Bush lubrication during fitting

[mrscalex]

Just wondering what people use to lubricate tight bushes during fitting like on the trailing arm and rear beam? I'm just doing my first rear end overhaul and I know these are going to be tight b*ggers.

Possibilities so far:

• Washing up liquid - watered down how much?
• Red grease
• Silicon grease

I believe all these are harmless to the rubber. But I keep wondering if they stay active after fitting and could cause the bush to move in use?

 

[Althulas]

Have you considered poly Bush to make installation a breeze? Used to used hot soapy water for fitting in window screens on older cars with no issues.

 

[Grumps]

My car has had the rear beam bushes and diff bush changed and I don't recall anything being used to be honest. @Lee may correct me though.

 

[Lee]

My car has had the rear beam bushes and diff bush changed and I don't recall anything being used to be honest. @Lee may correct me though.

fiting OEM bushes you will need to plaster the Bush in grease or it will tear itself up on entry. Powerflex bushes just slide in my hand unless your doing the swing arm ones, you’ll need to grease them or they squeak.

 

[mrscalex]

I should have said they were OEM type rubber bushes.

I may still end up with poly bushes on the rear beam if I make a hash of installing the rubber ones. But I like to keep things original where I can. And if I’m honest I didn’t want the extra cost as so much money is being spent elsewhere on the car.

I seem to remember seeing copious amounts of red grease on a trailing arm install photo of yours @Lee . And I expect the same goes for the rear beam. So I’ll get a tub of that. Thank you.

The diff Bush will be poly. From what I can see there is only the BMW part or the poly at the same price. And I don’t want to risk breaking the diff casing pushing the bush in.

 

[Grumps]

fiting OEM bushes you will need to plaster the Bush in grease or it will tear itself up on entry. Powerflex bushes just slide in my hand unless your doing the swing arm ones, you’ll need to grease them or they squeak.

That would make sense. I did the diff bush at Tonys which was poly and it slid straight in, I must have been busy looking busy at yours when you greased the beam bushes up as I didn't see you do that

 

[Mario]

I haven't installed many but when I did I put the new bushes on a container with hot water to soften up and used silicone spray.

 

[Steve Medlock]

The only problems I've had were when i used a rubber lubricant on the rear drop link bushes. It stayed slippery and the links kept slipping off the roll bar. Next time used washing up liquid and the bushes now grip the roll bar.

 

[NZ00Z3]

I use washing up liquid straight from the bottle for trailing arm and beam bushings. No problems so far.