Anybody Tried the Nolathane Bushes?

john! · Postby **john!** » Tue Jul 01, 2008 6:42 pm

As the title says, anyone fitted them to their car? I was keen to get superpro but Fulcrum are currently quoting a 4 to 5 week delay on getting a new kit together, which is ridiculous, while I can get Nolathane in my hands tyhe same day and much cheaper.

Has anyone tried both, experienced any problems or issues?

Thanks

john

d-mag · Postby **d-mag** » Tue Jul 01, 2008 7:11 pm

I've had Nolathane bushes in previous cars (not in an MX) and they've been great, no complaints at all.
Whats the price difference between the two?

john! · Postby **john!** » Tue Jul 01, 2008 7:25 pm

d-mag, not sure on the pricing on Nolathane off the top of my head, but pretty sure we are talking around 50-60% of the price of superpro. (I work in trade so pricing may be slightly different to retail)

My main reason for asking is I know a lot of their market seems to be to the Commodore/Falcon end of the market, but I am sort of interested in how their bushes for the mx5 stack up compared to superpro, or even the OEM rubber bushes in terms of ride and handling and track/aggressive cornering behaviour. If they compare favourably I am always happy to save a few dollars here so I can blow it on something else. :-)

john

wun911 · Postby **wun911** » Wed Jul 02, 2008 11:07 am

Are they harder or softer than OEM rubber?

Are they harder or softer than super pro?

manga_blue · Postby **manga_blue** » Wed Jul 02, 2008 1:27 pm

Just going from memory:
1. I believe SuperPro and Nolathane are the same hardness: durometer reading 75? Firmish.
2. OEM bushes are around 35-40? Pretty squishy.
3. Energy Suspension urethane bushes are harder: durometer 90? Tooth loosening.

I've got SuperPros. They're still quite comfortable and the handling is much more precise than with OEMS, at least in an NA.

16bit · Postby **16bit** » Wed Jul 02, 2008 1:37 pm

i have got teins all round - do these come with new bushes? if so what ones?

john! · Postby **john!** » Thu Jul 03, 2008 6:42 pm

Sounds like I will be a bit of a guinea pig then, ordered a complete set through work yesterday, along with a pair of Whiteline adjustable sway bars. Bushes worked out around 25% cheaper than superpros, hence I was able to grab sways for not much more.

Just have to get them fitted now...

john

corners · Postby **corners** » Fri Jul 04, 2008 11:23 am

john! wrote:Sounds like I will be a bit of a guinea pig then, ordered a complete set through work yesterday, along with a pair of Whiteline adjustable sway bars. Bushes worked out around 25% cheaper than superpros, hence I was able to grab sways for not much more.

Just have to get them fitted now...

john

Let us know how they go I am keen

Mr Starlet · Postby **Mr Starlet** » Fri Jul 18, 2008 10:09 am

john! wrote:Sounds like I will be a bit of a guinea pig then, ordered a complete set through work yesterday, along with a pair of Whiteline adjustable sway bars. Bushes worked out around 25% cheaper than superpros, hence I was able to grab sways for not much more.

Just have to get them fitted now...

john

Let just know how you go John, GP14 had his OEM replaced with Energy Suspension, mine's half way through. Let me know, we could arrange a test drive to evaluate

.

corners · Postby **corners** » Fri Jul 18, 2008 4:45 pm

I am interested to find out too as i wanna replace my rubber bushes

john! · Postby **john!** » Sat Jul 19, 2008 8:10 am

OK, bushes and sways are in. Initial impression is that the ride is pretty much the same as before. The car is obviously sitting a bit flatter in the corners, but I haven't had a chance to drive it in anger yet. There are certainly fewer creaks and groans from the front end. That is the good part.

On the down side, some of the bushes were not a perfect fit, the steering rack bushes in particular were a touch too large and required extra work. I also found out that my front subframe was bent as a result of piece of concrete on the Ipswich motorway last year so it proved very difficult to get a decent alignment into the car. As it is the front left is still toeing out a tiny bit, however that is better than the 29mm it started with, so a replacement k-frame is next on the cards.

john

john! · Postby **john!** » Thu Aug 07, 2008 12:40 am

OK, had a few weeks to get used to the feel of the new bushes and sways, and I have had a chance to replace the bent front subframe and throw a decent alignment in. At the moment the sways are set on the middle setting, and i am not sure of the exact alignment specs, but the guys at Pedders in Moss St are ex-Fulcrum people and have set up a few 5's before.

Compared to before, the front end has that nice tiny touch of understeer before it gets on with the job, and it is possible to provoke oversteer, but only at speeds which may be considered a touch quick on tight suburban streets (let alone the closed private road I used). The car obviously sits a lot flatter through corners now, without a lot of the floaty nervous feeling from the rear I experienced previously, but I still need a few faster bumpier sweepers to check this out a bit more. Overall it feels as though faster cornering is easier, both for me and the car, it doesn't feel like the tyres are being worked as hard, although I am yet to test the limits of grip, and probably wouldn't want to on a public road.

Overall the car once again feels as though it can accept more power, but currently feels as though it could carry enough cornering momentum through the twisties to keep up with more powerful cars (not that my driving skills are the equal of that). Next task is to freshen up the brakes again with new pads, rotors and braided lines (and maybe a torque box rollbar).

All in all, a worthwhile upgrade that gives definite handling improvement.

john