Identify this suspension bush?

[minimoog]

Can anyone shed light on the provenance of this bush please? The live axle on my Healey Frogeye hangs from two swing arms (connected at the other end to rubber torsion springs) and these bush the link.



They have part numbers moulded into the rubber but they are tiny. I can just make out 71-BB-5A on one side and something begining 2-2-000 on the other.

Dimensions in inches:

O/D 1.5360 - 1.5525 (varies a bit due to distortion during removal)
Total Width - 1.5875 max
Crush tube/sleeve ID - 0.4775 (close as I can tell - tube flares at ends)
Shell Width - 1.3315 max

For those who don't know, the Healey Frogeye is a reproduction of the Austin Healey Sprite MkI, made in the 1990s by the now-defunct Frogeye Car Co. The rear suspension dispenses with the original's leaf springs and replaces them with Flexiride torsion units, as found on small trailers. Diagram here for those curious. Bolt A passes through the bush.

Beacuse this setup is a 'bitsa' - MG Midget axle, Mini shocks, bespoke control arms - I'm having trouble finding replacements for these bushes, which are badly worn. My local factors can't identify them, nor can my MG or Mini specialists, nothing I've seen on the web so far matches, and the likes of Powerflex and Superflex have nothing to match either, nor do their universal bushes fit.

It's looking like I may have to make or adapt something, but as these must come from something fairly common to the UK in the eighties or before (surely?) can anyone recognise them?

Thanks for any help.

Edited by minimoog on Friday 2nd March 09:53

[steve_d]

Cortina void bushes are that size but as the name implies they have holes in the rubber to make them more flexible. However any supplier of bushes to the kitcar industry or the polybush people should be able to offer you a solid version.

Steve

[motorwise]

steve_d said:

Cortina void bushes are that size but as the name implies they have holes in the rubber to make them more flexible. However any supplier of bushes to the kitcar industry or the polybush people should be able to offer you a solid version.

Steve

if cortina void bushes are the correct dimension and the only problem is the voids then try and get some estate car cortina bushes - same dimensions but no void

or how about poly bushes?

[biker's nemesis]

motorwise said:

steve_d said:

Cortina void bushes are that size but as the name implies they have holes in the rubber to make them more flexible. However any supplier of bushes to the kitcar industry or the polybush people should be able to offer you a solid version.

Steve

if cortina void bushes are the correct dimension and the only problem is the voids then try and get some estate car cortina bushes - same dimensions but no void

or how about poly bushes?

Might be barking up the wrong tree here chaps, but did Granada bushes from the same era not fit.

[minimoog]

steve_d said:

Cortina void bushes are that size but as the name implies they have holes in the rubber to make them more flexible. However any supplier of bushes to the kitcar industry or the polybush people should be able to offer you a solid version.
Steve

These 'void bushes' are aka 'cotton reel' bushes I assume? I'll have another word with Superflex who list them, but I have spoken with them before and they were unable to identify the bush without knowing the car (they only have a searchable list of total width dimensions, not o/d which is the critical measurement). I'll ask them to look at the Ford stuff.

Still waiting to hear from Polybush, Powerflex don't seem to have anything specific and their largest universal bush is fractionally too small in diameter (possiblity of using old shells to compensate, though they are a bit knackered).

[steve_d]

The dimensions I quoted were direct from a void bush I had in my hand. The only dimension that was different was the body length of the outer shell which was 4mm short but I considered this would still be OK.
From another reply it would seem the solid version my be Cortina estate.
I used these on my JBA Falcon which needed new ones each year and all I ever asked for was a 'Solid version' of the void bush which never seemed to be a problem.

Steve

[minimoog]

Sounds very promising Steve - thanks. I'll look into it tomorrow. Whom did you ask for yours btw?

Edited by minimoog on Sunday 4th March 13:19

[steve_d]

minimoog said:

Sounds very promising Steve - thanks. I'll look into it tomorrow. Whom did you ask for yours btw?

Edited by minimoog on Sunday 4th March 13:19

Sorry I don't have any names. Usually picked them up at Kitcar shows.

Stop Press:....Just looked in an old copy of Burtonpower catalogue and found the Superflex/powerflex section. The table shows bushes 20 & 20A under the heading Void.
Below it says 20 for bush widths up to 28mm 20A for wider Taunus (32,5mm) types. it goes on to list a POLY20A as £9.32 but this was in 2002 (note to self, must get an up to date catalogue)

The polybush uk web site does not list them but may still be able to supply so could be worth a call on 0870 750 1428.

Steve

[minimoog]

Thanks again for the Cortina suggestion Steve. I've tracked them down to here, part no EM1492. www.southwalesprops.co.uk/propshaft/vehicles/ford/ford_cortina_mk3.htm



btw the solid bush is for the rear suspension, upper arm (front); the void bush is the rear suspension, upper arm (rear). Solid being 4mm wider across the shell than the void.

Edited by minimoog on Tuesday 6th March 14:13

[steve_d]

Result.

Now all you have to do is fit the barstewards.

Steve

[motorwise]

minimoog said:

Thanks again for the Cortina suggestion Steve. I've tracked them down to here, part no EM1492. www.southwalesprops.co.uk/propshaft/vehicles/ford/ford_cortina_mk3.htm



btw the solid bush is for the rear suspension, upper arm (front); the void bush is the rear suspension, upper arm (rear). Solid being 4mm wider across the shell than the void.

Edited by minimoog on Tuesday 6th March 14:13

the estate cars had solid bushes in the rear of the upper arm as well as the front (the ones that knock into the axle casing)