Front Suspension Bushing Kit - Complete, or Not Complete?

[fungi]

[Brickwerks]

I got some yellow 1002's on my desk as a prototype, some guys with lifted Syncro are saying the purple ones are too firm and are causing the link rod to slip around the anti roll bar.
Time will tell!
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[bosruten]

The radius arm bushing installation was a breeze. I watched a video someone posted here, of a moving van from underneath the front, I was surprised at the amount of travel these bushings go through.
I'm hoping some "harder" black urethane for the rear swing arms complete what is so far...a firm but not obnoxious feel.

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'87 Syncro Weekender

[j_dirge]

I would do this.

Rebuild your susepnsion as you have planned.. but do NOT replace the strearing rack bushings, yet. Drive it a bit.. Get it aligned. Drive a little more.
Get a feel for the seteering with a mostly new front end.

THEN put those little purlpe marvels in, replacing the OEM style bushings on the steering rack. It is not a difficult job and will not impact anlignment.

Go for a drive.. FWY speeds. A winding road. Subtle but difinitive improvement.

It is REALLY rewarding to be able to sense the improvments of small incrmenetal changes.
And the little purple marvels are a fantastic examples of how a small change can lead to real improvement.
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-89 GL Westy, SVX.. finally.

-57 pan f/g buggy with a 67 pancake Type 3 "S"
"Jimi Hendrix owned one. Richard Nixon did not"
-Grand Tour, Season 1, episodes 4 and 5

[BillM]

The poly steering rack bushings are the way to go. Just adding
those to an otherwise stock bushed van makes a difference you
can feel. Plus their easy to install after removing the stock
ones.
Going with Lemforder is a smart choice. Avoid Meyle stuff
at all costs. Everything I installed from Meyle lately has
been poor quality.
You will be fine going with the rubber bushings you have
chosen don't let the lure of poly make you think otherwise.
Your maintaining your van to stock specs helps keep its
value and dependability. Driving it will be a pleasure again.
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Bill M
87 Westy

[gregaz]

So, I have made up my mind - I am going with rubber parts for my rebuild, and am considering poly for steering rack bushings (but may be persuaded toward rubber).

This is what Van Cafe is currently shipping with their kit:

Upper Control Arm Bushings ----------- Febi/Germany
Lower Control Arm Bushings ----------- Febi/Germany
Radius Arm Bushings -------------------- Flennor/Germany
Sway Bar to Body Bushing -------------- Flennor/Germany
End Link to Control Arm Bushing ------ Volkswagen
End Link to Sway Bar Bushings -------- Flennor/Germany
Upper Shock Bushing -------------------- Volkswagen

Other than going with Lemforder for the Lower Ball Joints and Lower Control Arm Bushing (don't know if VC stocks them, but BD does), should I go with their kit? Or are any of these parts known to be bad / to fail quickly? I would also consider going with poly for the particularly fail-prone parts, in hopes that I never have to do them again. Like I mentioned earlier - I am open to a blended solution.

Any particular reason why I should go with poly for the steering rack vs. rubber?

[BillM]

[Brickwerks]

http://brickwerks.wordpress.com/2012/08/07/more-prototypes-to-test/

One of the lads at work has run a prototype for a while, was a bit noisey, this is the 3rd version, I'm happy with this.
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[Christopher Schimke]

[madspaniard]

[Brickwerks]

[BillM]

[Christopher Schimke]

[Brickwerks]

2WD transaxle mountings just released also.
2 versions, 1.6l, 2.0l air cooled, 1.9l watercooled.

and Diesel, 2.1l and Automatic models.

We've been testing these for the last 12 months on and off and again they took a little faffing about to get them right as they were transmitting too much vibration to the body, we initially messed about with compounds going from yellow to the softer red, but even that was still noisey, after that Powerflex added some voiding into the bush and went back to the yellow - all good.
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[Brickwerks]

[Brickwerks]

[danbar]

I was just talking to the owner of the shop I take my van to about this. I'm going to be out of town for a couple weeks so I was going to have him go through the front end while I'm gone. I think I'll pay for this rather than have my front end exploded all over my driveway doing it myself.

He said he prefers rubber to urethane for several reasons. Quieter ride, less vibration transmitted and of course, cost. He said he's done urethane and on long road trips it's definitely louder and a bit more unforgiving. He also clarified that this is his opinion and he knows others that like the urethane better. As far as the quality of the rubber aftermarket bushings he is still able to get OEM bushings so if the ones on my van lasted 150k miles then these should too. As for how I use my van, it's a 2wd auto Carat with GL springs on it. It does see some dirt road adventuring and I don't baby it. It's not an autocross van looking to pull 3gs in the corners. I like a nice comfy ride that will work on bumpy dirt roads on occasion.

So is there anyone out there that thinks urethane isn't worth the money or that prefers the ride of rubber? It's going to cost a lot in labor to have this done and another $600 or so for urethane bushings is a healthy chunk of change. I'm not trying to do this on the cheap, I'll pay to have quality work done with quality parts but if I can avoid spending unnecessary money that would be nice too.
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'88 SCA High/Pop-top Syncro camper
'61 Meyers Manx

[randywebb]

[greggearhead]

When I had some front end work done (decided to pay for it for a change) I had both upper and lower ball joints replaced, lower control arm bushings done and the radius rod bushings, as well as front axles and lift springs and shocks.

I used T3 - Chris - for the lower control arm bushings from Powerflex and couldn't be happier. I used the factory rubber bushings for the radius rods, only because the Powerflex ones weren't available at that time.

I changed a lot of things, but I have used quality poly bushes in a lot of vehicles in the past and never been disappointed. I will use T3 for the upper control arm bushes when then need replacement next.
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1972 Porsche 911E Hot Rod (3.4 Turbo)
1973 VW 412
1979 Audi Fox GTI
2002 Eurovan

Period Lights, VW & Porsche wheels and Recaro/Scheel Seats for sale

https://www.facebook.com/greggearhead

http://greggearhead.com/soco-swap---september-vw-swap-meet.html

[BillM]

I have been running the yellows on a 2wd...

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Bill M
87 Westy