How long did your last set of Lemforder Wishbones last

[TheBoy]

I am aware some members have had issues with Lemforder wishbones. If you've used them in the last 5 years, can you vote?

Also, add a reply saying what failed on them, eg front bush, rear bush, balljoint, structural.

TIA

[Marks DTM Calib]

Front bushes failed and rear bushes starting to split, just udner two years and spotted at MOT (hence pretty bad!).

I was also not that impressed with the quality of the formed steel in some places.

Not worth the money in my opinion (as they are far from cheap!) and particularly when you consider that the ball joints are a rare failure (despite you and Jimbob seeing this it is not common) and the rear bushes can be changed with a good vice.

[Jimbob]

Front in under a year, balljoint in 18 months on mine.

never again.

merle HD for me next time

were brand new from allgerman.

[Marks DTM Calib]

Told you so 

[TheBoy]

Front bushes failed and rear bushes starting to split, just udner two years and spotted at MOT (hence pretty bad!).

I was also not that impressed with the quality of the formed steel in some places.

Not worth the money in my opinion (as they are far from cheap!) and particularly when you consider that the ball joints are a rare failure (despite you and Jimbob seeing this it is not common) and the rear bushes can be changed with a good vice.

I think they are about £45 each, give or take. So not massively more expensive than 2 rear GM bushes (from memory, about £20+VAT each?) and a new balljoint (Lemforder, about £16).

And around same life (going on previous rear bushes fitted to the Elite - these are shot to the point that braking is like Russian Roulette, but passed MOT 2 weeks ago ).

Thus the dilema.

If it wasn't for you and Jimbob's problems, I would have bought the Lemforder ones without questioning. Given that we are only looking at a few £10s difference, and they are a ballache to change, and the cost of alignment, I'm looking for the option that will last the longest.

[feeutfo]

Ball joints on 3 sets of refurbed wishbones. In fact, all the refurbed ones I've seen.

Ball joints, it seems, will not outlast 2 sets of bushes. 1 yes, then knocks will follow.

But for me, the deciding factor is the driver in this case. Polly fronts will give less, so less yaw on the rearward bush.

The ideal would be if Lemforder supplied the bones cheaper minus the front bush. Never going to happen though.

Agree though lemforder are expensive just to remove the front bush, but it's the most reliable option IMO.

Where as Tunnie was happy to fit polly AFTER the front bush had failed.

[Marks DTM Calib]

Well there you go then, Lemforder ball joints and vx rear bushes on existing wishbones = a better solution at lower cost 

Simples!

[Lazydocker]

I'm following this thread with some interest as I need to do mine in the near future Although I'm hoping to hold off long enough to change Rear Doughnuts and shocks and springs all at the same time, then geometry

[TheBoy]

Well there you go then, Lemforder ball joints and vx rear bushes on existing wishbones = a better solution at lower cost 

Simples!

Balljoint both sides, or just the side with play, doing the other as and if/when it develops play?

[Lazydocker]

Well there you go then, Lemforder ball joints and vx rear bushes on existing wishbones = a better solution at lower cost 

Simples!

Balljoint both sides, or just the side with play, doing the other as and if/when it develops play?

Personally, if there's play in one then the other can't be far away so change both. Then you know it's all done and setup should be ok for a year or so

[tunnie]

Only done about 2k on lemforders so far on the Elite, (in about a year!) happy so far, but you all know what my driving habits are like. 

[feeutfo]

Well there you go then, Lemforder ball joints and vx rear bushes on existing wishbones = a better solution at lower cost 

Simples!

Cash and security v agro time and the risk of a failure or damage or an error when fitting. The worst bush was suspected when the bolts where loose last year(?) almost from the outset iirc.

He has two cars to keep up with and drives them both hard. He can afford it, and IMO shouldn't scrimp. Especially given the state of his bump stops, as TB knowd, which show the sort of driving the car sees, the nutter.

Cost is the least important consideration IMO. I've been dragged round the lanes with him.

[TheBoy]

Well there you go then, Lemforder ball joints and vx rear bushes on existing wishbones = a better solution at lower cost 

Simples!

Cash and security v agro time and the risk of a failure or damage or an error when fitting. The worst bush was suspected when the bolts where loose last year(?) almost from the outset iirc.

He has two cars to keep up with and drives them both hard. He can afford it, and IMO shouldn't scrimp. Especially given the state of his bump stops, as TB knowd, which show the sort of driving the car sees, the nutter.

Cost is the least important consideration IMO. I've been dragged round the lanes with him.

I think, what the debate has now become is:

Are GM bushes better than Lemforder bushes?
and
Are 9yr old GM wishbones more structurally sound than the current crop of Lemforders?


As I said earlier, the actual cost differences are minimal, when taken together with alignment costs and hassle factor.

[Marks DTM Calib]

What we can infer is:

Polys sort the front bushes

We have some confidence in the GM and lemforder rear bushes

We have no confidence in the Lemforder front ones.

Ball joints are an unknown (although genuine do last and Lemforders may)

And your still saying fit Lemforders 

Hence why I say fit the best bits to existing ones as the major effort is removal and re-fitting

[Paddy Flannery]

My original arms and bushes lasted 107,000 miles and failed MOT on front bushes last year.
El cheapos fitted to get through MOT and still solid at last weeks passed MOT. The tester was interested in the Omega and gave the arms a good going over with a breaker bar. Solid.
I kept my original arms and intend to polly the front and fit new GM rear bush and balljoint.
Will the original arms still be ok ? They seem fine. Has anybody done this in the past ?

Cheers folks, enjoy your weekend.