Technical Sump guard

[porta]

Have you got a good source for rear damper poly bushes?
I used to have a good supplier but they seem to have disappeared and standard bushes seem to be a bit of a problem at the moment too.
I only ask because I've had 3 or 4 Pandas turn up recently with totally knackered top bushes on perfectly fine dampers but I've also had one of my own which has one side failing after 18 months or so.

I bought a big set of various sizes from one of the national 4x4 setups, like simmonites, jeepy, upcountry etc, can’t actually remember which one as I’ve had them about ten years or more!

 

[porta]

I got these

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The bushes are solid rubber (not the quick fail semi open variety) so might last a bit longer. Road noise is unchanged. I flatted, primed and painted the bottom ends as they always get very rusty. The RHS bottom bolt was a nightmare to get aligned. Maybe do that side first next time (if I remember).

£18 a side delivered, you can afford to replace them every year for that

 

[DaveMcT]

apparently you can get air shocks for the panda…I haven’t seen them specifically for the panda but I’ve seen them on YouTube fitted to all sorts, small compressor in boot and a controller on dash

I would like air springs on the back. I worked out from the metric spec they are 190 pound inches which is way lighter than anything I have seen in "universal" specs. I doubt they would be an easy fit as the bump stop tower would get in the way. Air assisted shocks could be nice but there's not a lot of space between wheel and inner arch. They would also need soft springs. Fiat 500 might not be soft enough.

 

[porta]

Yeah, I was wondering about the values but, guessing as they’re in loads of sizes and allegedly universal, there should be a fitment

 

[DaveMcT]

apparently you can get air shocks for the panda…I haven’t seen them specifically for the panda but I’ve seen them on YouTube fitted to all sorts, small compressor in boot and a controller on dash

I had Monroe Air Ride shocks on a kit car. They had a horrible effect on body roll until I fitted a valve on the cross pipe between shocks. The compressor didn't last long, because I had not fitted a vent valve so it was always starting under load. But they were great and solved any spring rate issues.

 

[DaveMcT]

Interesting but nothing about lengths or springs rates. Being small volume the spring rate will rise pretty fast.

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[porta]

I’ll ask at Hargreaves, wehn I eventually get my Cherokee XJ back, they’re only doing an MoT, tank straps (it’s currently held up with a 2t ratchet strap) and a rear exhaust section but, being a well respected independent, they’re always stacked out.
He was asked to try out the air adjustable shocks and fit them onto one of his wranglers. He can alter the height by two inch without changing the damping effect, it’s like witchcraft

 

[DaveMcT]

The industry really screwed up by not using the Citroen hydraulic system for brakes, steering and suspension. It was not unreliable, other than rust in the pipes but everyone had rust back then and it was not expensive. It got a bad name because some mechanics could not be bothered to understand the basics.

 

[porta]

The industry really screwed up by not using the Citroen hydraulic system for brakes, steering and suspension. It was not unreliable (other than rust in the pipes and every one had rust back then) and it was not expensive. It got a bad name because some mechanics could not be bothered to understand the basics.

Yup, liked my dads Citroen GS palace, apart from the driving instructors Datsun, it was the car I learned to drive in…mind, those brakes were like an ‘on/off’ switch

 

[DaveMcT]

The hydraulics put pressure on both sides of the brake piston. Pressing the pedal bled some pressure from one side so the brakes came on. Once you got used to the light feel and instant action it was great to use.

 

[koalar]

Have you got a good source for rear damper poly bushes?
I used to have a good supplier but they seem to have disappeared and standard bushes seem to be a bit of a problem at the moment too.
I only ask because I've had 3 or 4 Pandas turn up recently with totally knackered top bushes on perfectly fine dampers but I've also had one of my own which has one side failing after 18 months or so.

Someone on here change the originals at 81k so they can last a long time

The shock pivots around the bolt sligtly, it's not a straight in and out movement

To allow for this the original is quite a clever design allowing

Lots of people are having problems with some companies rubber bushing disinteresting just over a year


Years ago I use to change suspension bushes for a few quid, over the last decade or so they have become more expensive and harder to find

 

[porta]

Someone on here change the originals at 81k so they can last a long time

The shock pivots around the bolt sligtly, it's not a straight in and out movement

To allow for this the original is quite a clever design allowingView attachment 426272

I think for those of use the 4x4s off-road quite a lot, they don’t last that long. Having said that, the 2005 one has had the shocks changed once, with the new bushes, and since then, the poly bushes once and that’s in 150k miles, so still not bad…especially considering my brothers Audi that had its complete rear suspension changed twice under warranty! (Which is one reason he opted out of the company car scheme, took the bonus and bought a Merc)

 

[irc]

@koalar that was my understanding too.
I've got a growing pile of working rear dampers with knackered top bushes, which will probably end up in the skip.
Been looking for individual replacement bushes with the voids, but struggling to find them at a reasonable price. Currently I can get complete dampers for about the same price as 2 bushes.
The good thing about poly bushes is that they handle small rotational loads without failing because the inner "tube" is not fixed to the bush.
(Oh... and they last a looooooong time)

 

[porta]

I honestly can’t remember which 4x4 site I got the poly bushes from. The packaging it came in has long since disintegrated and I just have random plastic bags with assorted bushes in them.

 

[The Panda Nut]

Done, what a job that was on my back in this wind n rain, got a ‘thankyou father, but why is it blue? ‘Because I don’t carry a full range of paint, including metallic green, so you’ve got kubota excavator blue, and who’s going to see it?’

Noone. But I know its there..... My OCD tendencies would keep me awake at night for weeks with that. I hope you painted a mice yellow sun in the corner of your blue sky.... or at least a moon!

 

[The Panda Nut]

@koalar that was my understanding too.
I've got a growing pile of working rear dampers with knackered top bushes, which will probably end up in the skip.
Been looking for individual replacement bushes with the voids, but struggling to find them at a reasonable price. Currently I can get complete dampers for about the same price as 2 bushes.
The good thing about poly bushes is that they handle small rotational loads without failing because the inner "tube" is not fixed to the bush.
(Oh... and they last a looooooong time)

Does anyone know the right specs. There is a place in Norwich (or used to be last time I looked) that specialise in plybushed and I need a couple too if the sizes are known I will investigate further

 

[porta]

Noone. But I know its there..... My OCD tendencies would keep me awake at night for weeks with that. I hope you painted a mice yellow sun in the corner of your blue sky.... or at least a moon!

You can only just see the front edge if your a rabbit or pheasant…and it’s the frame I painted, not any other part of the plate…
May paint her car, next time she’s up, in blue n green paisley pattern!

 

[The Panda Nut]

You can only just see the front edge if your a rabbit or pheasant…and it’s the frame I painted, not any other part of the plate…
May paint her car, next time she’s up, in blue n green paisley pattern!

You cheapskate!! Thats proper economy thinking!
Daughters and their cars are a real B nuisance. My two are incapable of even cleaning a car let alone servicing it. Its probably my fault though.
Well done and a Gold star from the Association of Dad's Garages.
.................... and of course the International Association of Dad's Garages Free Worldwide Breakdown and Rescue Services

 

[porta]

You cheapskate!! Thats proper economy thinking!
Daughters and their cars are a real B nuisance. My two are incapable of even cleaning a car let alone servicing it. Its probably my fault though.
Well done and a Gold star from the Association of Dad's Garages.
.................... and of course the International Association of Dad's Garages Free Worldwide Breakdown and Rescue Services

 

[koalar]

I think for those of use the 4x4s off-road quite a lot, they don’t last that long. Having said that, the 2005 one has had the shocks changed once, with the new bushes, and since then, the poly bushes once and that’s in 150k miles, so still not bad…especially considering my brothers Audi that had its complete rear suspension changed twice under warranty! (Which is one reason he opted out of the company car scheme, took the bonus and bought a Merc)

There a lot of varables

Weight in car

Fitting

Brand

Environment

Speed humps

@koalar that was my understanding too.
I've got a growing pile of working rear dampers with knackered top bushes, which will probably end up in the skip.
Been looking for individual replacement bushes with the voids, but struggling to find them at a reasonable price

They were £3-5 each a few years ago

I can't find any correct ones at a sensable price at the moment.

. Currently I can get complete dampers for about the same price as 2 bushes.

Thats the same as my latest search

The good thing about poly bushes is that they handle small rotational loads without failing because the inner "tube" is not fixed to the bush.
(Oh... and they last a looooooong time)

Correct