[Closed] DU Bushings, what do you reckon?

Try polymer bushing and a steel pin (heavy duty) bush kit. Some bike wear one end pretty quickly.

I'd also check the back end for alignment as two set in 4 months is quick. Also are you changing the spacers at the same time as the du bush as slightly worn ones will wear the du alot quicker.

Its on Blur LTc, the shop have said that it may be an alignment issue although i hope not as the bike is only 4 months old.

Whats the cost of a heavy duty kit?

and no the bush kit wasn't changed, but then again shouild it have to be after only 2 months?

For kits TF best bet as I'm still sorting these.

If the du has worn the spacers probably have too, but I'd definatly check the alignment of the back end.

Cheers Loco

I think there have been a few issues with blur Lt's eating DU's.The alu demo bike where I worked went through them like no ones business.Changed links but it just seems like 'one of those things'... like prophets and old stuntjumpers.

🙄 doesn't want to be 😈

Loco, what do you think of the needle roller type shock bushes ?

Looking at the sc forum on mtbr certainly won't help then....

Needle rollers arent the greatest things for shock pivots, generaly bearings dont like big loads, and do like to be spun quickly, bushings like big loads and little movement, which is why turner owners aren't on here every week asking where to get replacement bushings.

If you solve the bushing wear with heavy duty kits or bearings you might well find you increace wear elsewhere. Could either be an alignment issue (which plagued old spesh bikes) or a stiffness issue (the prohets problem).

spoon has covered the issues with the needle rollers in shocks eyelets, a DU bush is the better option.

Always having to change the lower shock bushing on my Blur XC. Got about 10 rides out of the last one. I have a TF heavy duty kit, and it's still crap. Even worse, it's an old XC, so I have to bash out the axle to get the shock out every time!

The spherical bearings in the 5th Element shock I used to have was much better at handling sideloading and poor alignment.

Top bushing never goes on the Blur though, just the lower one.

Neil

Cheques in the post mate. What da hell is going on with thee bike kid. this is not right

Interesting....... Although they are easy to change on mine i don't want to be changing them every 6-8 weeks! I'm going back to Stif for the alignment to be checked Saturday 🙄

I recently got the heavy duty steel spacers and hula hoop bushes from BETD

Seem very well made - time will tell on the wear but they claim 3-5 times long life than a DU bushing

I'm taking it back for a set to fitted under warranty once more so we'll see what happens after that.

my Blur LTc munched through the lower bushing in a few months. Worst squeak I have ever had on a bike. I replaced it with a heavy duty one from TFTuned, which is lasting way longer.

Are tf tuned the only people that do these heave duty kits?

You have 3 main types od bushes available for now DU which is a grey colour is sintered lead, reasonable tough. DP4 which is a red colour is sintered Bronze and about twice as tough.

Then you have complex polimer bushes which are a cream colour and are used in shock bushes and older MTB pivot points. These will last on average twice as long as the DP4 however cost about £4 or £5 each.

That said some bikes run spherical or rose joint bearings, for example the Specialized Enduro with a 5th element 05/06 and the specialized epic 03 to 08.

If you're going through bushes quickly check the colour, then upgrade. I have DP4 and complex polimer bushes in stock, if you want to chat about options give me a shout.

Are you changing the bushes yourself?

neil853 - Member
Are tf tuned the only people that do these heave duty kits?

No! I can supply you with a set, so could a few other companies. They cost more but last longer.

Check the colour and determine what bushes you're Running, here's a photo of the DU and DP4
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/2X-5TH-ELEMENT-SHOCK-BUSH-DP4-Performance-Bushes-kit-/140509965071?pt=UK_sportsleisure_cycling_bikeparts_SR&hash=item20b70beb0f

Get the alingments checked as well, some are way out!

IGUS do loads of bushes and thrust washers for a massive variety of applications. My Nicolai has them on all the pivots except the main one which is a needle roller type onto a case hardened steel shaft. As somebody mentioned above, using spherical bearings on the shock mounts is a good idea. Whilst they are initially more expensive than your normal hula-hoop they seem to last much longer, especially if you can fit some additional O rings or similar to give an extra seal.

In my pedals (Time) I use Iglidur J type, costing approx. £3.50 each.

The bushings on the Helius are a different material, but I bought them direct from Nicolai, not Igus. The thrust washers are Iglidur H or H370 I think, and cost approx £2:50 each.

IGUS= [url=www.igus.co.uk/default.asp?C=GB&L=en]Website[/url]
Telephone number is 01604 677240. They are really helpfull people, and recently sent me a welcome pack full of lots of freebies!

Thanks guys, i'm going to get it back to Stif for them to check the alignment and fit some new bushinmgs under warranty. If/when these wear out i'll try some of the neavier duty ones.

Appreciate the advice guys thank you.

I thought this would be a thread about very heavy bike parts fitted directly beneath the crown jewels....

You have 3 main types od bushes available for now DU which is a grey colour is sintered lead, reasonable tough. DP4 which is a red colour is sintered Bronze and about twice as tough.

Then you have complex polimer bushes which are a cream colour and are used in shock bushes and older MTB pivot points.

Epic fail, multiple levels.

What do you mean thisisnotaspoon?

You want G type Igus bearings for shock mounts.

thisisnotaspoon, no it's not, it's a numpty!

thisisnotaspoon, no it's not, it's a numpty!

Eh?!

lots of people on the Turner mtbr forum were fitting these needle eye kits:

http://www.enduroforkseals.com/id275.html

I have them, they reduce the initial stiction of the shock movement so make things plusher.

Between the 09 and 10 turner bikes they starting fitting an upgraded RP23 with a better DU bushing which had less stiction to the shock movement.

You have 3 main types od bushes available for now

Plenty more are used in suspension, and off the top of my head there are at least a few more used in shock bushes on MTBs, but I'd have to check theyre not just trade names.

red colour is sintered Bronze

Bronze ones that aren't red are pretty common too.

complex polimer

1) It's spelt polymer
2) I've no idea what a complex polymer is, but a polymer complex does exist, but AFAIK no one has ever used one in bushings, complex chemicals are more common in things like chemotherapy for keeping the seriously nasty stuff from killing you.

DU which is a grey colour is sintered lead

DU typicaly refers to something like a steel sleve, with a sintered bronze lining, and a polymer/lead mixture impregneated into it/coated onto it.

DU typicaly refers to ....

depleted uranium

I know what the bushes are made from and how they are made, I just don't see ther point in putting it all in.

As for being an epic fail, if it wasn't this is a spoon, you wouldn't be able to be right now, would you?

Now be silent! that is the online equivalent of an epic fail

Have to say, tinas comes off better IMO...

😯

All you have done this is not a spoon 😯 is add in extra info about the bushes, how does what you have written enable average riders to idetify what kind of bushes they have or determine the best options open to them?

thisisnotaspoon - Member

You have 3 main types od bushes available for now

Plenty more are used in suspension, and off the top of my head there are at least a few more used in shock bushes on MTBs, but I'd have to check theyre not just trade names.

There may be tina however those are the most popular bushes in use and therefore the main ones!

Bronze ones that aren't red are pretty common too.

As stated before the point of saying that the red lined bushes are DP4 is to identify them, all bushes of that kind use a sintered bronze layer on a steel sleave, this enables the PTEE or PTFE + lead or bronze layer to adhere to the bush.

The bottom line is tina, all you have done is tried to discredit what I'm saying in an attempt to be right, I on the other hand have enabled actual riders to idetify different types of bushes available to them.

Look people this was just a question to gain some information on shock DU bushes and they're longevity, which i've got, all the rest is not needed. 🙄

No, you claimed there were lead sintered bushes, which may as well be in the chocolate teapot thread, and bronze sinter bushes, lead is a pretty minor component in one (IIRC to disipate heat through the polymer) and both are bronze sinters.

Stick to selling stuff with accurate descriptions, 90% of the stuff you post on this forum would fall foul of the new advertising standards regulations.

thisisnotaspoon - Member
No, you claimed there were lead sintered bushes, which may as well be in the chocolate teapot thread, and bronze sinter bushes, lead is a pretty minor component in one (IIRC to disipate heat through the polymer) and both are bronze sinters.

Stick to selling stuff with accurate descriptions, 90% of the stuff you post on this forum would fall foul of the new advertising standards regulations.

What does sintered mean Tina S ❓

From a casual observer it seems that Kaesae is trying to be as helpful as possible to the OP. Thisisnotaspoon is being a nit picky c0ck! You're attitude stinks fella!

Kaesae is trying to be as helpful as possible to the OP

...he is trying to sell him something. Although the OP might get them free to try?

sv - Member

Kaesae is trying to be as helpful as possible to the OP

...he is trying to sell him something. Although the OP might get them free to try?

Hello SV, how are you ❓ first we need to determine what kind of bushes the shock is running.

For that neil853 needs to understand what the different inner lining colours mean. Grey is DU, red is DP and if the bushes are cream coloured then it's a polymer for arguments sake.

Although the DU and DP bushes are identical they use a different kind of metal. Both are steel with a layer of sintered or porous bronze, attached to the porous bronze is PTEE impregnated metal. However there isn't really any point in going into all that. DP4 will out last the DU bushes,

Here's an extract from online.

The material of DP4 bushing is similar with DU bushing. According to the material is different, the color of inner layer is red. DP4 bushing has good wear and friction performance over a range of loads, speeds and temperature conditions. DP4 bushing has a very good performance in oil lubricated heavy duty hydraulic application. DP4 bushing offers benefits in applications where corrosion of the lead in DU may occur. DP4 offers improved wear and friction performance along with good chemical resistance compared to DU. It is applied to the forming machines, office equipment, medical and scientific equipment, packaging equipment, pneumatic and hydraulic cylinders, pumps and motors, railroad and tramways, textile machinery, valves, etc.

http://www.bombayharbor.com/Product/39066/Dp4_Bushing_Sliding_Bearing.html

Check to see if the bush is grey in colour, if it is then upgrade, however you should also be looking to make sure there aren't any other factors causing the excellerated wear.

Gice me a shout via my email and I'll try and help out, gotta go I have a lot on!

Hello SV, how are you

Kaesae - I am great, heading to Jockland for some Stanes action this weekend. How are you?

What is PTEE? Maybe I will learn something today 😉

Hey, I'm good, but a bit tired, if your bike needs any emergency repairs give me a shout, I have loads of stuff lying about 😀

PTEE is a polymer similar to PTFE which is also know as teflon. A very slippery substance but also quite soft.

They use it in bushes to reduce friction however they have to add a metal also to make it more durable.

What kind of bike do you have?

My single pivot Mt Visions used to get through DU bushes every 4 to 6 weeks. Marin/Whyte brought out a bearing kit that sorted the problem, it used the same full complement deep groove bearings they used in their pivots and had a lifetime warranty. I've been trying to get hold of another set without luck though. 🙁

I was trying to find out the full name for PTEE, like PTFE is polytetrafluoroethene.

I have a Spesh Pitch and an Inbred. We are avoiding the big city but thanks for the offer.