[Healeys] 28% OD with 3.54 rearend

Earl Kagna kags at shaw.ca
Thu Nov 16 09:24:41 MST 2017 

Gents:

I definitely got ‘chalky cheese” Noltecs!  At least for the rear spring eye and front upper trunion bushings.  The lower A – arm bushings are still on the car, and what can be seen still looks okay.  The problem is that not much can be seen of them – they are mostly hidden by the A – arm mounting pockets on the frame.  Under the circumstances, I don’t trust them and will replace them – with rubber – this winter.  At this point, all I’m doing is attempting to see if there are better quality rubber bushings out there  It appears not – looks like everyone is selling the same product – probably only one manufacturer.

One commercial Austin – Healey restoration shop has indicated that they have not had any trouble with rubber bushings in the last few years.  They have also indicated that they are leery of urethane suspension bushings for Healey’s – material deterioration, squeeks, harsh feeling ride, and frame cracks from the harder ones.

Don – a lot of people here have used the Polybush brand from AH Spares in the UK – other suppliers probably carry them as well.  Most people have not had rouble with them, a few will change back to rubber because of the harsher ride feel with urethane (polyurethane).  As I recall, the rear spring shackle bushings installed on my BJ8 are Polybush brand – blue urethane.  When we had the springs out recently to do the front eye bushing replacement, we re-installed the shackle bushings – not a thing wrong with them.  

I’ll be ordering up a set of rubber front bushings for the BJ8 soonish, and will do the work over the winter.  Pain in the butt to have to re & re the front end again so soon, but that’s the way these things go.

As a matter of interest, my tri-carb – a very original and unmolested ( gold level concours car) car – has all of it’s original rubber suspension bushings still installed.  We keep close watch on everything, but so far it’s all okay – still rides and handles quite well at approx. 100 K miles.  Amazing!  The only thing that was changed were the front roll bar mounting pin bushings, which eliminated the almost monthly replacement of the rubber ones.  They’re still there after 20 or so years.

Earl Kagna
Victoria, B.C.
BJ8, BT7 tri-carb

From: Chris Dimmock [Healey] 
Sent: Wednesday, November 15, 2017 3:34 PM
To: rrengineer.mike at att.net ; Healeys 
Subject: Re: [Healeys] 28% OD with 3.54 rearend

Hi Mike, 
Noltec bushings - its a long story, but here's a short background.
The guy who pretty much pioneered urethane suspension bushings here in Australia was Greg Nolan.
His first business was Nolathane. Their bushings were red in colour, and this was the early 1990's
He sold that business, and started again in the early 2000's, called himself Noltec, and made Blue and/or black busings.
Being a long time BMC sportscar racer - he didn't mind making things like Healey bushes - because he cared and was an enthusiast himself.
He sold thousands more e.g. Mazda MX5 Miata bushings than Healey - but he's an enthusiast, and it wasn't all about the money.
Nolathane still make bushings - but they don't/ won't make them for Healeys anymore because theyr'e more of a corporate, bottom line focussed enterprise. 
Ok - thats the history lesson over.
So in 1998, the only bushings available were Nolathane red ones. They did many bushings for Healeys - but not all of them - you couldn't do all the bushings on a BJ8 all in urethane
My car still has some red Nolathane bushes in e.g. the front wishbones, and they are still fine. 
i also have some new old stock Nolathane which have sat in a drawer for 20 years - they are fine too.
Photo attached
When Greg started Noltec, he made all the same Healey bushings that Nolathane made, plus he made the ones Nolathane didn't.
Here's the weird part. SOME of the Noltec bushes turned to a chalky cheese within about 5 - 6 years.
Some others are fine.See Pics
Over the past 19 years, I've replaced Noltec engine and gearbox mounts, rear spring and rear shock bushes (which turned to chalky cheese).
Some I've just had made in graphite impregated nylon, rather than urethane.
Yet - some old Noltec ones are still good.
Here are some pics of packets that have sat in the same drawer - out of UV light - for 19 years.
Red is nolathane. Blue, and chalky white cheese are Noltec.
So - I don't know. Some are fine - some aren't. 
If they are still blue, they are fine., The red ones are fine. But some turn to chalky cheese.....
BTW, when I replaced my engine and gearbox mounts with Urethane, in 2000, the 2 year old brand new rubber ones fitted in 1998 were delaminated and split.
So the Urethane outlasted the rubber that was available in 1998..
Best
Chris






​

PS the white ones can be crumbled like old cheese between 2 fingers..... 

On Thu, Nov 16, 2017 at 4:18 AM, Michael MacLean <rrengineer.mike at att.net> wrote:

  Chris, 
       How are your Noltec bushings holding up?  I only ask as someone on the list is having a problem with them disintegrating in short order.
  Mike MacLean


  Sent from Yahoo Mail on Android


    On Wed, Nov 15, 2017 at 7:18 AM, Chris Dimmock
    <austin.healey at gmail.com> wrote:
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