Anyone had trouble installing the black polybush kit?

The red bushings I’ve had installed for 18 years have developed an intolerable squeak and I was never super happy with the stiffness so I thought I’d try the black ones. But I’m trying to install them now and the silly things are like a press fit on the pinion shaft. The shafts are clean and were only plated in zinc. But I’d have to hammer these things on which would mean I’d never get them off again. The red ones have no such issue. The inner collar slips on/off easily. I know it’s a different design. The collar on the red ones is a separate part from the rubber unlike these where the collar is bonded to the rubber as the original ones are but I’d still expect them to slide on relatively easy.

I’m temped at this point to send them back and just re-lubricate the red ones and call it a day. I think the phrase “if it isn’t one thing it’s another” was tailor made for the part situation nowadays.

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I got black poly bushes from a “usual” and ended up tossing them. The fit was terrible. Either too loose or a press required.
I ended up taking suspension arms to a machine shop and they machined me custom bushes out of delrin which they told me is self lubricating.
No noises since

Mine were a loose fit going on. my guess is the zinc plate is thicker than you think.

Glenn

Okay, I’ll stop griping now and be grateful that so far I haven’t found one that is too loose. Fortunately I had a brake cylinder hone small enough to fit in and I’m able to hone them to a tight slip fit, took half an hour to fit one shaft ! If it turns out the lowers are too loose, I’ll be sure and bring this up with the vendor.

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The black poly kit I got from CJ fit my car perfectly. I had the same problem Jerry Mills did with the anti-sway bar.

–Drew

Black polybush from SNG, no install issues. Must be the plating?

Nope, not with zinc, nickle sure, but zinc is a trivial thickness. The control arms wouldn’t have assembled so easily if the plating was thick. I’m afraid this is polybush being sloppy. The inner face of these bushings is rough and scored up. They’re probably using cheap steel tubing.

I had a similar issue with their rack mounts which I’m pretty sure they make also… The mounting posts weren’t perpendicular to the mount so it couldn’t sit flush against the frame.

Hi…What make are your poly bushes…there are various different manufactures…Polybush, Powerflex, Superflex …etc… Steve

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Mine are Polybush I think, have to look at the box. I’m half done with the job now, happy to report that the large bushings and sway bar were usable. The small sway bar ones however are larger than they really should be so I’m cleaning up and re-lubricating the red ones which are more snug.

Looks like another problem with the polybush kit. I’m finishing up my second side and the upper control arm assembly can’t mount up to the car. The nuts are tightened down until the bushes are fully compressed down to the collar so it’s at its final dimensions and the mount holes don’t line up with the car. The rear mount is bolted up and the front holes are off by at least 1/8". At least one of those bushings must have a collar that is too long. I guess the next step is to take everything apart again and squish the bushings in the vice to measure the actual length of the steel collars to see which or both is wrong.

I’ll add to this the fact that each upper bushing had a collar that had to be honed for 5 minutes to be able to slip over the pinion, plus the fact that the sway bar link bushing collars were larger than they should be so I’m not using them, and the fact that one sway arm bushing wasn’t sliced to be able to fit over the bar. Not cool. This has turned into the longest suspension bushing replacement ever. I really can not recommend this product.

Erica,

I’m following your posting as I prepare to do the same for my winter project. I contacted the “big three” and narrowed the kit availability to three choices : “Prothane” “Polybush” and Jaguar OEM .
I’m one for originality and would be perfectly happy with OEM performance.
Still deciding on what to purchase.
A PM would be appreciated to further discuss if don’t mind.

Thank you.

Marco

I installed both the original rubber kit, lots of heat and pressing with a vice and lube. Then remembered I had purchased a black poly kit months earlier. That’s what happens when you buy an E-type that comes in 30 boxes. The black rubber was some work like I mentioned , “lots of heat and lube” The Polys just pinch in and seem fine. I had to take up some space on the upper and lower a-arms with big spacer washers. I’m still in the assembly process and won’t drive it for a while yet. Let me know if you need pictures, they always help me.