Rebushing Mk4

[mixmup]

Hi all,
i'm about to replace every flogged out bush in the running gear of my golf 4 (1.4) I'm confused though... the OEM rear controll arm bushes - the horizontal ones) come with a bonded steel outer shel as well as an inner steel tube, the polyurethane ones i have obtained (yes they're the right part) don't have the outer... ie. they're naked - 'zat gonna be ok? or will they controll arm mount point cut them to ribbons?

cheers,
mix

[gavs]

You will need to cut the rubber away from the aluminium outer of you old bushes and fit the urethane inside them. Then after a few months you will have to pull out the urethane and replace them again.

Urethane generally doesn't work so well in this application because it has little to no memory, unlike the bonded rubber. Urethane works well where there is no rotational moment applied to it under load, hence why alot of people (myself included) stick with the heavy duty OE R32/Audi TT rear bushes and only put urethane in the front bush of the LCA, where the only movement is a pivot in the sleeve of the bush.

[Miha]

I replaced the same part 3 weeks ago to obtain a roadworthy. I got the part from a place here in Melbourne at $22 each and they are the original ones as described with the inner and outer metal + rubber inbetween. Let me know if you'd like the details and I can pass them on to you.

[No457 Snowy]

As gavs pointed out, stay away from urethane for the rear bushes, the best option is the TT/R32 solid rubber bushes for the front one you can use new stock ones or urethane.

http://www.ecstuning.com/Volkswagen-Golf_IV--1.8T/Suspension/Bushings/ES3893/

Snowy

[Mr. JLT]

DO they look like this? If so this is an extra new set I have throw me an offer cheers J

[mixmup]

thanks everyone,
didn't know that about poly bushes - but i don't imagine thate'd be much tortional force in the rear ctrl. arm bush - mostly lateral no? anyway - the ones in there (rubber OEM) are fairly new. I had them replaced not so long ago -
it has just ocurred to me that my tie-rod ends are probably also shot.
thanks for the link! heaps of stuff there.

mix.

[dubbed]

Is there a definitive guide on the best bushes to use all around on the MkIV?

[h100vw]

[QUOTE=gavs;426004]You will need to cut the rubber away from the aluminium outer of you old bushes and fit the urethane inside them. Then after a few months you will have to pull out the urethane and replace them again./QUOTE]


Need to correct the first statement about fitting the urethane inside the old outer sleeve, you'd never be able to do that. Cut the rubber out so you can get a hacksaw in to split the outer of the bush. It'll knock out easy then.

I ran urethane in loads of cars, it's not as good as the TT/S3 bushes for sure. They weren't available back in the day.


TT/S3 is the way to go.

Gavin

[gavs]

Thanks for the clarification Gavin, though I have seen on a website (might be superpro though I can't be certain...) where they say to cut out the rubber and leave the aluminium carrier ring in place, then press the urethane into the aluminium ring.... Unless I'm imagining it, which is highly probable!!!

Is there a definitive guide on the best bushes to use all around on the MkIV?

Dubbed, there is a guide, not sure if it's here or on Vortex and it outlines the options and proposes the best setup.

didn't know that about poly bushes - but i don't imagine thate'd be much tortional force in the rear ctrl. arm bush - mostly lateral no? anyway - the ones in there (rubber OEM) are fairly new. I had them replaced not so long ago -

Most of the forces that your rear control arm bush is subjected to is a twisting up and down motion. That said, the whole idea of a bush is to provide a semi-flexible joint so it realistically moves around in all directions in all different conditions. If you can, jack up your car and take off a front wheel. You will be able to see what kind of load that your bushes go through with a full wheel extension.

[Treza360]

I know that once the Urethane bushes that came with my adjustable control arms are shagged I'll be going back to the solid rubber ones. I don't know if it's just a myth that's been perpetuated but the problems outlined above have put me off.
Cheers,
Trent

[Fizz]

Well I've been meaning to do this for awhile and have finally taken the plunge. Hoping to get this done over the Xmas break but this is what I'm looking at getting.

urethane swaybar bush kit (inc drop link bushes)
R32 Control arm bush kit front and rear.
upper Strut Mounts (OEM)
VF Engineering Dogbone Mount

thinking I might get new OEM engine mount bushes 2.
I've heard of people swapping the stock upper transmission mount for the 4 motion one as it's more solid being it's 4 the V6? But according to the Dealers the 1.8T and V6 both have the same part Number for the mount? so i dunno if they later decided to drop the older stock GTI mount in favour of the 4 motion one or what. Anyone here can shed some light on this?