24 replies to this topic

[SteveA]

I have a VXT with Sachs coilovers, fully cornerweighed and geo sorted, it handles really well but i'm looking to take things a bit further. Here is my list of future mods; Plans uprated ARB Powerflex bushes Toe link kit any more suggestions?

[JimmyJamJerusalem]

I have a VXT with Sachs coilovers, fully cornerweighed and geo sorted, it handles really well but i'm looking to take things a bit further. Here is my list of future mods;

Plans uprated ARB
Powerflex bushes
Toe link kit


any more suggestions?

Don't go with powerflex mate, they will rattle you to death!! Too harsh. I sorted a price with a guy for the Elise Polyurethane ones. They're an upgrade over standard.

Seems he doesn't sell them now, but they're available here

Have your bushes gone yet....? You'll have to sort your geo and weighting out all over again if you do this.

[siztenboots]

get the arb from Randy aka Chris Randall

http://www.hofmanns....index.asp?id=24

[SteveA]

Don't go with powerflex mate, they will rattle you to death!! Too harsh. I sorted a price with a guy for the Elise Polyurethane ones. They're an upgrade over standard.

I'm OK with rattling

Have your bushes gone yet....? You'll have to sort your geo and weighting out all over again if you do this.

Why's that then? Weighing is only front L& R and rear L&R so as long as the bushes don't differ massively in weight from left to right (I think they will be the same weight) corner weights will be the same. As for geo, the only thing i think it could effect is castor (with removing the wishbones) but I intend to put the shims back where they came from so can't see that being an issue.

Either way I have my geo settings and can just check when I am done.

get the arb from Randy aka Chris Randall

http://www.hofmanns....index.asp?id=24

Cheers

Edited by SteveA, 03 December 2008 - 04:50 PM.

[dw1]

Hmm Bushes - do polyurethane ones really make a difference compared to standard? Is this a decent price for front and rear (as per JJJs link)?: 5130KC Complete car kit-Comprises of 5131KF & 5132KR- save an additional 5% WAS £166.00 Now...£116.20

[techieboy]

Hmm Bushes - do polyurethane ones really make a difference compared to standard?
Is this a decent price for front and rear (as per JJJs link)?:
5130KC Complete car kit-Comprises of 5131KF & 5132KR- save an additional 5% WAS £166.00 Now...£116.20

I'll be fitting these over the coming days (which probably means more like weeks ) as part of my suspension refresh and will let you know. They look like really well engineered bits of kit. Can't say what difference they'll make on the VX (uprated bushes on my old Escort Cosworth made a huge difference) but seeing the state of the anti-roll bar bushes on my car, it made sense to replace all of the bushes amongst other stuff.

[dw1]

How long do the standard bushes typically last? I'l be interested to know what the driving feel difference is when you fit yous. I'd never thought about bush upgrades before but seein gthis thread and that 30% off offer has got me thinking.

[techieboy]

How long do the standard bushes typically last?
I'l be interested to know what the driving feel difference is when you fit yous. I'd never thought about bush upgrades before but seein gthis thread and that 30% off offer has got me thinking.

Well assuming mine are the originals all round, then they've been on for 65,000 miles and a fair few trackdays over the last couple of years so they will be tired (if not knackered). The OEM wishbone bushes might be fine but there's no real way to tell other than removing the wishbone and forcing the bush out. As I'm taking the wishbones off to get them cleaned up and coated, it's a no brainer for me to do them along with ball joints, etc. I got the uprated adjustable antiroll bar anyway but having seen the condition of the antiroll bar bushes, they are well overdue for replacement along with the drop links. I'm just expecting the whole car to feel tighter and more responsive to steering and suspension changes.

I think that their 30% off "offer" is pretty much permanent. It's certainly been like that for the 6 months since I first looked at their site.

[Jameshs]

How much does that make them? There is a set on Ebay for £110 ish

[SteveA]

Speaking of drop links, I was looking at the ARB and adjustable drop links from elise parts. Another possibility.

http://www.elisepart...products_id=296

[Winstar]

Don't go with powerflex mate, they will rattle you to death!! Too harsh. I sorted a price with a guy for the Elise Polyurethane ones. They're an upgrade over standard.

Er no they don't I've had them on my NA for over 3 years, I think you could be getting mixed up with nylatron. The powerflex are made of polyurethane.

IIRC you can also get 2 different grades black and purple.

[cheeky_chops]

stering rack riser plates (to reduce bump steer)

[snoopstah]

Hmm Bushes - do polyurethane ones really make a difference compared to standard?

I had Powerflex rear bushes fitted to my old NA and couldn't honestly tell much of a difference - indeed, the slight difference I thought I could detect may have all been in my mind.

Having said that, it didn't have uprated suspension, which would probably make it more noticeable (by dint of being firmer). If I was doing a suspension refresh they're cheap enough that you may as well put 'em on.

[SteveA]

stering rack riser plates (to reduce bump steer)

Where are they fitted (on the steering rack obviously but where? )

[boghouse]

They typically space the rack from its chassis mount point. Helps with bump steer reduction. A very popular mod in the world of westfields (and plenty other specialist cars I'd wager)

[techieboy]

It made a huge difference on my car when I fitted them along with the new quick rack. Well worth the £5 they cost from Elise Parts.

They're fitted in the passenger and driver footwells on the front bulkhead and just replace the OEM version.

New on the left and OEM on the right.

Edited by techieboy, 04 December 2008 - 10:14 AM.

[SteveA]

I imagine that will be a proper PITA then as I assume the rack needs to be removed to fit them?

[techieboy]

I imagine that will be a proper PITA then as I assume the rack needs to be removed to fit them?

I think you can get away with fitting them in-situ, if you're careful, by drilling the rivet out. Then undo one of the rack bolts and loosen off the second, then you can rotate the old one out of the and fit the replacement. Then re-insert the removed rack bolt and repeat the process for the second bolt. Once they're both in, torque up the bolts and re-rivet (or not, as they're unlikely to be going anywhere). Check with NickB777 as he was going to use this method, or similar.

To be honest, I think you could probably take both bolts out at the same time and replace the raiser as the rack shouldn't move about too much whilst it's connected to the wheels and one side or the other is still held securely (plus the connection to the steering column UJ). But, option 1 is probably safest.

[siztenboots]

would this fractional change in height, make much of a difference to the toe setting. I think it would be too small to notice.

[techieboy]

would this fractional change in height, make much of a difference to the toe setting. I think it would be too small to notice.

Don't know. My front end was all over the place as I fitted the rack at the same time (only about a month after a full geo at Guglielmi ) so I just got the local tyre place to set it vaguely right ahead of the full refresh, which will mean another trip to Daventry.