Here is an aftermarket set of rear radius arm bushings from my 89 after about 2500 miles.

The one that is torn apart was partially connected when I removed my rear cage and I was able to tear it apart with my hands. You can just see daylight between the rubber and metal bushing on the one that looks intact but it is almost completely separated as well.

The front radius arm bushings are also junk, they are also separated and I can spin the radius arm freely on its mounting bolt.

I bought new OEM Jaguar metalastic radius arm bushings as well as rear cage mounts to be sure.

 

Yep.

Metalastic ONLY for there and the front lower bushes.

 

Andy
I had exactly the same experience with the front lower wishbone bushes. They were NOT Metalastic but from a well known supplier who assured me their own brand were just as good. lasted about 1000 km before they looked like the attached photo. And the pain of changing them added insult to injury!
Greg

 

Now I'm worried. I didn't go cheap skate but nor opt for the original ones... Should I worry now?

 

Looks like a URO. Usually the box or bag is higher quality than the part.

 

Never use any aftermarket rubber for something difficult to replace, such as the lower control arm bushing. The money you save it not nearly worth the effort to replace it early.

I have used aftermarket rubber, but only in easy to replace areas....which are relatively few and far between when considering the money saved. I think the front engine mounts are URO. The OEM was just way crazy for what the part was. (a piece of rubber sandwiched by metal that sits in compression most of the time)

Not sure I have found other rubber parts that were so much cheaper that they were worth the gamble. I would consider going aftermarket for the rear suspension mount as well. Not a beast to do again... I'd stick with URO, I ordered an unmarked aftermarket mount from XKs and seemed significantly crappier than the URO part.

 

I agree.

If using all OEM parts, all the time, is beyond your budget you have to be selective where you save money.

Straying just a bit....

When fixing up old cars there's a great temptation to pre-emptively replace parts as a matter of convenience. One of the potential pitfalls of replacing parts on a "while I'm at it" basis.....rather than replacing parts because they actually need replacing....is the possibly of installing a low quality aftermarket part to replace a high quality OEM part that was still serviceable and had years of life left in it.

I'm often faced with these decisions on my current project....which is up against a firm self-imposed budget. I just removed the rear cage and conventional wisdom is to replace the sub-frame mounts 'while you're at it". Well, I've examined the existing mounts and see no sign whatsoever of impending doom. New OEM mounts are pricey.....dollars that could be spent more usefully elsewhere. Aftermarket mounts are often of 'iffy' quality....and this is a safety related item.

I feel better taking my chances using the original mounts!

Cheers
DD

 

Worry is useful only in small doses at certain times.

Don't worry. Just keep an eye on 'em

Cheers
DD

 

As Doug said, (in effect): Yes if you have used non Metalastic on the lower wishbone bushes, and Yes if you have used them on the radius arm bushes and cage mounts on the rear axle. The first because it is such a pain to replace them, the last two are safety critical.
Greg

 

I luckily haven't done the rear yet. On the fronts, I didn't use OEM Jaguar parts nor the cheapest of cheapest...

How can you tell if it is metalastic or not? The bushes look the same as the ones were in the wishbones before!?

 

I think this will be useful...
I buy parts and put them on the self to use later...
I'll start making sure I buy better quality parts than I have been...

 

I thought about going back through my receipts to see where I bought control arm bushings (I bought parts from Terrys, SNG, eBay and Amazon) but I'm going to use the defense mechanism "suppression" which is the healthiest version of denial (repression in between the two). Suppression is the equivalent of "I'll think about that later."

I think most of us know that aftermarket is rarely as good but I typically think about aftermarket in terms of 1/2 the life of OEM. My radius arm bushings and your lower control arm bushings experience is f*cking joke.

 

The rear cage mounts on the junkyard 1994 cage/differential I bought had no discernible cracks or tears.... And the rear radius bushings looked fine....

But I couldn't do it! I couldn't use the originals. But! at least I bought OEM replacements.

I understand you exactly. I have a 1999 Infiniti Q45 and years ago bought a junkyard OEM alternator off of a car with 175K miles. I trust an OEM 175k mile alternator more than a rebuilt one from a store.

 

There is more than the risk of replacing an existing part with an inferior part
when considering "don't fix what ain't broke".

Sometimes the factory installation technique is far superior to anything
achievable or reproducible in the field.

Two examples:

- windshields and backlights where they are structural members.
i put up with sand pits rather than risk replacing the windshield

- dynamic wheel alignments performed on early corvettes at the factory
there are pictures of a guy standing in a pit while rollers whiz the wheels
to a high rate of speed and he adjusts while everything is in motion.