Suspension Bushes - uprated R32 ones?

[Mystic Rado 0]

I'm thinking about getting all my bushes replaced - front and rear - and I'm wondering what to go for.

 

I'm reluctant to go the Powerflex route as my Mk 2 went that way and is now a bit too harsh for my tastes, though it steers nicely. So, I'm wondering whether I go just for standard OE bushes on the basis that the originals have seen better days after 90,000 miles or whether there are non-poly upgraded bushes I can fit in some places.

 

I seem to remember someone mentioning that TT and/or R32 bushes are a direct replacement in some places. Which ones? Are they better? And does anyone have part numbers for them.

 

Car basically handles nicely, but just not quite as precise as my GTi :-(

[_leon_ 0]

i read that vibratechnics have uprated ones - that aren't poly. might be worth a look. stealth will probably sell them.

[Kevin Bacon 5]

That's because your Corrado is about 300Kg heavier than your GTI. Ignore the factory weight of 1210Kg, that's rubbish. They are around 1300kg. I put mine on a weighbridge :-)

 

Anyway, it depends on how hard you drive the car. Drive a VR hard regularly and it will lunch any suspension component due to the weight, in which case I'd go poly. If you're on occasional blaster, then Vibratechnics or TT/R32, they're essentially the same.

 

If you're a gentle cruiser, the stock ones are OK....actually scrap that, the stock ones are complete cr@p.... they're a shite design. Press on hard and you lose camber and caster as they allow the struts to move around too much.

[Mystic Rado 0]

Didn't someone find that the Vibratechnics ones died pretty quickly? I think I'll do another search...

 

[cheers Kevin - I'm not a lunatic, but I don't hang around either. The 'rado's for best really, the GiT's a daily driver and I do find it weird swapping between the two. I'm sure some of it's the weight difference but there's also a slight wooliness to the C that the Golf doesn't have. So, do I have it right that I can fit R32 rear bushes and they'll do a better job than stock?

 

What about the ball joints? I remember you had issues with those and changed them with good results]

[Kevin Bacon 5]

Yes that was me.....although it later transpired they weren't dead, they just looked that way as I didn't understand how they worked at the time.

 

They're basically a swiss roll of metal and rubber rings which stops the struts kicking back under hard braking and and acceleration, which is what happens with the stock bushes. The R32 ones are solid rubber.

 

You need to watch out for premature wear on the nearside on VR6s as that's where all the bumps and lumps are.....I keep losing top mount bearings, BJs and bushes just on that side and just that side coilovers seize first too (most of the dirt is there also).

 

Yeah BJs can go giving rise to sloppy handling (rear wheel feels like it's lifting on mild bends, but isn't), steering rack, anything really.... it's one area that's difficult to get right on the Corrado.

 

I remember my MK2s well and they're not a patch on a good VR ;-)

[_leon_ 0]

so in short would you recommend the vibratechnic bushes? ;)