Topic

I am replacing the standard suspension on my LE500 with the VHS Comfort Pack Bilsteins.

The Chinese TFs have different bottom mounting bolts - this is irrelevant to the issue I'm bringing up but are shown here as a matter of interest.

The hole in the bottom damper bush is 13mm ID. This is the same as the standard Chinese and all the MGR TF dampers.

The OD of the above bolts and all the MGR damper bolts is a fraction under 12mm.

There is a >0.5mm clearance all round the mounting bolt.

Does anyone other than me think this is strange? I've spoken to the MGOC (i.e. Roger Parker) and confirmed with Andy Kitson that the bolts and holes are as designed but no-one can tell me why the clearance needs to be so big. The generic answer is "It was designed that way" - therefore it is de-facto needed.

I don't think so!

Anyway, I have had some sleeves machined to take up the clearance. There is still a nominal clearance between the mounting bush and the sleeve but not as much as 0.5mm.




The sleeves are all slightly smaller in length than the bush despite the shot appearing to show otherwise.

Anyone have a view as to why I should not do this?

Hi . I think you are doing what needs to be done , ie without the sleeve taking up that gap there would be play. Having worked for The London Taxi Company some time ago where the parts were sourced from China , this sort of thing used to happen all the time . Rather annoying all the same. Lets face it , in my opinion no matter how tight the nylock nut is on the bolt eventually there would be an annoying knock/rattle start from that area. . . . John

sworkscooper wrote: wrote:

Hi . I think you are doing what needs to be done , ie without the sleeve taking up that gap there would be play. Having worked for The London Taxi Company some time ago where the parts were sourced from China , this sort of thing used to happen all the time . Rather annoying all the same. Lets face it , in my opinion no matter how tight the nylock nut is on the bolt eventually there would be an annoying knock/rattle start from that area. . . . John

Does the lower bush not fit inside the upper arm as on a TF. If so tightness must be irrelevant surely as the bolt is only keeping the bush locked in the arm.

Only a novice so I don't know regarding the 500.

john and Jake the dog wrote: wrote:

sworkscooper wrote: wrote:

Hi . I think you are doing what needs to be done , ie without the sleeve taking up that gap there would be play. Having worked for The London Taxi Company some time ago where the parts were sourced from China , this sort of thing used to happen all the time . Rather annoying all the same. Lets face it , in my opinion no matter how tight the nylock nut is on the bolt eventually there would be an annoying knock/rattle start from that area. . . . John

Does the lower bush not fit inside the upper arm as on a TF. If so tightness must be irrelevant surely as the bolt is only keeping the bush locked in the arm.

Only a novice so I don't know regarding the 500.

Yes it does..but only by a small bit..not enough IMO...and this is not just an issue with the Chinese TFs..it's the same with MGR TFs...the only difference is that the Chinese TFS had the special machined stud with a collar. The MGR TFs had a standard bolt. Same issue with torque relaxation allowing the bush to move and the bolt/stud to stress.