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suspension
Posted: Thu Jan 17, 2013 11:18 am
by Eric
I appear to have a problem with my rear suspension.I have replaced the rear droplinks the anti role bar twice recently but within weeks the internal bushes have loosened causing a knocking when I hit a bump.there is nothing visually wrong but someone
suggested that the shocks may be faulty. Any ideas would be gratefully received.
Re: suspension
Posted: Thu Jan 17, 2013 11:40 am
by wonkanoby
did you do the rubbers and brackets hold a/r bar as well
Re: suspension
Posted: Sun Jan 20, 2013 11:20 am
by Eric
wonkanoby wrote:did you do the rubbers and brackets hold a/r bar as well
I replaced the rubbers but not the brackets as they appeared OK
Re: suspension
Posted: Sun Jan 20, 2013 11:31 am
by mikeonb4c
Eric wrote:I appear to have a problem with my rear suspension.I have replaced the rear droplinks the anti role bar twice recently but within weeks the internal bushes have loosened causing a knocking when I hit a bump.there is nothing visually wrong but someone
suggested that the shocks may be faulty. Any ideas would be gratefully received.
What do you mean by internal bushes? ARB bushes? Droplinks? Have you checked an ARB u-bracket hasn't failed as this was what happened to me when I fitted new rubbers with old brackets.
Re: suspension
Posted: Sun Jan 20, 2013 1:10 pm
by windywatson
Hi
If the new rubbers are only lasting a couple of weeks before becoming worn enough to allow enough movement to cause knocking again I would suspect that the quality is very poor. Are you buying from a reputable source?
With respect to the shocks being faulty, I wouldn't have thought that they would be responcable. They are dampening the movment of the suspension, and the unless yours are completly shot it & your driving on shockingly poor roads a couple of weeks of driving shouldn't be enough to wear out ARB bushes. Bearing in mind that the originals have lasted many years & thousands of miles I would suspect quality of the bushes in the first instant.
Cheers
Re: suspension
Posted: Sun Jan 20, 2013 4:17 pm
by mikeonb4c
A useful tip is that you may not need to replace bushes - you can sleeve them with bicycle inner tube. I did this with my front ones like that and 5 MOTs later.....no problem. Thanks to ex BF mechanic Dandywarhol for that one

Re: suspension
Posted: Sun Jan 20, 2013 4:25 pm
by helen&tony
Hi
The answer is not to buy cheap, or better still, use polyurethane bushes...miles ahead of anything else!
Cheers
Helen
Re: suspension
Posted: Sun Jan 20, 2013 10:25 pm
by M 80NGO
Is it defo the suspension that's knocking ? how much clearance is there between the exhaust and rear axel, is the spare wheel loose ?
Re: suspension
Posted: Sun Jan 20, 2013 10:30 pm
by Eric
helen&tony wrote:Hi
The answer is not to buy cheap, or better still, use polyurethane bushes...miles ahead of anything else!
Cheers
Helen
Where can I get these Bushes as they might be the answer, all the best Eric
Re: suspension
Posted: Sun Jan 20, 2013 10:34 pm
by Eric
M 80NGO wrote:Is it defo the suspension that's knocking ? how much clearance is there between the exhaust and rear axel, is the spare wheel loose ?
No its definitely the bushes in the droplinks, you can see the play when you rock the bongo
Re: suspension
Posted: Sun Jan 20, 2013 10:39 pm
by Eric
mikeonb4c wrote:Eric wrote:I appear to have a problem with my rear suspension.I have replaced the rear droplinks the anti role bar twice recently but within weeks the internal bushes have loosened causing a knocking when I hit a bump.there is nothing visually wrong but someone
suggested that the shocks may be faulty. Any ideas would be gratefully received.
What do you mean by internal bushes? ARB bushes? Droplinks? Have you checked an ARB u-bracket hasn't failed as this was what happened to me when I fitted new rubbers with old brackets.
I mean the internal bushes on the droplinks,(you can see the play in them when you rock the bongo)
Re: suspension
Posted: Sun Jan 20, 2013 10:43 pm
by Eric
WINDYWATSON wrote:Hi
If the new rubbers are only lasting a couple of weeks before becoming worn enough to allow enough movement to cause knocking again I would suspect that the quality is very poor. Are you buying from a reputable source?
With respect to the shocks being faulty, I wouldn't have thought that they would be responcable. They are dampening the movment of the suspension, and the unless yours are completly shot it & your driving on shockingly poor roads a couple of weeks of driving shouldn't be enough to wear out ARB bushes. Bearing in mind that the originals have lasted many years & thousands of miles I would suspect quality of the bushes in the first instant.
Cheers
If the droplinks are inferior they are coming from the bongo shop (what more can I say)
Re: suspension
Posted: Sun Jan 20, 2013 11:13 pm
by mikeonb4c
Eric wrote:WINDYWATSON wrote:Hi
If the new rubbers are only lasting a couple of weeks before becoming worn enough to allow enough movement to cause knocking again I would suspect that the quality is very poor. Are you buying from a reputable source?
With respect to the shocks being faulty, I wouldn't have thought that they would be responcable. They are dampening the movment of the suspension, and the unless yours are completly shot it & your driving on shockingly poor roads a couple of weeks of driving shouldn't be enough to wear out ARB bushes. Bearing in mind that the originals have lasted many years & thousands of miles I would suspect quality of the bushes in the first instant.
Cheers
If the droplinks are inferior they are coming from the bongo shop (what more can I say)
Hmmm. If they are at fault Ian will refun/replace i'm sure - he's very good like that. Most unusual for them to fail so soon. Did you make sure the Bongo was sat evenly on its suspension when you tightened them, to ensure no torque was induced in the bushes?
Re: suspension
Posted: Mon Jan 21, 2013 4:36 am
by helen&tony
Hi
Poly bushes might suit if you're getting problems due to wearing quickly, as there can be a number of factors causing early failures not associated with wear on other components.
Firstly, I'd check the rest of the rear suspension for wear, or you'll forever be replacing "bits".
I'm going to look into poly bushes myself, as we have appalling roads over here, and I have replaced the whole front suspension, but I fear the bushes will go. I have a link somewhere, and I believe it has been discussed on here, so a search may find the firm supplying possible replacements
They won't be listed as "Bongo" parts, but sold by measurements, so it's a case of checking a new one and ordering once you've measured
Cheers
Helen