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what would you replace? (lupo GTi)


dirk1978
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Cool, I'm just wondering about durability of bushes, in particular the notorious front wishbone rear bush.  I saw someone, possibly you, say that the original bushes on lupo's/ arosa's far out live most after market bushes, 10+ years as opposed to 2+ years. I've also seen positive comments about powerflex blacks. Is there a miraculously durable Bush? I don't race (sdi) but do tow a fair amount and abuse my car on small welsh lanes and rough tracks and will happily accept more noise and less comfort for an extra five years of Bush life.

Sorry for the essay!

Edited by Joshhert
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all forms of polybush last longer than the standard, but the vibration does have to go somewhere within the car.

originals last well but then any replacements never have the same shelf life, Q drive or ocap euro self made bushes sometimes don't do a year but they are only two or three quid a pop.the lemforder ones are or quality and a few quid more but i haven't had the long term view on these yet.

If you're going poly, look at the psb ones, i read on a Skoda forum that a few of them have done many miles and installation into the wishbone is easy.

 

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On 05/10/2017 at 2:23 PM, Rich said:

fronts never go, the rears go a fair bit on this generation of vag.

if you want to be creative about it, fit Audi Tt 8n ones

 

I knew VW were lazy engineering some stuff, but those control arm bushes are the same size as used on Golfs Mk2, Mk3 & Mk4

- the solid rear TT bushes are a nice upgrade on all those golfs, a welcome surprise that they are used on the Lupo too

Same size rear bush is used in some VW engine mounts too - solid tt bush are good upgrade here too, a favourite of the Mk1 race boys.

 

Rich - as this seems to have turned into a bushes thread, I wondered if you had come across the Super pro camber correction bushes for Mk4's, TT  etc.?

they are eccentric bushes that push out the rear of the control arms, moving the hub forward:

Super pro camber correction

Any need for these on the Lupo, or is the geometry good enough as it is?

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camber correction is often used when lowering has altered the geometry.

also, what you're calling lazy engineering is clearly what they're calling a profitable decision.

loads of things are the same and fit others.

phaeton parts are being superceded by a4 parts which have existed for years yet a lot cheaper.

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How would it be worse? Absorbing less vibration? Not that I've noticed the idle being bad.

Are new vw bushings anything like the quality of the originals? Or are they more like the quality of better after market ones?

Edited by Joshhert
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16 hours ago, Rich said:

the sdi on idle shakes me within.

 

^'Lol' is a term that gets banded about too often these days, that genuinely did make me chuckle.

I took our SDI out yesterday purely to stretch it's legs (It's basically sat there for a week since we broke up for the holidays last Thursday) I never really drive it these days since passing it on to 'her indoors'.and I'd forgotten just how agricultural they are :o

Both the seat and the steering wheel pulse fiercely and rhythmically at idle, the whole driving experience is somewhat akin to piloting a kind of large mobile pnuematic drill :) It's all part of their charm and with levels of economy/simplicity to maintain/£30 tax I'd forgive it just about anything. I really can't imagine any car tht would be cheaper to run. All that being said I'd imagine that polybushing one would have nightmarish consequences.

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Well hopefully we'll see after the weekend! I'll keep you posted and hope I stay intact. 

May have to sort the already bad exhaust heart shield rattle tho....

 

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And agricultural is the word, what with the muddy tracks, towing, cow induced barbed wire wing and bonnet scratches and the 50% svo I'll be running as of  tomorrow! 

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So I got the psb's on and it seems there are slightly more vibes at idle, but hard to say, and if so not enough to be distressing. 

I have a more urgent issue that I need help with.

Having replaced both wishbone rear bushes, the fault, far from being gone, is now more present, and the same both sides, rather than just passenger side.

1: driving forward, after turning the steering wheel between half a turn to a turn either way, it's pulled (pushed?) All the way to lock.

2: when turning, initially occuring only near lock now after less than a rotation of the steering wheel, the outer wheel repeatedly slips inwards. 

3: going over metal manhole covers the car slips towards the wheel on the cover.

4: excessive wear on the inside edge of front tyres. 

 

Any help gratefully recieved. 

Could this just need the swapping of the wishbone ball joint L for R and R for L that you mentioned rich?

 

Edited by Joshhert
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Any easy way to check for wear?

If your confident I'll just go ahead and do it. 

The car has after market 14's but I don't know if it was factory. I've had it since 08 with the same rims and tyre size and never noticed this.  Maybe excess inside wear and very slight right hand lock tuck 

Any chance ball joints are relevant? 

I very much appreciate your sage counsel

Edited by Joshhert
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While I'm at it is anything else relevant? Should I replace the track rod end and lower ball joint?

Planning to do the top mounts then get the tracking done. 

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Excessive wear on the inside edges suggest way too much camber angle, you can check that with a spirit level, that has two levels at 90 degrees. if you are running too much camber you will get driveability issues.

The other points to check are top mounts for excessive wear, lower ball joints, whishbone bushes , steering rack mount bushes  and track rod ball joints

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Wicked good, cheers guys!

I'll let you know how it goes, will do the checks and get some top mounts on the way!

May just do both ball joints as certainly haven't been done since new

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On 01/01/2018 at 9:44 PM, Joshhert said:

Any good brands for ball joints? 

TRW tend to be the OEM supplier for VW, but I prefer Lemforder - side by side the Lemforder parts are better finished, don’t seem to corrode as badly & come with all the required nuts and bolts, that sometimes you don’t get with TRW stuff.

You could try Febi, but if you do in my experience expect to replace them a lot sooner than the others.

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