[TR] What's the general life expectancy for rubber bushes for LBCs?

[John Macartney]

I thought Michael Porter's take on this question was extremely well-informed
and useful for those who do not possess his automotive engineering
knowledge. I too have experimented with polyurethane bushes in the past and
can't say I was entirely satisfied with them. Granted, they may have a
longer than normal life expectancy, but I found they resulted in a firmer
and harsher ride with an unacceptable level of noise transmission into the
body structure. It was a costly experiment as within the year I'd removed
the poly bushes and replaced them with rubber ones.
One point Michael didn't cover (?) was true longevity of the rubber bush and
I've noted some listers have said their bushes are factory originals. That
may well be the case but it's by no means unusual to find the original
factory bush has parted from the periphery of the central unit on the inside
of the rubber unit. They may look fully bonded externally but it's a whole
different kettle of fish when you start probing.
The only comment I can make in conclusion is that like many other items on
British post-war cars, the components were made to a price and in the case
of Standard-Triumph, that price had to be the lowest possible. You don't get
ludicrously low prices without (usually) compromising longer-term
reliability and durability. Furthermore - and I've said this ad nauseam over
the years, the cars themselves were never expected to last more than ten
years of 'normal' use. For the few that are still highly prized genuine
factory originals, if they were in my ownership there are a good many items
I'd change immediately for the simple fact they are most likely no longer
reliable and possibly of questionable safety. When I was in the US in 2009,
one enthusiast in an all-makes Brit car club most kindly offered me a ride
in his barn find 1965 TR4A that he endeavoured to keep as 'original' as
possible. I declined as politely as I could when he told me the car was
still on its original tyres!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! 

Jonmac


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