Lower link bushes.

[REPLIC8]

The parts manual quotes 2 different bushes for the lower rear suspension arm. ULC1579 & ULC1580. What's the difference in these bushes? All the replacement bushes advertised are sold as the same part for both ends.



Andy
1981 TR7 FHC

[tr7sprint1]

The different bushing came along with or about the time when the 5 speed trans and axle was introduced.

Not sure why BL went with a different bushing for the forward end of the trailing arm, but i had one fail and then thge new one failed shortly after installing.

Maybe some here has technical knowledge as to why the change was made.

<b>"GETTING SPEED OUT OF A LOW POWERED CAR IS OFTEN MORE REWARDING, THAN WITH TIRE-SMOKING BRUTES" </b>
<h4><center>http://cliffstr7sprintconversion.blogspot.com/</center></h4>

[jeffremj]

<blockquote id="quote"><font size="1" face="Century Gothic, Verdana, Arial, Helvetica" id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Maybe some here has technical knowledge as to why the change was made.<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></font id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">If we are talking about the forward lower trailing arm bush, then the later ones had cut-outs. I read that they were designed to give a bit of rear axle steering - "tuck in" under deceleration (or acceleration - whichever is 'best'!). Unfortunately, the ones in my TR7 started to rotate and so were more than useless in this respect. I replaced them with uprated solid rubber items from Triumphtune.

[TR Tony]

Not 100% sure but I believe one bush had a "cut out" in it as mentioned by Jeff, while the other was solid. From all that I have read it is better to use the solid bush & that seems to be what all the suppliers now list as ULC1580, for both ends of the arm.

The bush is the same as the Dolomite bush 149827, the well known Hurdwell memo about suspension changes to the development TR8 mentions that the windowed bush in the rear link was replaced with 149827 to reduce axle tramp & rear wheel steer.

There is a seller on eBay at the moment listing 4 x ULC1579, new old stock, but he wants £20 each for them.

Tony

<font size="1">1981 TR7 FHC Cavalry Blue
1980 TR7V8 DHC Jaguar Regency Red - sadly sold!
1977 TR8 FHC EFI Factory development car Inca Yellow</font id="size1">

[jeffremj]

<blockquote id="quote"><font size="1" face="Century Gothic, Verdana, Arial, Helvetica" id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">From all that I have read it is better to use the solid bush & that seems to be what all the suppliers now list as ULC1580, for both ends of the arm.

The bush is the same as the Dolomite bush 149827, the well known Hurdwell memo about suspension changes to the development TR8 mentions that the windowed bush in the rear link was replaced with 149827 to reduce axle tramp & rear wheel steer.<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></font id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">The timing seems wrong. The TR8 parts list I have shows different front and rear part numbers: 149827 for the rear and 152308 for the front bush. My later TR7 parts list show the ULC versions. This seems to show that the windowed bush post dates the TR8.

Here is what it looks like:



As you can imagine, if the bush rotates through 90 degrees, the suspension is compromised - worth checking if you have the original bushes!

[REPLIC8]

Very interesting, mine is still on it's original bushes. I'll be doing the rear of the car next year. I'm sticking with rubber bushes but not sure whether to use the windowed type or go for solid ones at both ends.



Andy
1981 TR7 FHC

[busheytrader]

IIRC the 7's suspension was fitted with hollow bushes all round. The extra torque of the V8 probably merited firmer bushes at one end to prevent rear end steerage under acceleration.

I uprated my suspension bushes to solid all round before inserting the V8. They firmed up the handling but I don't have a back to back comparison of different bushes with V8 power.

Adam

[jeffremj]

<blockquote id="quote"><font size="1" face="Century Gothic, Verdana, Arial, Helvetica" id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"><i>Originally posted by busheytrader</i>

IIRC the 7's suspension was fitted with hollow bushes all round. <hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></font id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">Nope, check out the image - it only refers to the front bush. Also, my TR7 only had them in the front position - I bought it when it was 3 years old in 1983, so it must have been the original setup.

[FI Spyder]

The bushes on my trailing arm on the Spider were solid. I'm sure they were new as there was no suspension work done. While they looked OK I replaced them as a matter of course with soft poly. I had hard black poly initially but it was too noisy.

- - -TR7 Spider - - - 1978 Spitfire- - - - 1976 Spitfire - - 1988 Tercel 4X4 - Kali on Integra - 1991 Integra - Yellow TCT