451 Poly Sway Bar Bushes

If you have a 451, you have probably experienced the noisy front suspension that plagues the model. More often than not it is the rubber bushes that hold the anti roll bar in place. Water and salt get in and increase the friction of the joint making it creak as it moves.

SmartMods Poly Bushes

Polyurethane is an ideal material for bushes, it is harder than rubber and more weather resistant. The added bonus is that changing the bushes is very easy. These are available on the SmartMods site.

Loosen the wheel bolts, jack the front of the car up and remove the wheels. The picture below is looking into the left hand wheel arch as you look at the front of the car (offside, driver’s side on RHD, passenger’s side on LHD).

You can make your life a whole load easier by jacking up both sides at the same time. This unloads the anti roll bar and makes it much easier to manage.

Towards the front of the car is a longitudinal bar with a clamp each end surrounded with rubber.

Remove the 18mm nut.

You can get in very easily with a ratchet.

The front of the clamp swings up and comes off.

You can then slide the old rubber bush out. It is 1 piece with a cut in it. Pull it off the bar.

It’s usually fairly obvious when there’s been wear. Corrosion builds up on the anti roll bar and that wears the bush.

These are the new poly bushes that you will be fitting. They are 1 piece so you will have to slice down 1 edge to be able to slip it over the bar. You can use a knife, hot wire, hacksaw, or even a pair of tough scissors.

Clean the bar and the brackets as any debris can damage the poly bush.

The brackets usually show a bit of rubber build up. This is easy to clean off.

Paste some copper grease, red rubber grease or silicone grease on the outside of the anti-roll bar. I prefer red rubber grease personally but I know many of you will just have copper grease.

Red Rubber Grease.
Red Rubber Grease.
Red Rubber Grease.
Red Rubber Grease.

Open the bush and push it over the bar.

Spin the slot so it faces forwards and slightly down. This aligns the bush and distributes the grease.

Place the clamp back in position, refit the bolt and retighten to 85Nm.

Some sites incorrectly tell you to place the copper grease on the outside edge of the bush. Don’t do this. The anti roll bar is designed to move through the stationary bush. If you grease the outside of the bush it will move from the set orientation and could become damaged.

Remember the polyurethane is not self lubricating like rubber so it’s important to re-grease them every year.

Where Can I Buy These?

SmartMods used to sell Powerflex bushes but the prices were too expensive. SmartMods had their own ones made. Just visit the SmartMods website to buy yours.

SmartMods Anti-Roll Bar Bushes Vs Others

What makes the SmartMods anti-roll bar bushes better than the others on the market?

Powerflex bushes come in 2 parts for each side. SmartMods bushes are 1 piece for a better fit.

Powerflex bushes are pour moulded so have a liquid meniscus on the mating surfaces creating a poor join between the 2 halves. SmartMods bushes are injection moulded under great pressure.

Powerflex bushes are purple, SmartMods bushes are now blue (much nicer than the old green colour).

Powerflex and Polybush bushes have an RRP of £36. SmartMods are only £20.