Full poly bushes on mk1

[Retired]

Hey all,

While I am changing the motor, trans and suspension in the mk1, I am considering upgrading to Poly bushes. How 'inappropriate' are they for road use? I have heard some horror stories but don't know what to believe. I could try and find some heavy duty rubber replacements but they are very expensive.

This is the kit I am looking at:

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/VW-Ra...Q5fAccessories

There was another kit I was looking at that Preeny put me onto but I forgot the brand now. Price was similar but I think they are a bigger brand?

Please let me know YOUR experiences and not just word of mouth..

Cheers guys

Cam

[dub be good to me]

Found this on Vortex, from thread titled 'VW suspension primer/FAQ with MkIV focus'

"Polyurethane bushings are not a good choice for the VW design despite what aftermarket companies say. They generally feel stiff and sporty for a while but wear out quickly. Plus many need to be lubed regularly while oem bushings are maintenance-free."

http://forums.vwvortex.com/zerothread?id=2486228

Anyone out there got any experience with this?
Come on, someone has to have put them on a mk1?!?

[gtimk5]

I ran them in Gunter and had zero problems with them, that was 22000kms!!
Andrew

[Peter Jones]

The search feature is your friend. This has been discussed many times before.

See my wreck to racecar thread, every bush on the thing is urethane and it's all written up for everyone to see.

The short answer is they make the car work better. Most people have no issue with them squeaking or the like. The one that most affects your day to day driving experience is the rear gearbox mount as this one transmits the most vibration.

If you're going to drive the car everyday I'd recommend doing every bush except the rear mount which you could replace with a diesel one. Some racers prefer the diesel mount as the urethane ones can be broken. I carry a spare to the track. Solid alloy mounts are also available.

In terms of what a urethane rear gearbox mount means, you can forget about listening to the radio and you'll need to pack panadol for anything more than a 15 minute trip.

Pete

[gldgti]

i agree with all of the above -

in a mk1, the suspension is laid out such that when poly bushings are installed they work very well. there is little or no binding/twisting of the bushes and so they seem not to wear out. I have installed most of that poly kit from ebay in my mk1 and its lovely. a mk1 is already harsh most of the time compared to more modern golfs and the poly mounts do little to detriment the ride, all they do is make it feel so much nicer to drive.

i think the key is that on the mk1, especially with the front control arm bushings, the poly mounts may be inserted with minimal effort - thus they operate with minimal friction when installed with correct lubricant.

my buddy did a full poly kit in his e30 and 12 months down the track he hates it....

[Retired]

I am going to do it. Been doing some more reading and asking advice from suspension places. Now to find the right kit.