[vr6jettajay]

As the title states I'm looking to stir up some discussion on chassis bushings for the mk2 golf. Currently my vehicle has the standard rubber items. Im preparing to install coilovers, and would like to go ahead and plan to do the control arm bushings, sway bar bushings/endlinks, and rear beam bushings at the same time so I can get 1 alignment.

Anyways to give you a bit of perspective Im not a track goer or race car driver. Only a daily driver enthusiast who has a keen taste for the go pedal and pushing the car to its street limits. I'm aware of the typical increase in road noise, vibration, and harshness on most common 'red' poly bushings. However have you heard of Fulcrum Suspensions and their Super Pro Poly Bushings? They claim unchanging durometer/hardness, and a resilience to return to their original shape after compression, thus controlling NVH. If you have installed these is there a noticeable or unbearable increase in noise?

Please bare in mind that I'm not a professional and would like to hear your constructive opinions or any experiences.

 

[greyhare]

I do not see any VW applications on their site so, they may not be an option.

On the VW A2, A3, A4 front control arms poly is the worse material to use. The design of the bushing in the rear part of the arm will bind and wear.

The best thing is a spherical bearing. (High NVH)

The stock bushing will give the best ride quality but, the R32/TT bushing is a good compromise.

On the rear beam just use new stock bushings.

 

[vr6jettajay]

Here is the url for the search by application Super Pro Search. I already have contacted several suppliers in the U.S. and have gotten prices. I do however want some feedback before ordering roughly $300 in suspension bushings.

 

[vr6jettajay]

To give you an idea of the design and look here a couple pictures of the mk2 control arm bushings and rear beam bushing. The sway bar and end link bushings aren't pictured.

Here is the front control arm bushing

Rear control arm bushing

Rear control arm bushing to increase caster (they also offer a kit that has 1 standard bushing and 1 to increase caster... I imagine for circle track racing)

Rear Beam bushing

 

[superl8]

Do the TT R32 upgrade and you'll be very happy. Poly bushings are pointless harsh and as mentioned above, bind, and end up negatively impacting performance. I did this and it's night and day improvement. I had some poly in my Scirocco - Rattled, squeaked and just plain sucked.

https://www.mjmautohaus.com/catalog...trol_Arm_Bushings_4-PC_TT_R32&products_id=869

 

[vr6jettajay]

Well I havent been to work in a week, but the rear bushings should be on my desk once I get back. Decided for a Daily Driver no point in spending $300 for bushings, when OE is ok, and the R32/TT is a solid replacement.

 

[chois]

Poly bushings will wear out quickly.

They can be effective in the front of the LCA.

They are not a good solution in the rear of the LCA.

My sugestions, in order of increasing performance/location:
a. stock stuff
b. delerin front, R32 rear
c. delerin or spherical bearing front, spherical bearing rear

Expect to replace the front poly bushing in a year, maybe 2 if you let it get really bad.
Expect the rear poly bushing to increase effective spring rate at best, and crack and fail at worst.

I do have the prothane ones on my spare control arms for the race car, as that is what I started with when I built the car. The forces transferred to the rear LCA mounting bolt and the shim between it and the bushing ovaled everythign out and made it a loose fit - defeating the goal of positive location, while making it difficult to work on the front suspension because it was hard to move the control arm down to pop off the ball joint.

I use delerin front and spherical bearing rear bushings now, and like them much better, but the bearings will not enjoy life on a year round street car.

R32 bushing is the way to go for any street car IMO

 

[blufyr3]

So are the R32 bushes essentially exactly the same as the mk2 ones then? As in, they fit exactly like the mk2 ones do?

 

[chois]

So are the R32 bushes essentially exactly the same as the mk2 ones then? As in, they fit exactly like the mk2 ones do?

They are not the same, they are better performing, but they fit exactly the same.

 

[skidplate]

So are the R32 bushes essentially exactly the same as the mk2 ones then? As in, they fit exactly like the mk2 ones do?

They're solid rubber rather than rubber with holes in it.

 

[blufyr3]

Thanks for the help guys.

I just got back from the VW dealer. According to the dude there the R32 bushes are a bit smaller than the mk2 ones. He says they're the same ones used in the Audi A3.

Is there more than one kind of R32 bush? Are those the bushes I'm supposed to get? or do I need to specifically go and ask for the Audi TT bushes?
I'm rather confused now