Has anyone converted to a complete poly bush setup on here? If so how do you like it?

I have all poly on my '72 164e. Lots tighter feel and no squeeking. The IPD t-bars help alot too.

Kent
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Kent - too much iron, too little time

I have used poly on a 140, I think the stock bushes are better unless it's going to be a circuit only car. The lower control arm bushes at the front on the post '69 cars are rather special and add to the cars grip as does the large 'butterfly' bushes in the lower arems at the rear.

For what reasons do you find the stock bushes to be better?

They give you more grip & are more supple. Ideal for road tyres. If you want to see what the butterfly bushes do in a 140, take the lower rearend arms out & turn the big bushes 90 degrees so the diff won't respond to to torque input. What you get is a car that is great for burning rubber & making lots of tyre smoke, but not much else. All the rear end squat is gone.

Also, when comparing one to the other, a lot of people will get a car with worn out bushes & then fit new poly bushes & proclaim they are better & in this case they are! There is no doubt that new poly bushes are better than old rubber bushes in every way.

Also of interest, between 69 & 70 Volvo changed the lower front bushes from small & solid to a larger type which has more rubber on one side & an air space on the other. The later type is better & I would say poly would be better than the early type. From 70 to 74 there is 3 different lower arms that I have seen depending on which way the bushes go into the arm. Make sure your left & right lower arms match.

Alot changed between 69-70: besides the lower bushes, the bottom balljoint got bigger & the tierod ends & draglink ends went up one size too. In the rear end the control arms & torque rods got longer which pushed the axle backwards 3/4". I prefer to use the shorter arms here for better weight distribution.

"Alot changed between 69-70: besides the lower bushes, the bottom balljoint got bigger & the tierod ends & draglink ends went up one size too. In the rear end the control arms & torque rods got longer which pushed the axle backwards 3/4". I prefer to use the shorter arms here for better weight distribution."

That is great information specifically the control arms and torque rods, thanks!

As for the proclemation of poly bushes being better than worn out 30 year old rubber ones, I completely understand what you are saying any bushes are better than none :). I thought that the main reason that poly bushes were better than rubber was that they limited deflection in suspension components which made it somewhat stiffer, but more importantly kept the suspension closer to "ideal geometry" more of the time.. that is assuming that the suspension was properly designed in the first place.


As for your comment about the rear butterfly bushes

"They give you more grip & are more supple. Ideal for road tyres. If you want to see what the butterfly bushes do in a 140, take the lower rearend arms out & turn the big bushes 90 degrees so the diff won't respond to to torque input. What you get is a car that is great for burning rubber & making lots of tyre smoke, but not much else. All the rear end squat is gone."

I am a recent convert to old volvo's and have yet to tear apart a rear end, and I don't think I understand exactly what bush you are talking about. However I understand the concept of rear end squat and it's link to better acceleration (in rwd vehicles of course).


However I have printed off your replies to file for when I get a solid enough 142 to start tinkering with I hopefully will find your information when I get around to replacing bushings. (I already have 1 3/4" drop progressive front springs and IPDs standard sport rears waiting for a car so it's gonna happen sooner or later)


While we are on the subject, is there any other quirky bits of 142 suspension knowledge that you can impart?

Thanks, Hudson

140's have one of the best live axle setup's traction wise. Resist the urge to put a sway bar on the rear unless you are using a locked diff. It may feel better but the loss of drive out of corners just makes it slower.

"140's have one of the best live axle setup's traction wise. Resist the urge to put a sway bar on the rear unless you are using a locked diff. It may feel better but the loss of drive out of corners just makes it slower."

LSDs are one of the first things that should happen to any spirited car. I am considering leaving my rear end "soft" in comparison to the front for traction / weight transfer reasons.. is there a way to do this while limiting body role? IE will a rear sway bar affect squating?

"In the rear end the control arms & torque rods got longer which pushed the axle backwards 3/4". I prefer to use the shorter arms here for better weight distribution."

Does this apply to the 160 or 140?
Can you use the 140 control arms in the 160?
Tim

I don't have a 140, but running all poly F/R on a 122S and 1800S 9except the 1800 has Delrin upper fronts). They ride smoother, IMO, and it certainly tightens up the feel. I'm sure a 140 would benefit as well.

That's what I thought.. poly rules :) Are they silent as well? (no squeeks?)

No squeaks if installed with the lubricant that was supplied with the sets I bought. The iPd ones came with some truly messy stuff called "Aqualube," and the VPD ones came with tubes of some lighter white goop.

I use moly disulphide grease that comes in 20kg cans on my swaybar's poly bits. I use the same stuff on cams when I break them in.

Yep, and as soon as the goop washes away on the sway bar bushes the car will jamb at various ride heights and/or rip out the end link's mounts on the body, at the suspension mount point.
Poly is cheaper to make. Period. Find me a car that has poly from factory...

"Yep, and as soon as the goop washes away on the sway bar bushes the car will jamb at various ride heights and/or rip out the end link's mounts on the body, at the suspension mount point.
Poly is cheaper to make. Period. Find me a car that has poly from factory... "


Have you had this happen to you? I have only heard about annoying squeeks especially in earlier more plasticy forms of non-rubber suspension bushes.

Nonsense. I probably have around 100,000 miles on the set in the 122, and no such problems without any relube. It would be time to replace rubber bushings, but these show no appreciable wear.