Polyeurethane / Oe Front Bush Manufacture Headache.

[reliant-reviver]

Hello all of the Manta world!
I'm currently in the thick of liaising with Superflex to add a new product to their line up, namely a stainless steel outer shell for the upper wishbone bushes. This is to complement the SS shells already available / supplied for the lower wishbones and is an answer to the problem of damaging the original upper bushes upon removal.

This was something I started primarily in relation to the Scimitar SS1 vehicle which as you may well know uses GM based front suspension, specifically the Chevette bloodline, which of course shares it's bushing with the larger Manta wishbones.

The SS1 however differs from the Manta and Chevette in one area though, as after the first 104 cars, Reliant revised the bushings, utilising the same 1 piece (front) bush in both front and rear locations.

I've been contacted by Superflex with the following problem in relation to the project.

We have made the Stainless shells from your pattern, but it brought a problem to light with the fit of the PU bush as an assembly.

The bush over elongates when fitted in the shell with its crush tube. We need to reduce the diameter of the PU bush by around .75 mm to prevent this, or we could make as a bonded shell bush.

A bonded shell version would look like this http://www.superflex.co.uk/proddetail.php?prod=SF130-1401%2F14KSS

This will then lead to customers – especially Manta & Chevette asking why 1553 bush is a bonded shell, whilst the 1552 re uses the original shell.

It looks like we may need to do both as a shell option, and wonder if you can provide the other original sample?

Was the sample first sent a genuine GM Opel Vauxhall bush?

This is where I should like to turn to the Manta community for help.
Having contacted the supplier of my "original" sample bush it would appear to be a pattern part from the early 2000's and I can not be sure of it being 100% correct dimensionally, though measuring it against a set of used but good originals I can see no great differences.

With regards the rear bush I do not have a new one to hand, and having dissected a scrap wishbone to remove one but I am still unsure as to it's construction due to it being rather rusted!

As far as I can tell the rear bush shell is either 2 pieces pressed in from opposing directions, or a 1 piece item pressed in from one side and the protruding section then flared back on it's self. Can anyone shed light on this?

Do any of you fine gentlemen have a set of NOS / genuine GM bushes to hand?

I am open to all thoughts and suggestions here, I don't want Superflex stuck with something they are never going to shift, and it seems logical for them to add the front and rear shell to their catalog at this point, as truth be told they shall probably be serving more Manta and Chevette customers than those with the plastic wedge affliction!

Thanks in Advance,
Philip Andrew
RSSOC Small Sports Registrar.

Edited April 22, 2014 by reliant-reviver

[mantadoc]

I believe I have 4 Chevette / Kadett OE lower wishbone bushes in the loft...........