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MG Midget and Sprite Technical - Polybush or standard

Just wondering when I rebuild my axle to use standard bushes or Polybush is there a massive difference to justify the higher price.
C Carter

Standard bushes are fine, poly bushes will give a slightly harsher ride, but longevity wise, should outlast the rubber by a considerable time frame.

The other advantage to the poly stuff is it will help a little in lateral location of the axle.

Just remember to lube them heavily otherwise they squeak.

The poly stuff is a lot stiffer, therefore allowing the suspension components to function as they should, whereas the rubber stuff moves under load.

Depends entirely on what you want the car to do.
PeterJMoore

Just standard road use but once the axle is back on don't ever want to remove it again
C Carter

I used polybushes on the front suspension... and then took them off. I didn't like the ride and in terms of life cycle the rubber ones will outlast me. The ride was too harsh - could alsmost have been steel bushes.
I replaced my rear axle casing and replaced the bushes with rubber again.
My original choice was based on advice and quite clearly some drivers love them. For a standard road car (which mine is) rubber is fine (I would argue better) whereas if you are in for upping the power output and making the suspension more taught (and not worry about the ride), you would probably prefer poly.
Just get a good dentist!
G Williams

There are different grades of poly some softer and more suited to road use.
I've used the 'Polybush' blue type except for the top trunions where i've used the Superpro ? - the Polybush ones seemed to squash out (no washers etc provided).

R.
richard boobier

blue poly on the back of mine, was like night and day. (admittedly from gungy rubber to brand new poly)

They squeak like a mouse going through a mangle slowly though, not enough grease to start with..

If you drive it hard then poly bush, if not then rubber will work, but not last as long. What Peter said, actually :)
Rob Armstrong

For the rear, I use the standard Metalastic bushes for the front spring eye and blue Polybushes for the shackles where it otherwise seems to induce the greatest lateral movement.

Blue Polybushes throughout for the front.

Road car, but often "driven like I stole it"

Guy W

I used Superpro all round except for the front eye bush on each rear spring. Absolutely great. A lot of modern rubber is rubbish anyway and doesn't last very long. When I took out my three year old/6000 mile rubber bushes they were pretty badly worn.

Bernie.
b higginson

by Polybush (using a capital P) I assume you mean this particular brand - http://www.polybush.co.uk/ others may(?) be referring to polyurethane bushes generally

Polybush on that site offer different grades, Richard, Rob and Guy mention the blue Comfort range - http://www.polybush.co.uk/polybush-grades

on my present midget I had a full set of MGOC 'Yellow Fast Road Poly Bushes' and didn't find them too hard for normal road use but currently I've got Super-Flex and prefer them but I'm not sure if you can buy them direct
Nigel Atkins

Nigel: I too was talking poly not Poly and had tried the yellow MGOC set. I found them a bit "jarring" so went back to the rubber. I must admit that the polybushes fitted the components more easily whereas the rubber ones often took some pursuading into their final position.
In fact the ride was sufficiently hard it would have prevented my wife reading from the Handbook while I was driving!
G Williams

if anything I only found the yellow fast road ones hard in a 'bouncy' sort of way but I wouldn't recommend them having used them

whatever you do don't allow your wife to read the good book or she'll know even more about everything than you do





. . . and she'll know things about the car than even some long term owners don't :)
Nigel Atkins

This thread was discussed between 06/01/2013 and 07/01/2013

MG Midget and Sprite Technical index

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