Please, someone, who has more experience with these things help me, I have to buy a pair of these bushing in the near future, and I would like to fit the best available thing!

I wonder if they'd be easier to install than the factory metal cased items.

Probably easier to fit, but not sure how suitable they would be.

I'm in Greece until next week and don't have eLEARN with me, but I reall reading that the original glycol filled hydraulic bushes are designed to alter the rear tracking when cornering. I doubt these aftermarket polyurethane ones would be able to do that, so could affect rear wheel road holding and perhaps increase rear tyre wear.

Wonder how much long term testing the manufacturer carried out with them fitted to a Stilo.
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I wanted to fit these but after what davren said... id rather stick to original ones...

Davren said:

Probably easier to fit, but not sure how suitable they would be.

I'm in Greece until next week and don't have eLEARN with me, but I reall reading that the original glycol filled hydraulic bushes are designed to alter the rear tracking when cornering. I doubt these aftermarket polyurethane ones would be able to do that, so could affect rear wheel road holding and perhaps increase rear tyre wear.

Wonder how much long term testing the manufacturer carried out with them fitted to a Stilo.
.

Click to expand...

Be interesting to read that. I guess the movement in the bushes would allow some pitch, roll and yaw between the chassis and the rear beam.

I'd wager though than in practical terms the average drive would never notice any difference in handling. But then, arguably, why are you fitting polybushes in the first place if that's the case.....

Artermis said:

Be interesting to read that. I guess the movement in the bushes would allow some pitch, roll and yaw between the chassis and the rear beam.

I'd wager though than in practical terms the average drive would never notice any difference in handling. But then, arguably, why are you fitting polybushes in the first place if that's the case.....

Click to expand...

My thoughts exactly.

The disco in the garage where im working has a full set of them... you can tell the difference in that thing! However its got heavy duty springs fitted for towing and there is hardly any body roll...

Anyhow... this weather is pissing me off, going to put the car in the garage today to finish it off if this rain doesnt stop... ive been set back 3 days on my rebuild of the brakes.. proper joke and i need my car.

Ok, so everyone thinks that We should stick with the original like aftermarket bushings rather than these special (and much more expensive) Powerflex polyurethane ones?

For me, here at Germany a pair of the normal one would cost ~43€ including shipping (of eBay, "Febi-bilstein"). These Powerflex would cost like twice as much. What's the final verdict then? I would pay more if it would be easier to fit and would work roughly the same and would be reliable, wouldn't die in 10-20k kms...

Please help me with this one.

Has everyone missed the front bushes also listed?
Nothing to offer other than what i read on alfaforum where some of the tuners have co developed some of the kits for the alfa guys.
Theyve gone through quite a bit of developing and testing although the feeling is mostly positive there are always negatives.
The bushes appear to have an issue with squeeking and have seen quite a few threads of possible cures mostly related to holding lube or allowing access to relube.
Suggest anyone wanting to fit learn from this and possibly look into what to do if they squeak before fitting.

forgot some links
http://www.alfaowner.com/Forum/alfa...spider/495521-powerflex-bushes-squeaking.html

http://www.alfaowner.com/Forum/alfa.../853762-powerflex-mk4-non-squeak-edition.html

sussexa said:

Has everyone missed the front bushes also listed?
Nothing to offer other than what i read on alfaforum where some of the tuners have co developed some of the kits for the alfa guys.
Theyve gone through quite a bit of developing and testing although the feeling is mostly positive there are always negatives.
The bushes appear to have an issue with squeeking and have seen quite a few threads of possible cures mostly related to holding lube or allowing access to relube.
Suggest anyone wanting to fit learn from this and possibly look into what to do if they squeak before fitting.

Click to expand...

Yep, Autolusso have done quite a bit of work and trade with powerflex developing stuff for Alfas, particularly the newer models from kind of the 159/Brera/Spider platform onwards. I'm not overly inclined the believe everything they say though - and I know full well they hold something of a monopoly with Alfa Owner forum.

I did spot the front bushes when I was browsing the page looking at those rear beam bushes. Could be interesting to have a play with too.

You're right poly bushes do tend to be noisy but then all the energy that goes through them has to go somewhere! Surface prep can help, no point fitting them to a crusted up horrible mount, so a good wire brushing round the mountings to clean it up well before fitting can help.

Davren said:

Probably easier to fit, but not sure how suitable they would be.

I'm in Greece until next week and don't have eLEARN with me, but I reall reading that the original glycol filled hydraulic bushes are designed to alter the rear tracking when cornering. I doubt these aftermarket polyurethane ones would be able to do that, so could affect rear wheel road holding and perhaps increase rear tyre wear.

Wonder how much long term testing the manufacturer carried out with them fitted to a Stilo.
.

Click to expand...

Back home now so have access to the Stilo eLEARN. Below is the description from the rear suspension section.
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So thats a no no for poly bushes...

Not necessarily... The Powerflex bushes seem to have an internal cone moulding which would allow some movement, retaining the original spec' amount of passive rear steering.

Powerflex generally know what they're doing so I doubt their bushes will be too shocking. If they squeak they'd get on my tits but otherwise they would probably last longer than an original bush... although my bushes made it to 13 years old, so I'm not sure they're necessarily a common wear item..?


Ralf S.

Depending on hard / complex of a job it is to change them... i may do it next year in spring when i go full bonkers on a rebuild of all the drivetrain and suspension

Did anybody ever fit the poly bushes in the end i need to change mine and have limited tools

My advice is buy the best bushes you can afford and then pay a garage to fit them, using the eLearn fitting instructions. I had those once.. so they must have been attached to one of the threads about rear bushes.

Fitting only will cost about £150 from a local spannering place... it's probably worth it.


Ralf S.