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The one in your link is not a Superflex but a Superpro. Not all poly bushes are the same quality but do want to go with the flow and name their inferior bushes something with super or flex in their name to 'add some quality'. Fitting a Superpro is replacing again next year.
Jeroen
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I found Superpro excellent on Land Rovers over a period of years.
Flowflex were dreadful as were Britpart.
On Triumphs I tend to use SuperFlex and find they last really well.
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I use Superflex from Chris Witor for the column bush, buying 5 or 6 at a time, such is the demand from my customers! Though i've yet to change one twice on the same car. The club can also supply these.
Steve
For various reasons, it’s probably been more than 20 years since I personally last replaced “rubber” bushes on any car; either my Triumph Toledo or my father’s Ford Sierra XR4x4!
I have no experience of buying, fitting or using polyurethane bushes in any shape or form, or indeed other polyurethane automotive components, so I doubt whether I would be able to distinguish between those of excellent quality & long-term durability from costly “cheap & nasty” imitations, which might fail soon after installation & use!
In addition to the need to replace the steering-column’s “top-hat” shaped bush, I shall probably need to replace most if not all of the front & rear suspension bushes, at least some of which are the original factory-fitted items from 1974.
Having no experience of any polyurethane bushes, I am ignorant of their relative merits re durability and suspension behaviour, compared to original-specification rubber bushes, and am slightly confused by the references to there being various options re different values of polyurethane “hardness”, “stiffness” or other characteristics; especially since no guidance is given about what values are appropriate to what applications!
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For the lower flexi coupling I never had success in replacing the little bushes. The current replacement couplings have a type of rubber that lasts about 5 steering wheel rotations and I found the Superflex bushes also not a great success. I do fit an UJ type as replacement.
Jeroen
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On the lower coupling (FAM1718 in OE part number) i'm with Jeroen and, to be honest, everyone else! The modern aftermarket copies of FAM 1718 are not worth the cheese they are made of, most shed a bush within 6 months/1000miles whichever comes first I've also seen a couple of (much more dangerous) snapped bolts. Total rubbish and not fit for purpose! Because of this, even the diehard traditionalists at T D Fitchetts ("if it's not stock, we don't sell it!") have resorted to selling a UJ fitted coupling.
Also, not all UJ'd couplings are created equal, there are 2 distinct types, the cheaper "pressed" style and the more expensive but far superior "forged" style. From research i've done, the pressed coupling is a refugee from a MKI Escort Group4 rally specialist. As such, it's not QUITE the right spline for a Dolomite/Toledo rack spline, several people (me included) have found play in the joint to the rack spline despite tightening the 5/16" UNF pinchbolt to snapping point! Which is why I refuse to use them and go for the forged option. This is a Triumph 2000 part (T 2000 MkII without PAS) Though some of the usual suspects keep these on the shelf, I usually buy them from Chris Witor too, he always seems to have stock!
Note that whichever UJ'd coupling you go for, it will likely be a tad too long and will necessitate shotening of the intermediate column shaft by around 1/2" and concomitant extension of the bolt sliding flat upwards by the same amount. Takes about 10 mins with a decent angle grinder. However, it's worth all the effort as, once done, it's fit and forget!
Steve
Your observations about the currently available replacement couplings is most disconcerting; especially the poor durability of the eight little bushes! I suspect that a “Hardy-Spicer” type UJ – universal joint would be much more durable.
I am surprised that the short, lower steering-column to steering-rack coupling, didn’t originally feature two of these UJs – universal joints, instead of a single UJ and the strange-looking flexible joint with the eight small rubber bushes.
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Regards.
Nigel A. Skeet
Independent tutor of mathematics, physics, technology & engineering, for secondary, tertiary, further & higher education.
https://www.linkedin.com/profile/view?id=308177758
Upgraded 1974 Triumph Toledo 1300 (Toledo / Dolomite HL / Sprint hybrid)
Onetime member + magazine editor & technical editor of Volkswagen Type 2 Owners' Club