GolfGTIforum.co.uk
General => The garage => Topic started by: Ben Lessani on 04 February 2013, 18:23
-
Ok, so this may or may not be for my BMW Mini Cooper S rather than a Golf, but its just a general question about bush play. So perhaps someone can help.
My car feels like its going to career off the motorway when I'm (not) doing 80mph +
Since I got it, I've replaced the inner ball joints, rear bushes, all 4x tyres, drop links and all the suspension - and the issue still persists.
I can only think the cheap and nasty rear bushes might be the issue and that they've failed within <3k
So, I took a bunch of videos with me levering the control arm - is the play you can see in the rear bush normal or not?
Nearside
Kicking tyre from front - Nearside Kick - YouTube (http://youtu.be/CZHAVMu7q-Y)
Tightening/rocking wheel bolts - Nearside Wheel Bolt Torque - YouTube (http://youtu.be/NUacOh67PBk)
Levering control arm - Nearside Lever - YouTube (http://youtu.be/zv81JsgOHT0)
Levering control arm (2) - Nearside Lever 2 - YouTube (http://youtu.be/HKGiKAqZhzM)
Offside
Kicking tyre from front - Offside Kick - YouTube (http://youtu.be/uqucdFhILtY)
Undoing/rocking wheel bolts - Offside Wheel Bolt Torque - YouTube (http://youtu.be/f4c98kLIWho)
Levering control arm - Offside Lever - YouTube (http://youtu.be/VTpjGk2TB0c)
Levering control arm (2) - Offside Lever 2 - YouTube (http://youtu.be/SmfZDqWUdLQ)
-
To me that looks massively excessive, but then again I've got polys so.....
But I reckon that's too much.
-
That looks acceptable to me, they certainly are not walloping about
Out of interest has the car had the geometry done after the suspension work? If not i fear this may be the issue
-
I get it Hunter aligned every year - but its been like this for >1 year now.
The last alignment was about 3 weeks ago (prior to the suspension change) and it didn't change anything.
I only changed the struts last weekend - but haven't since had it aligned. I was holding off in-case I needed to change any other suspension components.
Its really bugging me. When I drive down the road at 30 - I can turn the steering wheel ~1" to the left (and I feel the wheels moving, its not a rack thing) and the weight of the car kind of shifts from one wheel to the other. But its possible to drive with the wheel dead centre, 1" to the left or 1" to the right.
It feels like the wheels are both toe-out and that by turning the wheel a little, one of them is pointing straight - and the other is dragging.
On the m'way - I'm just continually correcting the wheel to keep going straight.
-
Id defo change those bushes, im not saying that will fix your problems, it may it may not.
You could use Genuine bushes, they do seem better than most, but only expect to last 2 years before they split.
Or get some poly bushes, at least you know it aint gonna move no more.
-
Id defo change those bushes, im not saying that will fix your problems, it may it may not.
You could use Genuine bushes, they do seem better than most, but only expect to last 2 years before they split.
Or get some poly bushes, at least you know it aint gonna move no more.
The thing is, those bushes are less than 1 year old with only 3k on them! I was thinking either Lemforder or Meyle HD. Either way, I'm going to have to buy a bush press.
I'd avoid poly simply because it screws up comfort and road noise in the car.
-
just get the genuine bushes that come with the bracket, about £30 a piece
Then keep the crap ones, pop the bushes out, then if you do decide to make it solid and you buy some poly bushes or whatever youve got the brackets ready to go
-
just get the genuine bushes that come with the bracket, about £30 a piece
That's how I fitted the last ones. But when I dropped the rear of the subframe - I did it on a ramp. But I won't have that privilege this time round. So doing it on a driveway is going to be bloody difficult.
-
i know its easy for me to say but its amazingly easy to drop the subframe.
-
Look a bit excessive to me that!
-
I get it Hunter aligned every year - but its been like this for >1 year now.
The last alignment was about 3 weeks ago (prior to the suspension change) and it didn't change anything.
It should be done again, as geometry checks should be done after the suspension change (I'm probably stating the obvious here). If I were really fussy, I would possibly even get the geometry checked after the bushes had "settled in" after a couple hundred miles or so.
That doesn't look massively excessive to me for standard non-poly bushes - however, part of testing a bush is how it feels (how much force I would have to apply to make it move that far), and that can't be judged by looking alone.
Who did the change? I don't know how the bushes are fitted on this, so it may not apply, but often bushes must be tightened with the weight on the wheels. If you do not do this, the bushes are over-stressed in their "normal" position and will wear out prematurely.
-
I find the best test to use, as with an E46 or old shape X5, drive the car, 5-10mph, then do a quick tap on the brake pedal, if you feel a "donk" then you'll likely need new bushes. If a second person can see the wheel movement from the outside when you brake sharpish then it's even better. The wheel will look like its moved backwards and if it does then you need new bushes.
With a bar the bushes do move about a bit but I don't know how much force you are using?
As Dolly said, this job is straight forward with the subframe down (I assume he's a bmw tech too?) I've never ever tried to press the bush out of the casing as if the bolts are too tight which they normally are, it's far too time consuming. As he said get the brackets all in especially if you are doing the job yourself.
I'd recommend Lemforder bushes over Meyle if you are not going genuine. I don't know if I had the only dodgy set made but I couldn't push the bush onto the wishbone, it was far too tight. Went genuine and it went flying on...
-
i know its easy for me to say but its amazingly easy to drop the subframe.
You've got a full workshop!
I know its not hard. But its access that is the problem. Removing the subframe on the driveway is just a PITA. Especially since I work solo on the car (billy no mates!).
The car is progressively driving more and more crap, so I'll have to do something soon.