Triumphtune rear suspension bushes ?

moodyblue · Postby **moodyblue** » 24 Nov 2014 20:19

Itâ€™s surprising how hardness varies between original Metalastik rear suspension bushes 149827, ULC 1580 and the latest very soft and very hard options etc. I just want to clear something up that Iâ€™m having difficulty sourcing information on. I am trying to find the original Metalastik bush part numbers for Triumphtune - STR18 (tie bar) & STR36 (trailing arm).
Thanks.

TR Tony · Postby **TR Tony** » 25 Nov 2014 10:25

I have a copy of an old Triumphtune booklet but it just says that their bushes are made on the original tooling in rubber with 70 shore hardness, it does not give individual part numbers.

Tony

1981 TR7 FHC Cavalry Blue
1980 TR7V8 DHC Jaguar Regency Red - sadly sold!
1977 TR8 FHC EFI Factory development car Inca Yellow

dursleyman · Postby **dursleyman** » 25 Nov 2014 12:25

It just describes them as being 70 shore which is "much harder material" and the same as the original BL competition bushes.

Russ

1981 TR7 Sprint DHC
Dursley
UK

http://tr7russ.blogspot.co.uk/

moodyblue · Postby **moodyblue** » 25 Nov 2014 17:37

Thanks guys, I just thought someone might have had a picture or had some in storage from back in the day. I have the same information from my own TT book. I think they claimed that these bushes were specially manufactured. The strange thing is that going by the Metalastik numbers on the bushes, they are the same as old stock Dolomite bushes.
The trailing Arm BL part number is 149827 and the Tie Bar BL part number is 149849. Moss Motors USA still list them and make the same claim as the old Triumphtune book.
Are they just selling old stock Dolomite bushes?
Were these original BL bushes harder than ULC 1580 and UKC5514
I have three lower bushes ULC 1580 (very, very soft), ULC 1580H (very, very,very hard), and 149827 (feels about right). 149827 has the same Metalastik number as the Moss, possibly Triumphtune, bush. Hope this makes sense. I'll try and post pictures of my bushes later.
Moss website image.

dursleyman · Postby **dursleyman** » 25 Nov 2014 21:05

The numbers might not tell you the hardness, just the pattern tyoe.

Russ

1981 TR7 Sprint DHC
Dursley
UK

http://tr7russ.blogspot.co.uk/

moodyblue · Postby **moodyblue** » 26 Nov 2014 11:54

Good point, but it would be good to know for sure. I suppose it's possible that they used the Dolomite shape for the tie bars to make them easier to fit. Rubber bushes from Metalastik were colour coded with a dab of paint, this could be the hardness shore rating. More research required [:(]

moodyblue · Postby **moodyblue** » 04 Jan 2015 21:08

Despite hours of reading and browsing I havenâ€™t found any more information about standard or uprated Triumphtune Metalastik bushes.
I would like to get some parts fitted to my project and get it resting on its wheels so that I can check door gaps etc. and once these rubber bushes are in there is no going back. Iâ€™ve decided to fit the tie bars with the uprated Triumphtune bushes STR018 as shown above. As for the trailing arms I have a choice of Hard, Medium and Soft rubber bushes and Iâ€™ve decided to go for a Medium, or a Medium/Hard set up as a compromise to give handling and comfort. The TR Drivers Club website suggests fitting hard bushes to the rear of the arms at the axle, however the Triumphtune manual and the Roger Williams book state that the hard bushes should be fitted to the front of the arms at the body. This is strange because Triumphtune suggested the opposite for the Dolomite i.e. Hard rear / Soft front, and the TR7 originally had a softer voided bush at the front end.
Who is correct?
http://www.trdrivers.com/rear_links.html

jeffremj · Postby **jeffremj** » 04 Jan 2015 21:21

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">... however the Triumphtune manual and the Roger Williams book state that the hard bushes should be fitted to the front of the arms at the body.<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">The way I look at it is that if you have a stiffer bush at the rear, the ride will become harder than if you have the softer bush there - so fit the hardest to the front.

Beans · Postby **Beans** » 05 Jan 2015 16:08

My opinion for what it's worth [:p]

Softer bushes to the body to isolate noise and vibrations and hard (in my case solid) mounts to the axle ...

Still a work in progress but currently waiting for the new brackets to be (laser) cut

<center>

1976 TR7 FHC (needs some TLC ...)
1980 TR7 DHC (my first car, a.k.a. Kermette)
1981 TR7 FHC (Sprint engined a.k.a. 't Kreng
[url="http://www.tr7beans.blogspot.com/"]My full Blog[/url]</center>

jeffremj · Postby **jeffremj** » 06 Jan 2015 17:52

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by Beans

My opinion for what it's worth [:p]

Softer bushes to the body to isolate noise and vibrations and hard (in my case solid) mounts to the axle ...<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">But with this method the road created shocks will be fed directly into the suspension springs and so into the car body. Surely axle generated noise would still be the same when soft bushes at rear.

Edit: I have just noticed that your 'new' rear suspension doesn't have the spring acting on the lower arm, thus it doesn't matter where you fit the 'soft' bush, although your choice looks best.

Given this, I think it still does matter if you have standard TR7 rear axle and suspension and you want tightened bushing together with the best comfort given the circumstances.

Beans · Postby **Beans** » 06 Jan 2015 20:09

Springs do act as a kind of damper too.
And you could fit decent (polybush) spring seats front and rear.

My Sprint is currently running with "solid" mounted springs on all four corners (coil overs including solid top mounts).
Can't say it's overly noisy or harsh, I'd like to call it communicative [:D]

<center>

1976 TR7 FHC (needs some TLC ...)
1980 TR7 DHC (my first car, a.k.a. Kermette)
1981 TR7 FHC (Sprint engined a.k.a. 't Kreng
[url="http://www.tr7beans.blogspot.com/"]My full Blog[/url]</center>

moodyblue · Postby **moodyblue** » 06 Jan 2015 20:11

Some good points guys, thanks. I thought that if the bushes were too hard on the trailing arms that would induce oversteer, but it would all depend on the set-up you want from your wedge. I've got hard rubber, spax and uprated lowered springs on my daily driver wedge and it's great fun. For my next (and last[|)]) project I want a bit more comfort (getting old) so I'm fitting standard height uprated Triumphtune springs and KYB shocks. I was just curious after reading contradictory advice on TR7 suspension set-up. I would say that Triumphtune knew their stuff and sold quality components so would tend to follow their advice, hard front/ soft rear as suggested by jeffremj. However, I'm still not sure about it due to the original voided front bush and the opposite guidelines for the Dolomite, TR drivers club, and now Beans who has obviously put a great deal of work into this. It will soon be decision time and if I'm unsure I can always just fit the original Metalastik (medium) bushes front and rear. I'll just be glad to get it on it's wheels again after all these years.

Beans · Postby **Beans** » 06 Jan 2015 20:34

I think it is very personal and also very much depending on how you use the car.
My DHC has polybushes fitted to all suspension parts. All with the same hardness.
I rate that car's suspension as very comfortable and quiet ...

<center>

1976 TR7 FHC (needs some TLC ...)
1980 TR7 DHC (my first car, a.k.a. Kermette)
1981 TR7 FHC (Sprint engined a.k.a. 't Kreng
[url="http://www.tr7beans.blogspot.com/"]My full Blog[/url]</center>

REPLIC8 · Postby **REPLIC8** » 07 Jan 2015 05:52

Are the standard rubber bushes sold by Rimmers etc a good quality replacement for the original bushes? I don't want to fit poly bushes to my car and original ones are NLA. I know the rubber gearbox mountings sold now are much too hard compared to the BL ones. I would like a quality OE replacement, not a cheapo made in China product.

Andy
1981 TR7 FHC

John Wood · Postby **John Wood** » 07 Jan 2015 11:37

I doubt anything remade today is as good as OE stuff Andy.

TR7 Sprint & TR8

Anonymous

Triumphtune rear suspension bushes ?

Triumphtune rear suspension bushes ?

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