MG-Cars.net

Welcome to our resource for MG Car Information.

Recommendations

Parts

MG parts spares and accessories are available for MG T Series (TA, MG TB, MG TC, MG TD, MG TF), Magnette, MGA, Twin cam, MGB, MGBGT, MGC, MGC GT, MG Midget, Sprite and other MG models from British car spares company LBCarCo.

MG Midget and Sprite Technical - Which grade poly bushes ?

Hi Guys, For road use with plenty of pot holes should I go with the softer touring grade poly bushes or will fast road ones still be OK.

My midget seems to make a fair crash when it goes down a pothole with worn rubber bushes in any case so maybe just go with the harder compound ?
Ben Brown

As you have surmised, any of them will be better than what you have now. I have the red fast roads on my Midget and the softer blues on my Bugeye. I really can't tell the difference.
David "no rubbers for me" Lieb
David Lieb

I installed the red ones on my 1500, front, sway bar & rear...I'm completely satisfied.

Much better than the original worn out rubber ones.

I topped off the shocks at the same time & now have a nice, tight, smooth ride.

Dave
Dave Rhine ('78 1500)

Ben-
Whereas rubber bushings wear rapidly and rot, polyurethane bushings take a long time to wear and never rot. Sadly, almost all of the aftermarket suppliers offer only the harder varieties, being either of the “Racing and Competition” or of the “Fast Road and Rally” type. In terms of their quality, some of these bushings are real “bargain basement” items. In my opinion, the Australian company SuperFlex makes the best, and the price is quite reasonable for the quality of their product. They do not produce them in molds (a sure sign of an El Cheapo bushing), instead they start life as a solid rod that is actually precision machined to size and shape on computerized machines. As a result, they will slip-fit into place. This is not often the case with molded bushings. Sometimes you have to pound them into place with a mallet, which will result in their bores being distorted or compressed, which in turn will cause them to squeak. SuperFlex bushings are self-lubricating once installed. They even include stainless steel sleeves so that rust cannot abrade them. If you want to purchase a softer set (that is, soft like rubber bushings) for use in a daily driver, go to http://www.racecar.co.uk/SuperFlex/ and specify 80 Shore-A bushing material for the A-arm bushings and 90 Shore-A bushing material when you order the trunnion, leaf spring, Front Spring Eye, Rear Spring Eye and stabilizer bar bushings.
Stephen Strange

I fitted genuine blue 'Polybush' bushes to the A-arm and trunion.
So far I have no percieved issues with the A-arm bushes apart from the occasional squeak.
However the trunion ones were cr*p, far too soft, the A-arm ones were noticably harder. They extruded badly when being fitted so I put a large dia washer behind them to give support. Even so, after a while they started to extrude to the point that the trunion became loose; I have now gone back to rubber bushes here with no problems. Have thought about using SuperFlex here at some point in the future.

Les
Les Robinson

I had the same problem with 'Polybush' trunnions - phoned them on 2 or 3 occasions - they said they would look into it - also said fit washers if you like - told them they were selling a kit and it was their responsibility to get it right and safe.

Thet never returned any calls - so make your own judgement on them.

Fitted the 'Superpro' bushes instead - Australian manufacture so far so good.

R.
richard boobier

Yup, I did the washers on the blue 'P' ones. That said, the ride is nice.
Jeremy Cogman

My silver ones seem solid enough.


Brad (Sprite IV 1380)

Superflex, used them for years on many different cars and never a problem.

Plus they do work!

Andy
Andy Borris

I have Autobush fitted to the front wishbones on my car

very good, firm but not "rattly"

Stainless inserts and special slicone lubricant supplied

So that with my Frontline kit too the whole front feels "new car" like

I still have rubber on the upper trunnion but nylon is next I think, maybe

The rear springs like their Nylatron bushes too, though they are a difficult fit, nowhere near as much "give" when tightening up as the rubber ones.
bill sdgpm

This thread was discussed between 03/03/2010 and 13/03/2010

MG Midget and Sprite Technical index

This thread is from the archive. The Live MG Midget and Sprite Technical BBS is active now.