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Mon Mar 13, 2017 4:32 pm

avernon82 wrote: So I installed an all powerflex front end (except for the sway bar) about 4000 miles ago. I've developed a groan in the front right corner.

Thinking about taking off the wheel and unbolting the A-arm to test if that's the culprit.

If it's groaning over bumps, will it groan if I unbolt it and move it by hand? Just want to figure out exactly what's groaning. Would be great if it was the sway bar!

My upper control arm with redline cv grease developed a squeak after two summers. I had to change the upper ballpoint on one and I could get the upper control arm to squeak by hand. I keep them sprayed with fluid film which quiets them down. I'll regrease them when I need another front end alignment.

Thu Mar 23, 2017 6:35 am

Christopher Schimke wrote: In an effort to provide the best quality, easiest to use/install parts that I know if, I have recently made the commitment to become a stocking dealer for Powerflex bushings. Since the upper control arm bushings are a very sour subject on the Vanagon, I concentrated my initial stocking order (expected to arrive any time now) on those and other various suspension bushings.

What I would like is to hear from you guys (and girls of course) at to what bushings you are most interested in. I can pretty well guess that the front upper control arm bushings will be at the top of people's lists, but include them anyway. I would like to get a good feel for what you want so that I can include them in my second stocking order so that they are readily available to you.

Christopher,

I'm always very happy to be working with your products, can I suggest you maybe consider also offering the hardware for the suspension parts as well as the bushings? Maybe even a complete hardware kit for the 2wd and the Syncro sub-frame parts?

Andrew-

Thu Mar 23, 2017 9:19 am

Christopher Schimke wrote: In an effort to provide the best quality, easiest to use/install parts that I know if, I have recently made the commitment to become a stocking dealer for Powerflex bushings. Since the upper control arm bushings are a very sour subject on the Vanagon, I concentrated my initial stocking order (expected to arrive any time now) on those and other various suspension bushings.

What I would like is to hear from you guys (and girls of course) at to what bushings you are most interested in. I can pretty well guess that the front upper control arm bushings will be at the top of people's lists, but include them anyway. I would like to get a good feel for what you want so that I can include them in my second stocking order so that they are readily available to you.

Christopher,

I would really like a complete rebuild kit for a Syncro. Not just bushing but also hardware. Basically everything except springs and shocks.

r

Thu Mar 23, 2017 11:17 am

uther wrote: Christopher Schimke wrote: In an effort to provide the best quality, easiest to use/install parts that I know if, I have recently made the commitment to become a stocking dealer for Powerflex bushings. Since the upper control arm bushings are a very sour subject on the Vanagon, I concentrated my initial stocking order (expected to arrive any time now) on those and other various suspension bushings.

What I would like is to hear from you guys (and girls of course) at to what bushings you are most interested in. I can pretty well guess that the front upper control arm bushings will be at the top of people's lists, but include them anyway. I would like to get a good feel for what you want so that I can include them in my second stocking order so that they are readily available to you.

Christopher,

I would really like a complete rebuild kit for a Syncro. Not just bushing but also hardware. Basically everything except springs and shocks.

r

I can definitely do that for you. Please shoot me an email about it.

Thu Mar 23, 2017 11:42 am

xoo00oox wrote: Christopher Schimke wrote: In an effort to provide the best quality, easiest to use/install parts that I know if, I have recently made the commitment to become a stocking dealer for Powerflex bushings. Since the upper control arm bushings are a very sour subject on the Vanagon, I concentrated my initial stocking order (expected to arrive any time now) on those and other various suspension bushings.

What I would like is to hear from you guys (and girls of course) at to what bushings you are most interested in. I can pretty well guess that the front upper control arm bushings will be at the top of people's lists, but include them anyway. I would like to get a good feel for what you want so that I can include them in my second stocking order so that they are readily available to you.

Christopher,

I'm always very happy to be working with your products, can I suggest you maybe consider also offering the hardware for the suspension parts as well as the bushings? Maybe even a complete hardware kit for the 2wd and the Syncro sub-frame parts?

Andrew-

Hi Andrew! Glad you like the parts. I do stock much of the associated mounting hardware that goes along with the bushings sets as well as Syncro subframe mounting hardware kits. They happen to be on a different page than the bushings (they are in the "Suspension Parts - Front Suspension Parts - Hardware section"), but I will add links in "Related Products" area below the product description to make it easier to find.

Thu Mar 23, 2017 7:22 pm

Christopher Schimke wrote: xoo00oox wrote: Christopher Schimke wrote: In an effort to provide the best quality, easiest to use/install parts that I know if, I have recently made the commitment to become a stocking dealer for Powerflex bushings. Since the upper control arm bushings are a very sour subject on the Vanagon, I concentrated my initial stocking order (expected to arrive any time now) on those and other various suspension bushings.

What I would like is to hear from you guys (and girls of course) at to what bushings you are most interested in. I can pretty well guess that the front upper control arm bushings will be at the top of people's lists, but include them anyway. I would like to get a good feel for what you want so that I can include them in my second stocking order so that they are readily available to you.

Christopher,

I'm always very happy to be working with your products, can I suggest you maybe consider also offering the hardware for the suspension parts as well as the bushings? Maybe even a complete hardware kit for the 2wd and the Syncro sub-frame parts?

Andrew-

Hi Andrew! Glad you like the parts. I do stock much of the associated mounting hardware that goes along with the bushings sets as well as Syncro subframe mounting hardware kits. They happen to be on a different page than the bushings (they are in the "Suspension Parts - Front Suspension Parts - Hardware section"), but I will add links in "Related Products" area below the product description to make it easier to find.

I see the hardware for the suspension now, I'm still not seeing the subframe mounting hardware. Specifically, do you offer that caged nut piece that you insert into the frame for the rear mounting bolts for the front subframe?

Sun Jun 25, 2017 4:59 pm

Just installed a set of front end Power Flex bushings from T3. The bushings went in easy and with the new grease you supplied I am expecting not to lubricate for 5-10 years.

I have a slightly different approach to placing the sway bar end bushings on using a floor jack and an upper hard stop that avoids the hammer and vice approach. I'll post something and link to it.

Thanks to Christopher at T3 for the great support, now to test drive!

Fri Jan 03, 2020 6:05 pm

I'm installing powerflex bushings in the lower control arms on my westy. Can't find any instructions or technical data on how to assemble this.

I would have thought that the bushings should move freely with the arm in the body (shackle) and hinge on the tube clamped to the body (forming a bearing). But the tube is shorter than the bushings when installed in the arm see the photos. The bushings will obviously touch and rub with the body when I bolt this together.

Is this normal? Should I lubricate the end of the bushings?

Sat Jan 04, 2020 9:27 am

Yes, that is 100% normal. And absolutely, yes, you definitely need to lube the ends of the bushings LIBERALLY as well as lube the bushing where is slides into to arm and lube the inner bore really well before sliding in the sleeve.

The number one mistake that people make when installing these bushings is lack of lubrication. When installing any urethane bushings, keep in mind that you need to liberally lube every single surface that touches anything at all. In other words, if it touches air, it's okay to leave dry. but if it touches metal, other urethane, plastic, etc., it needs to be lubed really well.

Sat Jan 04, 2020 10:02 pm

These vehicles are old. I did not want just some so I bought the whole kit. Most of us are running on original bushings and they are trashed not from use but lack there of.

Thu Jun 04, 2020 3:21 pm

Finally got around installing Powerflex on the front end (2WD 1990), along with new Moog upper ball joints (Thanks Chris).

A couple of tips/notes:

- Watch out when tightening the bolt on the drop-link, below the Lower Control Arm. The droplink rotated so much that the sway-bar to endling bushing popped out. Frustrating.

- I found that the amount of grease supplied was not enough. I'm sure it is when you know exactly how much to apply and you don't make mistakes. But for a DIY mechanic like me, you're not sure how much to put, and you end up repeting some tasks 2, 3, even 4 times (see above for an example). It's part of the learning curve, but every time I need to apply some more grease.

- The Youtube tutorial from James Akers really helped, as well as T3Technique's Youtube tutorial on the endlink to swaybar bushings. To install the new bushing halfway in the droplink, I cut the old bushing in half, like so:

You pop that in the droplink eye, and push the new bushing from the other side. No need for a vise, just stepping on it with your foot does it.

-Is there an orientation to the dropling to lower control arm bushings? It seems that one side is slightly taller than the other (left side on this photo):

Thu Jun 04, 2020 5:06 pm

VicVan wrote:
-Is there an orientation to the dropling to lower control arm bushings? It seems that one side is slightly taller than the other (left side on this photo):

Nope! Either way will work fine.

Fri Jun 05, 2020 10:29 am

Thanks Chris.

Sat Jun 06, 2020 7:28 am

How do Powerflex bushings affect 'ride' compared to 30 year old rubber bushings?

Sat Jun 06, 2020 8:06 am

Next to the EJ22 conversion, the powerflex suspension upgrade and T3 swaybar is the best upgrade to the van as it relates to drive ability and safety. Total game changer. Did springs and shocks to complement the powerflex.

Sat Jun 06, 2020 2:52 pm

wesitarz wrote: How do Powerflex bushings affect 'ride' compared to 30 year old rubber bushings?

I should probably let others answer this, but most who know me know that I do try my best to give real world, honest advice.

Believe it or not, the Vanagon Powerflex bushings give a better ride quality than the stock replacement rubber bushings, better than other brands of urethane bushings, and much better than the suspension products that aren't using joints where the NVH (noise, harshness, vibration) is being dampened/controlled.
Keep in mind that polyurethane AND rubber can be formulated in all ranges of durometer (stiffness). This means that you can have rubber bushings that are stiffer than urethane bushings and you can have one urethane product being much softer than another. Powerflex has done a great job of finding that sweet spot of suspension location control and ride comfort.

Mon Aug 17, 2020 11:36 am

I've got an '86 syncro. a previous owner installed the poweflex bushings.

Everything seemed ok for a while (not sure how to compare handling, as this is my first vanagon). But the front end squeaks like crazy. I'm thinking that I may need to take things apart and re-lube them. I'm looking for tips on locating the squeak and lubing....

Not sure if this should be a new thread - but seems like it is related to this thread?

Thu Jul 06, 2023 9:33 am

Hi folks.

Bought my T3 UCA "purple" bushings some years ago so assume the included grease is not to be used.

Of the greases shown below, which might be best for the T3 poly bushings? i.e. which offers the best water resistance and won't react (harm) the poly material over long term?

Moly Slip is "water proof" others show something like 'high water resistance'.

https://radd-cruisers.shoplightspeed.com/molyslip-grease-5971-454gtub.html

The Nitro Lube is really tacky. i.e. tackier than the Moly Slip.

https://www.nitrolube.com/products/grease/

Thanks,

Neil.

Christopher Schimke wrote: insyncro wrote: .....

I have had excellent results throughout drivelines and suspensions with:
Bel-Ray
Swepco
RedLine
Lucas Oil Red & Tacky

I have no personal experience with any of the others listed, but Redline CV2 is a great alternative to the Bel-Ray.

Also, we are working on being able to provide the proper grease packets with the Powerflex products in the near future. This will eliminate any guesswork.

Thu Jul 06, 2023 10:12 am

buy his bushing snot and be done with it. honestly, I won't use anything else now that I have used it

Thu Jul 06, 2023 10:15 am

X2 on bushing snot. I put that shit on everything...