominally +5").


If you go for poly bushes then remember you get what you pay for and if you go for genuine polybush then comfort get my vote, we have them on the VM and find them plenty stiff enough on the road. Poly bushes are a bit easier to fit than metalastic, but with a basic tools and the right technics they are not to difficult to fit.

[Eeyore]

In terms of perfomance, there's not a lot of difference between a poly and a genuine 'metallastic' (bonded rubber and metal) bush. I would say polys will improve the ride, but most of the noted performance with polys is because folk replace a dead metallastic with a new and shiny polys. Polys do stiffen with age, too (mine have).

My choice would be to fit metallastics because they were what the vehicle was engineered to work with. Whilst polys can last longer, they seem to wear the bolts instead of the elastic material. Which can lead to all kinds o' problems in the long run (how many of us check the bolts on bushes if the bushes havent worn?).

The sad part is that genuine bushes are a cow to fit at home (ideally they need a press to get 'em in). But they're cheaper (usually).

I've no expereince of the other bushes available, such as offset bushes of void types, but I there's something about them that gives me the heebeejeebees when I think about 'em! I can't think of anyone in the race community that uses 'em either, and they are hard on bushes ('one-panhard-rod-bush-in-6-miles' kinda hard).  

Just my couple o' cents  8)

Cheers
 8)
Eeyore

[Range Rover Blues]

I'd suggest new OEM rubber at the top end to keep the articulation and a little compliance on road too but perhaps Polybush the bottom end, at the axle, because wear there is what causes problems with the back end stepping out when they are worn, plus they will be easy to change in the future.