International Lancia Forums

Looking into replacing the wishbones on my Fulvia - understand that S2 bushes are the only ones available and these require a different bolt size when adapting to a S1 car. Are there also size differences of these and the ball joints between 1300cc and 1600cc wishbones? I am thinking of the tubular variety not the later pressed steel ones. Did the 1.6HF and 1600HF have the same joint set up?

There are some older threads on these bushes. Please, use the search function.

Both Paul and myself agree that the series 1 low friction bushes give a better ride than the series 2/3 silent blocs.

I use the term bushes if the part consists of an inner and an outer bush with grease in between. In principle these bushes can rotate 360 degrees in respect to each other.

I use the term silent blocs if the bushes have widely different diameters with rubber of a few mm's thickness in between. These bushes cannot rotate 360 degrees. The hinging effect is obtained by winding and unwinding the rubber. The angle of maxium movement is very low. They have to be mounted very carefully following instructions otherwise they will fail soon. If they are mounted correctly and if they are of good quality, they last very long.

The zero friction bushes are very expensive to make and need regular greasing.

Silent blocs were invented because they are very cheap to make and require no maintenance, not because they perform better.

I am in the process of machining some new ones. See the drawing below. I have left out the dimensions as it costed me quite a bit to calculate and optimize them to very high accuracy. If you wish you can join.

Thanks Huib

Let me know estimated cost of this idea when you have it finalised.

Huib, I am also interested in a set of Series One bushes when available.

Regards, William Hall

Huib, I am also interested in a new set of bushes but I am very near to finish spraying my sub-frame, can you please tell me if you have any news?

Regards,
Manuel.

New bushes should be finished within a couple of days.

Note that if you are restoring an early Fulvia you may have the one piece steel bush at the top, which is almost as long as the M18 bolt.

My bushes are based on the later set up where the bush at the top consists of 3 pieces. You have to re-use the centre bush. It also has to be shimmed so that the upper arm rotates without friction and also without play with the M18 nut FULLY torqued. This is very important and should be done 100% correctly. The original Lancia centre bushes all differ slightly in lenght. The original outer bushes used rubber. So I suppose the exact dimensions of the bushes were not critical. However my bushes are solid chrome steel and higly stable PET made with space age precision. You need M18 shims of 0,1mm and 0,3mm thickness.