defcon bushes

[mattmackenzie]

hi
looking to replace bushes on front end of my s3, would like to know what bushes people are using and how they find them?
options i'm looking at are
defcons (where can you get these from in uk)
powerflex
oem ones from audi
thank matt

 

[sportstractor]

Personally OEM for me, as I like my S3 to stay smooth

 

[cabby86]

I have personally not driven a car with defcons fitted, I plan to have them fitted with R32 arb's in the near future.

Mine will be supplied and fitted by APS in Brackley (www.autops.co.uk), can't rate them highly enough. They are the only UK supplier for defcons that I am aware of, I'm sure there are others though.

Cheers

Chris

 

[emery1990]

Doubt theres any point getting anything stiffer bushes unless your getting handling sorted to the max. Itll just make your ride a bit harder without any noticeable gains.

 

[Mr.G]

I've just picked my car up from Awesome GTI having had 4 pages of A4 work done. On the list was a full set of powerflex bushes. ARB's come with them so neuspeeds fitted too. I can only comment on my personal car and what it was like before. I am being honest when I say 100% improvement. I'd have no issues to recommend the bushes or Awesome GTI (who were just well.....awesome)

Bushes are bushes, performance ones are slightly stiffer and last longer. Can't comment on Defcon's and wont be changing my setup as it's dare I say it....perfect!

G

 

[emery1990]

Is it still as comfortable then? Were they replacing the bushes that had been in your car since new?

 

[mattmackenzie]

Got b8, H+R's and neuspeed roll bars so think it's sorted!
But the bushs have been in the car since it left the factory.
looks like defcons are 100 pounds plus just to buy, thinking they are not worth it?

 

[Mr.G]

Well it transformed the car, put it that way. It's actually more comfortable if you ask me as my suspension was worn and to be honest it was ready to give up the ghost. As was my MAF, my rear springs had almost snapped and there was this awful clunking noise when going over bumps of larger size!

I cannot recommend doing suspension enough, I'm over the moon with the car and even happier now it's stage 1 re-mapped, it goes well and can go round a corner when driven fast. Something it couldn't do before.

Defcon bushes if they are that much to buy are not worth the cost IMO. Simple powerflex bushes would be great. Make the car feel like new, honestly, i'm not exaggerating!!

G

 

[sportstractor]

Yeah but like you say your comparing to old worn bushes. I once read standard rubber bushes are more durable than poly bushes. Good to know that poly bushing doesnt ruin the ride :icon_thumright:

 

[Mr.G]

Yep I am comparing it as that was the only S3 I had to do the comparison, I've had 3 S3's one of which I purchased brand new around 9 years ago. My car as it is now is a vast improvement on a standard form S3. Had a complete custom Geometry setup done at Awesome GTI as I've been speaking with Ess Three on the phone during these last 4 months (saving up money) and it is spot on, 100%. So thanks Ess....

The ride is not crashy, harsh or noisy in any way, just stiffer. My old bushes weren't in that bad of a state but top mounts were.

I replaced pretty much everything suspension wise and even did the dog bone mount at the same time, while all the suspension was being replaced I thought why not just replace the bushes, drop links etc at the same time. The steering is now very responsive, where it was sloppy at best before.

Forgot to mention I also had CompBrake top mounts too.

G

 

[Pat]

I have full set of powerflex bushes for the rear and the smaller front wishbone ones if interested

 

[s3_kev]

dont buy polly bushes for the front wishbones they dont work properly my freind has them in his leon cupra and the arms just float on the bushes causing the arm to hit the subframe ans has caused quite some damage as the bush is to stiff and cant carry out the correct movement to keep the arm in the correct pistion so the arm is left to just work its way around the bush to get its movement. you need proper rose jointed bushes for the front due to the way the bush needs to twist in operation, id only ever fit oem on the front similar style to polly but as there rubber have more give in them so to allow better twist, the rears would be fine with polly bushes as there not designed to twist but to just allow susspension movement up and down.

mr.g to be fair you cant say that the bushes made such an improvment when you have had a complete overhall, give it a few miles say 1k then check your bushes bet they wont be sitting in the middle of the arm,

 

[landopanda]

Mr. G, about how much did the all the suspension cost to get sorted? if you don't mind me asking, because i know all of mine is nearing the end of its time,

 

[s3_kev]

see here std void bush designed with voided cut outs to help the bush to twist and for comfort

see here powerflex solid bush wich has no way of any give so the twist on the bush ends up pushing it past the lipped part which is there to retain the bush in the arm, this then leads the arm to float up and down on the bush causing collision with the subframe

see #2 in this pic the bush looks wroung as the arm will twist towards the wheel and down at the same time the bush has not got any way of twisting in those directions, on the s3 you can use all the other powerflex bushes not a problem and they would be an improvement over oem

 

[Mr.G]

Mr. G, about how much did the all the suspension cost to get sorted? if you don't mind me asking, because i know all of mine is nearing the end of its time,

I'll PM the info. Prices were very very competitive and lots of the smaller work was actually carried out for free. Awesome GTI....are awesome!

G

 

[Mr.G]

Not sure I follow you there Kev. Are you saying its a bad design (powerflex bush #2) and therefore not good?

Mine seem fine, made a massive improvement.

The Leon doesn't have exactly the same setup though does it! There are things that are different on both front and rear suspension components.

I wouldn't imagine powerflex making a bush that was totally useless. Just can't see it myself, but then again I might be wrong. Mines fitted with them, we'll see if they do as you state they will, I've done 400 miles since they were fitted no problems so far!

G

 

[<tuffty/>]

The #2 Powerflex bush will stop the sideways movement you get from the voided bushes no probs but doesn't seem to provide decent enough support for the up and down movement on arm, the bush stays in one place but the arm seems to slide up and down the bush rather than the bush moving with the arm if you see what I mean.

The #1 Powerflex bush is fine to use though but for the #2 bush I have used the solid TT (S3's should be the same) non voided rubber bushes or Vibratechnics do one that fits the same as the OEM but is stiff as you like...

There is another thread here where I have posted up similar info about this including pics of the Vibratechnics bushes

<tuffty/>

 

[SteveBAM]

ive got a set of ECS bushes for the front (not fitted yet) and you guys are starting to worry me...
has anyone fitted ECS tuning bushes??

 

[s3dave]

see here std void bush designed with voided cut outs to help the bush to twist and for comfort

see here powerflex solid bush wich has no way of any give so the twist on the bush ends up pushing it past the lipped part which is there to retain the bush in the arm, this then leads the arm to float up and down on the bush causing collision with the subframe

see #2 in this pic the bush looks wroung as the arm will twist towards the wheel and down at the same time the bush has not got any way of twisting in those directions, on the s3 you can use all the other powerflex bushes not a problem and they would be an improvement over oem

im selling the no 5 bushes in the diagram full set of 4 £40 delivered

 

[mattmackenzie]

So it looks like the best option on the front wishbones are TT bushes, as the will give an upgrade on standard and Powerflex ones on rollbars and dogmount. How about bushes 1, 4, 5 and 7?

 

[s3_kev]

use all bushes execpt #2

 

[ALPINE]

other than the standard wishbones i replaced, I run poly bushes and the car is a go cart. Im slammed on cheap JOM coilovers too and the ride is hardly any different to when i was running 40mm springs on O/E shocks.

i think its on personal preference maybe? my 2 kids and the wife dont seem to complain.

 

[<tuffty/>]

ive got a set of ECS bushes for the front (not fitted yet) and you guys are starting to worry me...
has anyone fitted ECS tuning bushes??

These ones mate?

http://www.ecstuning.com/Audi-TT_MKI-Quattro-225HP/Suspension/ES3754/

If so, unless they are a harder durometer to that of the OEM ones they are exactly the same as the ones already fitted to TT's and S3's...

These are the ones I am using...
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Front-Wishbone-Rear-Bush-VW-Golf-Leon-A3-New-Beetle-TT-/130381851787

<tuffty/>

 

[SteveBAM]

These ones mate?

http://www.ecstuning.com/Audi-TT_MKI-Quattro-225HP/Suspension/ES3754/

If so, unless they are a harder durometer to that of the OEM ones they are exactly the same as the ones already fitted to TT's and S3's...

These are the ones I am using...
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Front-Wishbone-Rear-Bush-VW-Golf-Leon-A3-New-Beetle-TT-/130381851787

<tuffty/>

tuffty ive got these ones : http://www.ecstuning.com/Search/Polyurethane_Front_Control_Arm_Bushing_Kit_ES/ES5387/