I need to make a decision in the next couple of weeks as have both the mk2 and mk3 beams coming back from blasting. Do I go poly for ease of install or rubber? Car is a 99% road use only. I've read on forums conflicting reports on poly type bushes being no good for locations like the rear axle, whilst others stand by them. I have contacted a couple of companies (super pro and flow flex). Superpro said "The internet in a way is correct the rear beam does need to rear steer to ensure the car handles correctly and fitting the incorrect designed PU bush can adversely effect the handling of the Golf. SuperPro have been involved in all VW race series over the past 15 years plus and thus understand what is required to make a rear beam bush work." Are all polys the same? Any suspension experts on the forum able to explain? I don't want to install something if it takes a positive feature away - understand the rubber bushes allow some movement of the beam but do polys allow some as well? Edit to add I've read Superpro are similar to OEM rubber in harshness - any experience of this?
Standard, standard, standard. IMO. I’ve refitted everything on mine OEM. I had poly bushes on my old one and never again. It was awful.
im a moaning t&*T and have nothing bad to say about the poly ones , no downsides or funny buisness , they just felt "new"
I'd go rose joints for everything.....but I'm 99% race lol. Seriously - my mk2 rally car had poly bushed front arms, and I recently changed to Vibra Technics for the back bush and harder polybush for the fronts and its so much better, you can feel the suspension working now, even with 450lbs front springs and race dampers, where as it was quite harsh before......ok, its all relative! Link here...don't know how to do it properly, might work? - https://clubgti.com/forums/index.ph...olf-road-rally-car.268592/page-6#post-2501722 Now Poly works fine when it's just working as a solid pivot bush housing, but when the movement is required at 90 degrees to the bolt, then its clear it won't work, so no idea why anyone thought it would. Maybe on a circuit where limited movement is required, bu as soon as you start using the kerbs it all goes out of the window....or rather up in the air as the suspension cant react! The rear of my MK2 has poly and I'm sure it is far from Ideal but the 3D movement is far less on the back, but I'm sure that Vibra Technics would work better on a MK2, however as the rear is less important and the car tends to follow the front wheels so not such a big issue. But even the works cars went for rose joints not solid pivots, so a degree of 3D was still considered useful even with hard springs, dampers and ARB's. The beam does twist and the twist changes toe and camber depending on where the load is applied, its designed to do that and to take all of that away can't be a good thing as its integral to the chassis design. So in summary, on a road car I would stay away from Poly if not fitted already, std bushes are ok and are designed for the job, but quality is very variable these days so pick supplier carefully, but consider Vibra Technics. They will probably work very well, be decent quality and not affect the NVH factors much either, but they aren't cheap....but then decent kit generally isn't.
Interesting Tony - I had not come across vibra technic bushes. I knew about their engine mounts and have one of the front of my vr6 corrado. This rear bush looks a beefier version of the oem sleeved rear bush and possibly easier to install with it's flat faced design https://www.vibra-technics.co.uk/vw/golf_jetta_mk_ii/395/VAG990B/rr_beam_pivot_bushes_single
