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Spitfire Spitfire Wishbone bushing question

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Norton47

Jedi Warrior
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When using poly bushing to replace the original do the wishbones rotate around the poly bushing or around the bolt that goes through the bushing and mount?

The original rubber bushings were tight in the wishbones and it appeared that rotation was around the mounting bolt. The metal bushing inside the rubber bushing allowed the rotation around the mounting bolt.

With the new poly bushings, they seem to fit looser and I am wondering if when installed and the mounting bolts tight, the wishbone arms won't want to rotate around the poly bushing OD.

Also what gets greased to prevent squeaking? OD of bushing, and or between bushing and metal bushing?

Obviously grease would be a good thing between mounting bolt and the metal bushing.
 
I noticed the same thing with poly. I assumed that, once installed, the weight and side-forces on the wishbone would basically press it up against the centre metal bushing anyway, but I wondered the same thing as you have. In operation I have noticed a marked improvement in handling.

I just use some Red Lube on the outside of the poly bushing, nothing between the bush and metal tube. So far no squeaks, but in hindsight I can't see how it would hurt to lightly lube both.

In fact, prior to installing the poly bushes (both wishbone and anti-sway bar), the front suspension used to squeak, but now it is silent! Hopefully it will stay that way for some time to come.
 
The original bushing works by twist of the rubber - that's why you always tighten the nuts with the car weight on the wheels, to avoid preloading them and to get ride height correct. They add somethig to the spring rate, too, and that's why they're not favoured for serious work, the "something" is not accurately predictable.
So far as I'm aware, and I'm not really Triumph-literate, the poly bushings rotate around the inner bushing.
 
Poly bushings will rotate around whichever presents less friction. So grease them both.

The oem rubber bushing would bond to both, and flex in motion, as the previous poster described.
 
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