Rear suspension bush replacement

[C43]

Hi

have replaced the rear suspension bushes on S2 Esprit. All pretty straight forwards but a couple of comments which may be useful:

1. The guide on the esprit forum is really useful, this should be your starting point.

2. If you are going to want to remove your rear uprights I suggest undoing the drive shaft bolt first as its too tight to get undone once the suspension legs are off.

3. Pushing the rubber bushes out the lower links is difficult event with a press. Easiest method is press out the central metal bush, then press or burn out the rubber part. Finally cut a slot in the outer metal sleeve being careful not the cut into the lower link. Once you have cut a slot you should be able to remove the sleeve with a punch. If you do cut into the lower link at all then I suggest polishing out the cut to remove any stress raisers.

4. On the esprit forum they suggest the lower through stud will be difficult to remove. This was not too  difficult on mine but the split bush it runs through was well and truly locked into the upright. I had to cut another slot in it and then heat the upright to 150 deg C then use a piece of studding as a puller to ease it out. The suggestion of the stress engineers at work was not to go above 150 deg C otherwise you start to age harden the rear upright material. I used a small blow torch so took quite a long time to get to this temperature. If you use a large blow torch be slightly more circumspect.

5. Be really careful not to damage the threads in the forwards mounts into the chassis. They are 5/16" UNF. If in doubt either run a tap or a bolt with a slot down its length first to clean up the thread.

6. Don't panic.

cheers

Christian

[Dixie237]

Thats good info Christian. Thanks for that. Where did you get your bushes from and which type?

cheers

Dean

[Christian43]

Hi Dean

I used the ones from SJ (their own versions).

I had to reset the toe as it was measuring 5mm in each side. Having done that you can feel the increased confidence in the rear end, although always difficult to tell if its just because I now know the bushes are all good.

If you are doing the bushes definitely check if the drive shaft UJs are in good order.

cheers

C43

[naasaa]

Did you use rubber or poly bushes?

[Christian43]

Poly. From what I understand they last a bit better although tell the truth I don't see the car doing enough miles to make a big difference.

 

[andydclements]

Even Lotus/ Mr Esprit (Brian) recommend poly now, the reason being that the original rubber ones were developed many decades ago so new ones made to the same design are not really the same as the modern rubber has had chemicals removed (for H&S, environmental issues etc) so doesn't have the same properties as the original rubber had when new.

[C43]

good to hear. Tell the truth not changing them again. next job is to get the front bump off are resprayed..