Is there a massive difference between Poly and OEM bushes?

[beko1987]

After 107k, my Puma feels like the suspension is attached to the car with an iron bar, so I'm slowly starting to budget for a complete bush refresh (fnarr-fnarr). Having looked at them they look very perished and old.

However, reading the various threads people seem to say that there is a ride difference between the two. Also, it seems that Polybushes are easier to get hold of than the OWM ford ones (although that may be my lack of knowledge re part numbers.

Having seen Pumaspeed's (I think) offer of a complete polybush set and fitting for £350, the question is is this more worthwhile than getting OEM bushes throughout? How does the ride differ?

At the moment, I feel every little pebble I drive over, every cats eye and get my eyes shaken from my skull if the road surface is wrecked (pretty much every road around here).

I'm not looking for a wafty barge type of ride, would I be ok with polybushes?

Cheers

 

[Neil]

Poly bushes (eg Powerflex) do sharpen things up, but to the detriment of ride quality. The ride in my old powerflexed 1.7 is unbelievably harsh now - on rough surfaces it's pretty uncomfortable not to mention increased road noise.

Personally I'd go for OEM to get the car feeling like it did when new.

 

[beko1987]

Wicked - thanks Neil. Any idea on part numbers? I called Platts of Marlow but they started quoting me whole wishbones etc!

 

[pumapilot]

Ford bushes last around 4 years, Powerflex bushes will out last the car.

People complain about the harsh ride, but having been into rallying in my yoof it doesn't bother me.

Powerflexed my suspension a while back = road legal go kart.

As for Platts quoting you for whole wishbones!!! the only Powerflex bush unable to be fitted is the lower wishbone rear arm bush, an OEM or uprated FRP bush can be fitted to this, but you'll find that it is the same bush that is fitted to a Ford Escort van

 

[ScubaSteve]

you can get powerflex bushes for the rear bush but its not really worth it

 

[beko1987]

So the general consensus is to look around and find a price for all the OEM ford bushes and fitting then?

Will go along to Platts on payday and extract part numbers and prices for all the bushes. Will have a look around here for which ones I need, does anyone mind if I confirm my selections here before buying?

Cheers

 

[pumapilot]

you can get powerflex bushes for the rear bush but its not really worth it

Powerflex i believe made this bush bigger/smaller? meaning that you had to buy a Powerflex arm to get the bush to fit, at some expense.

 

[pumapilot]

So the general consensus is to look around and find a price for all the OEM ford bushes and fitting then?

Will go along to Platts on payday and extract part numbers and prices for all the bushes. Will have a look around here for which ones I need, does anyone mind if I confirm my selections here before buying?

Cheers

The questions you need to ask yourself is, do i want to pay for new bushes and fitting every 4 years on average, and have a car that drives well until the bushes start to wear out.
Or do i want to pay for new bushes and fitting once, and have a good handling car, with the loss of some ride quality, probably replacing one bush every 4 years on average?

 

[beko1987]

Food for thought. Short of finding someone around Bucks with a poly'd puma I'd say I'd want to go with the polybush kit, with some escort van bushes in the rear. When people say 'some loss of ride quality', if I say driving around the m25, will it shake the teeth out of my skull, or will it just be a bit harder?

I guess having never experienced a spot on Puma I'm not in the best situation to judge! May go Poly, it can't be any worse than it is. If any local members want to go for a quick spin after next Thursday (payday!) I'd be up for that!

 

[ScubaSteve]

no mine is polybushed front and rear and i drive the m25 every fortnight and its fine

 

[Cherie]

You'll struggle to find the OEM bushes on their own. The ones in the front wishbones are usually only supplied inserted in the wishbones, the anti-rollbar bushes etc should be easy enough to order from your local Ford parts desk.

I had polybushes on my old puma, and OEM on my current, and to be honest, I can't tell the difference. For the difference in price, I'd stick with the OEM ones.

 

[YOG]

It's difficult for people to give you a true opinion on the actual difference between Ford OEM bushes and Powerflex. Opinions are normally comparing worn out OEM with new Powerflex. The car will handle better (and generally be quieter) after new replacement bushes, whether they are Powerflex or OEM.
In addition, many people have, at the same time, also fitted new Lowering Springs/Coilovers/Top Mounts (Front/Rear)/Drop links/Wishbone Ball-Joints/Track-Rod Ends/Bigger Wheels, etc. which will also affect the handling.
I replaced my Anti-Roll Bar Bushes, Wishbone Front/Rear Bushes, and Rear Beam Bushes with Powerflex at 11,000 miles/6 years old and yes, the car handled better, but how much more then with new OEM bushes is impossible to say, as the original rubber had been deteriorating for 6 years.
Since then, I have replaced the Powerflex rear beam bushes with OEM type (actually with Febi-Bilstein) to reduce the harshness and the Powerflex wishbone rear bushes (centre cones siezed/rusted and distorted) with the Ford "uprated FRP” type.

If you are going to fit Powerflex wishbone rear bushes, you generally need to ensure that you have Ford wishbones, as some "pattern" parts have been found to differ in hole diameter and the bush either cannot be pressed in, or the fit is loose.

Ford OEM Bushes:

Anti-Roll Bar Bush:
Finis 1145272

Wishbone Front Bush:
09/06/1997 – 15/04/1998 Finis 1010037
15/04/1998 – 11/12/2001 Finis 1055191

Wishbone Rear Bush ("uprated FRP” type):
1042691

Rear Beam Bush:
Finis 1016439

 

[ScubaSteve]

there will definately be some level of performance gain from them, which is a given when you are reducing any kind of flex or movement in suspension joints, however as you say how much, and wether the average person would even notice is questionable.

I fitted them because a. they are easier to fit and dont require pressing in, b. they last long and wont need replacing again

 

[YOG]

I fitted them because a. they are easier to fit and don't require pressing in, b. they last long and wont need replacing again

Apart from the Powerflex wishbone rear bush.

One other thing to consider is that standard tracking settings are to take up the "give" in standard OEM rubber whilst the car is in motion (basically to have the front wheels running parallel). The Powerflex has less "give" and should be allowed for in this setting.

 

[beko1987]

Wow, thanks for the info! Still undecided to be honest! I'll print those code out and take them to Ford tomorrow for a quote whilst I buy a new rocker cover gasket.

Will also have a chat to my local garage and see what they would charge to fit everything.

Would it be a silly idea to fit, say the fronts one month and the rears the next? Don't think I'll be able to shell out for the whole thing in one go. Will doing this cause mahoosive problems?