AVO Shocker

Author
Discussion

anonymous-user

Original Poster:

61 months

Thursday 21st July 2022
quotequote all
AVO bushes after 1500 road miles, they’re split and oval. AVO say they’re the current bush and ‘a few people have had problems with them’.

Anyone on here had issues?


anonymous-user

Original Poster:

61 months

Thursday 21st July 2022
quotequote all
…AVO are replacing the bushes so good news there..

The springs were 200lb originally and I’ve gone down to 170lb now, I would think if I was running harder than 250lb these would have lasted 500 miles!

Edited by anonymous-user on Thursday 21st July 11:09

phillpot

17,278 posts

190 months

Thursday 21st July 2022
quotequote all


looks like AVO still not supplying decent bushes? I wouldn't expect the replacements to be any better.


https://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&...

Moto

1,261 posts

260 months

Thursday 21st July 2022
quotequote all
V6 Pushfit said:
AVO bushes after 1500 road miles, they’re split and oval. AVO say they’re the current bush and ‘a few people have had problems with them’.

Anyone on here had issues?

Yes my AVO bushes have all self destructed also. My AVO's seem to be a built to a budget, low quality item. The adjuster knob is terrible to use. Until you get to approx 7 clicks it is totally smooth with no noticeable click. This makes them impossible to balance equally on a soft to medium setting.

On the positive side they do feel OK from a driving point.

I would prefer to fit a set of better quality shocks such as Nitrons but I've never been able to get hold of the correct specification to give to them.

Moto

anonymous-user

Original Poster:

61 months

Thursday 21st July 2022
quotequote all
Moto said:
Yes my AVO bushes have all self destructed also. My AVO's seem to be a built to a budget, low quality item. The adjuster knob is terrible to use. Until you get to approx 7 clicks it is totally smooth with no noticeable click. This makes them impossible to balance equally on a soft to medium setting.

On the positive side they do feel OK from a driving point.

I would prefer to fit a set of better quality shocks such as Nitrons but I've never been able to get hold of the correct specification to give to them.

Moto
Exactly my experience, I count clicks back from full on the setting rather than up front zero but still have no real idea wether they are even or not!!

nwarner

612 posts

267 months

Thursday 21st July 2022
quotequote all
My AVOs have done the same after 500 miles this is the second set. Every time I move the car out of the garage there are bits of red poly. Mine are over 3 years old now so I doubt if they'll replace them again. Saving up for some different replacements.

anonymous-user

Original Poster:

61 months

Thursday 21st July 2022
quotequote all
nwarner said:
My AVOs have done the same after 500 miles this is the second set. Every time I move the car out of the garage there are bits of red poly. Mine are over 3 years old now so I doubt if they'll replace them again. Saving up for some different replacements.
Yes they should replace them, mine were older than that just send a photo of the knackered bushes to their email and they respond very quick. They’ve sent me a full car set so I’ll do the lot.

I think they’re very good on customer service which is handy!!

However it would be good to find something better that fits.

anonymous-user

Original Poster:

61 months

Friday 22nd July 2022
quotequote all
I would add that worn bushes also greatly affect the vehicle height and front wheel alignment - so if you have AVO’s check the bush condition!!

I found my worn ones dropped the front over 10mm and gave dramatic toe in and bump steer.

996Type

861 posts

159 months

Friday 22nd July 2022
quotequote all
Is there a chance they were tightened up pre-loading then chewed into that position once the car settled to ride height?

I know on one car I had we had to leave everything only finger tight until the car settled down, weight it etc before tightening everything up otherwise the bushes were at risk of deforming / tearing like the image above.

anonymous-user

Original Poster:

61 months

Friday 22nd July 2022
quotequote all
996Type said:
Is there a chance they were tightened up pre-loading then chewed into that position once the car settled to ride height?

I know on one car I had we had to leave everything only finger tight until the car settled down, weight it etc before tightening everything up otherwise the bushes were at risk of deforming / tearing like the image above.
That doesn’t really happen with these, there’s some rotation when they’re tight, it’s more the basic impact loading which hammered the bushes and they don’t seem to be able to stand it..

anonymous-user

Original Poster:

61 months

Friday 22nd July 2022
quotequote all
Dollyman1850 said:
There is an ancient old problem with AVO.
Can you post a picture of the bush housing please and I will explain the problem.

N.
Just a plain tube

Edited by anonymous-user on Friday 22 July 19:49

nwarner

612 posts

267 months

Friday 22nd July 2022
quotequote all
Here are my rear ones




LLantrisant

1,002 posts

166 months

Saturday 23rd July 2022
quotequote all
V6 Pushfit said:
Just a plain tube

Edited by V6 Pushfit on Friday 22 July 19:49
lookslike wronlgy fitted:

the inner (metal) sleeve must be slightly wider than the polys. the sleeve is clamped between the chassis brackets and the bushes will rotate over the sleeve. to make this happen the bushes need to have space. in your case it looks like the bushes are tightly clamped between the chassis-brackets...therefoe they will destroy themselves.



anonymous-user

Original Poster:

61 months

Saturday 23rd July 2022
quotequote all
Dollyman1850 said:
V6 Pushfit said:
Just a plain tube

Edited by anonymous-user on Friday 22 July 19:49
Its inside I need to see. Is it literally plain tube or are their 2 circlip rings within the tube itself on the shocker.
N.
Nope, as I said it’s just a plain tube. If there were circlip grooves AVO wouldn’t be selling them with top hat bushes. I presume!


Edited by anonymous-user on Sunday 24th July 10:54

anonymous-user

Original Poster:

61 months

Saturday 23rd July 2022
quotequote all
LLantrisant said:
V6 Pushfit said:
Just a plain tube

Edited by anonymous-user on Friday 22 July 19:49
lookslike wronlgy fitted:

the inner (metal) sleeve must be slightly wider than the polys. the sleeve is clamped between the chassis brackets and the bushes will rotate over the sleeve. to make this happen the bushes need to have space. in your case it looks like the bushes are tightly clamped between the chassis-brackets...therefoe they will destroy themselves.
You’re right to a point, but the sleeve is long enough to be clamped leaving the top hat section not fully compressed.

anonymous-user

Original Poster:

61 months

Sunday 24th July 2022
quotequote all
Dollyman1850 said:
A bush centre is critical on a rotating element such as a wishbone where the inner bush sleeve should clamp against the bracket / tang to allow it to rotate around the sleeve but how you can tell that from those photos eludes me anyhow.. The inner sleeves aren't so much too short as too thin in my view ( as a person who has stripped a few sets down.)

You have the later AVO's without circlip grooves and as such I would put the failure down to poor quality bushes!!

N.
You can’t tell from the photos, correct. However as I said before the sleeve is a push fit between the chassis brackets so is clamped well before significant compression of the top hat.

Dodgy material spec yes as I mentioned earlier but increasing the sleeve size will be counter productive with less bush material so increased risk of splitting.

IMO AVO need to increase bush strength while marginally reducing the top hat depth to prevent any pinching on fitting.

I wonder how many cars are running around with knackered AVO bushes because owners thought they were fit and forget so haven’t checked.


RobXjcoupe

3,313 posts

98 months

Sunday 24th July 2022
quotequote all
Dollyman1850 said:
V6 Pushfit said:
You can’t tell from the photos, correct. However as I said before the sleeve is a push fit between the chassis brackets so is clamped well before significant compression of the top hat.

Dodgy material spec yes as I mentioned earlier but increasing the sleeve size will be counter productive with less bush material so increased risk of splitting.

IMO AVO need to increase bush strength while marginally reducing the top hat depth to prevent any pinching on fitting.

I wonder how many cars are running around with knackered AVO bushes because owners thought they were fit and forget so haven’t checked.
I would fit Nylatron or Delrin To take all the play away !
N.
You may find those nylons a bit too tough. A bit like a metal to metal mount. The way the bushes have split looks like they are loose around the sleeve or they don’t fit the damper properly. The damper holes may need opening up and then press fit a steel insert. Then machine that insert to suit the bush diameter for a nice tap in fit. Finally use the steel insert tubes to mount to the chassis.

anonymous-user

Original Poster:

61 months

Sunday 24th July 2022
quotequote all
RobXjcoupe said:
Dollyman1850 said:
V6 Pushfit said:
You can’t tell from the photos, correct. However as I said before the sleeve is a push fit between the chassis brackets so is clamped well before significant compression of the top hat.

Dodgy material spec yes as I mentioned earlier but increasing the sleeve size will be counter productive with less bush material so increased risk of splitting.

IMO AVO need to increase bush strength while marginally reducing the top hat depth to prevent any pinching on fitting.

I wonder how many cars are running around with knackered AVO bushes because owners thought they were fit and forget so haven’t checked.
I would fit Nylatron or Delrin To take all the play away !
N.
You may find those nylons a bit too tough. A bit like a metal to metal mount. The way the bushes have split looks like they are loose around the sleeve or they don’t fit the damper properly. The damper holes may need opening up and then press fit a steel insert. Then machine that insert to suit the bush diameter for a nice tap in fit. Finally use the steel insert tubes to mount to the chassis.
The bushes are a tight fit to start, with the sleeve compressing further. It’s a vice job to press the sleeves in so I don’t think it’s any looseness that’s an issue (or at least initially!).

I’m pretty sure it’s a material issue, the bushes need to be harder and ideally a rubber insert compete with integral sleeve so it’s one insert.

Solid hard bushes? Not for a road car as it negates the whole idea of a shock absorber and would transmit far greater impact force to 50 year old chassis welds than is healthy.

RobXjcoupe

3,313 posts

98 months

Sunday 24th July 2022
quotequote all
Dollyman1850 said:
V6 Pushfit said:
The bushes are a tight fit to start, with the sleeve compressing further. It’s a vice job to press the sleeves in so I don’t think it’s any looseness that’s an issue (or at least initially!).

I’m pretty sure it’s a material issue, the bushes need to be harder and ideally a rubber insert compete with integral sleeve so it’s one insert.

Solid hard bushes? Not for a road car as it negates the whole idea of a shock absorber and would transmit far greater impact force to 50 year old chassis welds than is healthy.
we will agree to disagree on that one. smile
Maybe the dampers were designed for rose joints and then a quick change to the bushes for road cars. The area the bush fits does look narrow. Perhaps the loading is simply cutting into the bush because the design is not correct for a rubber bush. The bearing/rose joint version works as it was designed for that but it is a race car part. All road cars use a rubber bush of some sort but have a wider fitting with minimal clearance when it’s bolted up.

RobXjcoupe

3,313 posts

98 months

Sunday 24th July 2022
quotequote all
So if a rubber bush is used the mount ends should look similar in design to the picture below

If a racing type damper is used then the correct rose type bearing is the fitting to use as in the picture below. Excuse the rusty chassis