Flo-Flex Gearbox Link Bushes Help

[PaulZ]

Hi all,

I recently bought a set of the gearbox bushes that flo-flex sell and they have sent me the wrong size bush.

I know they do two sizes for the smaller bushes and they managed to send me the correct size for that one but the larger bush is roughly 8mm undersize.

Flo-Flex have said that they have not received any problems in the past and that they will refund me minus £5 as the bushes are "soiled" (roll on the jokes) but I was wondering if anyone has to hand the dimensions of there bushes and the ID of the link so I can compare them to my measurements because I believe that they have simply sent me the wrong size but they wont admit it so if I had some secondary measurements of a link and bushes that fit together I may be able to get them to send me the correct ones.

Also for the few that have removed there poly bushed link id potentially be interested in buying it and just sending these bushes back to get the refund.

Cheers
PaulZ

 

[quest63]

I would consider whether you actually should do this to your car, roughly 50% of the comments I have heard about the bushes say they are to fierce and will have your dash rattling with the vibration they send through the car. Those who have been happy with them tend to have stripped out track style cars and dont care. Some of those who kept them had to drill the big bush full of holes to make it bearable.

 

[PaulZ]

Thanks for the consideration, but I have read the comments as well and without being rude I did notice two things.
1. The more mature people said it was to much for them and it maybe due to there age (don't mean to offend anyone here)
2. No body really stated how long they kept the bushes in for before they changed them to std. I got the impression it wasn't that long and from my experience engine/gearbox bushes can take some time to bed in and calm down a bit.

So from that I thought it was worth a shot at fitting some to see how they go. And this mod is mainly for the intended track use of the car rather than me changing it for the sake of it.

Thanks again though.
PaulZ

 

[lusid666]

didnt scubasteve have a problem with those bushes? might have to check his thread again

 

[quest63]

I dont think he had a vibration issue I think it was a size issue, err of bushes lol

 

[JPTipper]

I flo flexed the lower gearbox mount (aka torque link) after having excessive engine movement and thought this would be the ideal time to upgrade it anyway.

1. Engine doesnt roll as much and you get a tighter feeling when pulling away and giving it the beans
2. Quick gear changes benefit from less engine movement


(these are the ones you arent going to like)

3. As Quest has said, the extra vibration you get is immense. Rattles that were only very minor will be amplified and you will gain new ones.
4. Extra cabin noise. From the turn of the key you will get a loud thudding as the engine kicks over, and once its started there will be a constant drone of the engine resonating through the body of the car. From idle to around 2500rpm this will increase in volume. once cruising the drone will return back to what it was at idle. The resonation can be reduced slightly by having your window open, but not by much.


My personal experience with this was not great, I can only recommend that you do not get this unless, as Quest has said above, that you have a stripped out track car and therefore have no interior to rattle and noise is irrelevant lol

At the age of 26 i do not consider myself "Mature", and yet after having the bushes in for just over three weeks i had had enough, i removed the flo flex and replaced it with a genuine Ford item. There was no bedding in period that i could tell, it was as harsh three weeks later as when i first put it in.

I didnt have any problems with different bush sizes though

 

[PaulZ]

Hi Andy,

I appreciate your comments and as no one has been able to provide the measurements ill probably get the refund and get a new Link from Ford because I do want something stiffer/less worn than what iv got at the moment.

PaulZ

 

[alexwilliams840]

i'd just like to say i put the same bushes on my gearbox link and it was vile. I gave it 100 miles to see if it would calm down but it didn't so i put a standard one in. much nicer.

 

[quest63]

There are other options

 

[PaulZ]

Not really looking to spend £130 on a vibra technics one. but if you know of any other alternatives that are reasonable i am all ears.

 

[ElDude at Allison Automotive]

3. As Quest has said, the extra vibration you get is immense. Rattles that were only very minor will be amplified and you will gain new ones.
4. Extra cabin noise. From the turn of the key you will get a loud thudding as the engine kicks over, and once its started there will be a constant drone of the engine resonating through the body of the car. From idle to around 2500rpm this will increase in volume. once cruising the drone will return back to what it was at idle. The resonation can be reduced slightly by having your window open, but not by much.

sounds awful! :?

The lower roll resistor is a carefully designed piece of kit, did they actually test this I wonder.. :x

sounds like it completely spoils the car to me.. I tried a similar thing a couple of years back by filling in the holes with good silicone, and it had the same effect.. The cabin noise from the vibration was terrible... no harm in trying out these things I guess, but at least mine was almost costless..

:grin: