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Topic: Self levelling shock lower bushes (Read 2379 times) |
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Jonnycab
Senior Member
Former owner of 2.3 Ultima Facelift saloon
Posts: 3900
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Self levelling shock lower bushes
« on: Jul 23rd, 2011, 4:25am » |
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Only a couple of years after replacing the rear self levellers in the estate with a really nice used pair, the bottom bushes have lost their grip on the pins again. It doesn't notice when the car is empty, but when the boot is loaded & going over a hump etc, then you get the familiar clonk of the shock hitting the arm 
What ever possessed Ford/Boge to produce this excellently engineered automatic self levelling shock absorber & then put probably the most flimsily designed mounting ever at the bottom of it.....did they not see the obvious design flaw ?....How the hell they ever thought that a metal pin shoved through a piece of rubber was ever going to be robust enough to hold long term must be one of lifes great mysteries
Anyway, enough ranting  ....It's time to be constructive 
The shocks are still in really good condition (shaft rubber covers are still fully intact) & they still work as they should. So time to think of a way of bolstering the lower mounts so they dont shift sideways & whack the arms.
I found a couple of old (unused) MK1 Mondeo anti-roll bar bushes in the shed (smaller than Scorp ones) that seemed to be just about the right size to go around the pin. I cut the sides off so I had 2 pairs of approx 6mm bushes with a lip...also cut slots out so they would fit around the flat part of the pin....
Then placed them around the lower mounts & secured them with cable ties (this is a practice run on one of the old shocks I removed a couple of years ago, just to see if it might work)
Deciding that it might actually work  ....Yesterday, I fitted the cut Mondeo roll bar bushes to the shocks (in situ) using black cable ties to secure them & having the rounded part at the bottom (less obvious it's a bodge)
Anyone ever tried anything similar before ?
Going camping in Norfolk at the end of the month. So the old girl's gonna be pretty well loaded to the hilt, plus a roof box.....Will it work ?.......We shall see
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amigafan2003
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I'm a YaBB newbie!
Posts: 972
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Re: Self levelling shock lower bushes
« Reply #1 on: Jul 23rd, 2011, 8:10am » |
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It'll work, just don't let a Vosa inspector see them!
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Dave2302
Senior Member
2006 Mercedes S55 AMG, Retired Barefoot Waterskier
Posts: 1119
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Re: Self levelling shock lower bushes
« Reply #2 on: Jul 23rd, 2011, 10:20am » |
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I've never tried this but I am convinced that if you cut the flattened end off, and shove it out, you can then press the bush out of the eye.................
There must be some kind of bush (like an old Cortina Void Bush) or some made in Poly, that will fit the eye.
Finally a piece of steel bar, the exact size to fit the bush insert, with is ends drilled and filed flat will take care of the mounting.
Had I ever had the need to sort this, I'm sure that they are fixable
Cheers Dave
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Dave "The 'ol Bear" ex Footer !
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Simmo
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I'm an OAP !
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Re: Self levelling shock lower bushes
« Reply #3 on: Jul 23rd, 2011, 12:12pm » |
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Stuart has provided another answer/solution in 'How to do things'. Here.
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Now I'm an OAP
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Mike H
Senior Member
Renault Clio
Posts: 2594
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Re: Self levelling shock lower bushes
« Reply #4 on: Jul 23rd, 2011, 12:48pm » |
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on Jul 23rd, 2011, 4:25am, Jonnycab wrote:Anyone ever tried anything similar before ?
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Does remind me what I did with my Moto Guzzi rear shock bushes, which kind of "ooze out the sides" with use (split pair arrangement, one half in each side) BIG washers on the outsides keep 'em in place
Quote:Going camping in Norfolk at the end of the month. So the old girl's gonna be pretty well loaded to the hilt, plus a roof box.....Will it work ?.......We shall see
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I fancy going camping this year sometime as well
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Mike H
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Dave2302
Senior Member
2006 Mercedes S55 AMG, Retired Barefoot Waterskier
Posts: 1119
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Re: Self levelling shock lower bushes
« Reply #5 on: Jul 23rd, 2011, 3:02pm » |
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on Jul 23rd, 2011, 12:12pm, Simmo wrote:| Stuart has provided another answer/solution in 'How to do things'. Here. |
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That's exactly what I was getting at, but even easier as the bar comes with the bush
Now all we need to find out is who supplies Monroe with the bushes ??
Cheers Dave
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Dave "The 'ol Bear" ex Footer !
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Jonnycab
Senior Member
Former owner of 2.3 Ultima Facelift saloon
Posts: 3900
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Re: Self levelling shock lower bushes
« Reply #6 on: Aug 7th, 2011, 4:34am » |
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Camping trip over & back home.....boot & 450 litre roof box fully loaded with a heavy canvas frame tent & every camping accessory you could imagine.....& not a peep from those pesky rear shock lower bushes .... job done 
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Mike H
Senior Member
Renault Clio
Posts: 2594
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Re: Self levelling shock lower bushes
« Reply #7 on: Aug 9th, 2011, 12:36pm » |
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Congratulations! 
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Mike H
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