New Super-Flex bush available...

SLOW ITAL · Post by **SLOW ITAL** » Thu Sep 18, 2014 8:22 pm

Super-Flex are now making bushes for the front anti roll bar ...
Just received mine today,,
Should now be on their webb site...
GIL.

Post by **MarinaCoupe** » Thu Sep 18, 2014 8:30 pm

Good work Gil.

SLOW ITAL · Post by **SLOW ITAL** » Sat Sep 20, 2014 10:45 am

Cheers Chris,
I asked about " rack bushes " for mk 2 / 3 / & ital ... They'll do those as well if I can get a rack & bkts to them as a pattern,
Need some transport to somerset to get it there , any offers?......
Gil...

Post by **MarinaCoupe** » Sat Sep 20, 2014 10:47 am

Hi Gil

I was going to speak to you about rack bushes, I could send them one of the Aussie ones as a master.

I'll give you a call.

SLOW ITAL · Post by **SLOW ITAL** » Sat Sep 20, 2014 10:54 am

SLOW ITAL wrote:Cheers Chris,
I asked about " rack bushes " for mk 2 / 3 / & ital ... They'll do those as well if I can get a rack & bkts to them as a pattern,
Need some transport to somerset to get it there , any offers?......
Gil...

Sorry , by "rack bushes " I should have said "steering rack to bulkhead " fixing
Gil..

Morris McKinnon · Post by **Morris McKinnon** » Sat Sep 20, 2014 3:11 pm

Oh, I could do with new rack bushes. Mine is clonking like a good un' It's been like that for years now!
They would sell pretty well I'd imagine as it seems to be a common problem on Marinas.

JoshWard · Post by **JoshWard** » Sat Sep 20, 2014 3:22 pm

Yes it'd be good if there was a source closer to the UK for them, plus you never know if the Oz manufacturers will continue making them forever...

Post by **MarinaCoupe** » Sat Sep 20, 2014 3:41 pm

Having invested my own cash in importing the internal rack bushes from the other side of the world, I want to sell the ones that I have on the shelf first.

I had been thinking about using the last one as a master to get them made in this country. I have been selling about 7-10 a year on average for the last few years, so I'm not sure whether SuperFlex or someone else would take on a small batch run for stock, preferring me to commission and buy a batch so they get a return immediately.

Anyway Morris, PM me for details if you need one now.

SLOW ITAL · Post by **SLOW ITAL** » Sun Sep 21, 2014 8:59 am

SLOW ITAL wrote:Cheers Chris,
I asked about " rack bushes " for mk 2 / 3 / & ital ... They'll do those as well if I can get a rack & bkts to them as a pattern,
Need some transport to somerset to get it there , any offers?......
Gil...

Sorry guy's , Just to clarify this, The bush im asking " Super Flex " to make is the "Rack Mounting Bush" the steering rack to bulkhead fixing...... Not the internal bush that Chris has already got covered.
So if your rack is noisy or clunking , Chris is your man..... He's recently got a new batch of these 'nolathene' bushes in, so grab 1 while you can.....

Gil...

Morris McKinnon · Post by **Morris McKinnon** » Sun Sep 21, 2014 2:56 pm

Ah, right. I have a recon steering rack here (not fitted) Would I need an internal bush? I'm pretty certain it's the rack to bulkhead bushes I need

Martec · Post by **Martec** » Sun Sep 21, 2014 3:45 pm

Hi Chris,

I had two of your Nolathene bushes and have used one on AJV so if you need to get rid of the stock I'll take an extra one for stock (when I see you at the AGM).

Brian

Post by **MarinaCoupe** » Sun Sep 21, 2014 4:31 pm

Hi Brian

Thanks for the offer, I got 10 bushes and have had enquiries for 6 so far, but have only been paid for one, so there are a few left but I'm not in a tearing hurry.

Like some other Marina parts there's no other source and without a good rack bush a car is an MOT failure and one less on the road and one more potentially broken for spares or for a Minor. Sooner or later every car in the country will need one.

I want to get them made in the UK, ideally with a company taking on manufacture and distribution, if not then I'll commission a UK run.

JoshWard · Post by **JoshWard** » Sun Sep 21, 2014 8:04 pm

Yes I must admit I have worried about the current supply drying up which would cause major problems for us as it's such a common problem. I have had to do the racks on every Marina I have had on the road.

Gareth- unless it has been reconditioned with a new bush (highly unlikely) it's not worth fitting it. I went through two reconditioned racks in JWC and the bush in both of those only lasted a few hundred miles. The easiest way to tell if you need a new bush is by jacking the car up on the front passenger side and rocking the wheel from side to side. If you hear a clunk and see the steering rod arm/track rod end arm moving then it needs a new bush. Getting the old rack out can be a pain as the nuts are quite difficult to access but stripping the rack down is relatively easy. Theoretically the new poly bushes that Chris sources should last forever if lubricated properly. The rack takes oil through the hole in the middle (make sure you slide the cover over the hole or water will get in and seize the rack), I also grease the steering arm on the other side of the rack bush (the track rod end side) just to keep the bush well lubricated.
If when you rock the wheel the whole rack moves then you need to change the bulkhead bushes which on a MK1 are the same as Triumph Dolomite ones and new polyurethane ones are available. The rack SHOULD move when you rock the wheel from side to side a little bit as it is not solidly mounted to the bulkhead.

Morris McKinnon · Post by **Morris McKinnon** » Mon Sep 22, 2014 3:59 pm

I better buy one now then! Thanks for the info on the steering rack Josh.
I'll pm you Chris.

Post by **MarinaCoupe** » Tue Sep 23, 2014 10:36 pm

Well that's all this batch spoken for and mostly paid for. As I expected it will take a while to get a bush made in this country from scratch, so I have arranged for another batch of 10 to be sent over, say 4-6 weeks before they arrive.

Fast Marina Magazine