I went to install the bottom arms in to my Moke subframe and grabbed the new set of Nolathane bushes that I've had sitting around for ages. I did not realise there was a difference between early and later arms and of course these new bushes are the wrong ones for the arms I was planning on using.

I don't mind buying the taper bushes for these arms, but thought I'd ask for views on which are better? I'm sure i'd be able to find some early arms around here if need be...

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Probably 6 and one-half dozen to the other since you are going Nothane.

I found Nolathane flows out of shape after a while.
May be OK on a racer, but I went back to the stock tapered bushes, they are bulletproof.

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DrMini- 1970 wasaMatic 1360, Mk1S crank, 86.6HP (ATW) =~125 @ crank, 45 Dellorto (38 chokes), RE282 sprint cam, 1.5 rockers, 11.0:1 C/R.

yeah, early are straight with flanges on the end,,, & late are tapered

I don`t like Nolathane bushes, they deform very quiclkly & are not designed to flex like they`re supposed to,,, the original rubber bushes are meant to be fitted in the spot where the car would normally sit & do them up in that spot,,, so the bushes flex,,, the nolathane ones have grease supplied & are meant to slip,,, that is "half" their problem

i don`t really care which (early or late design) ones i use but the tapered type are better designed for the angle that the arm has to be/makes through the travel

i had "special" bushes made for large mini shops in England, they`re the very best you can get,,, but sorry i`m out.

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No offence intended here but--> anyone writing a book about minis 30 years ago may not have experienced such worn or stuffed-with components as we are finding these days.

You should put your heart & soul into everything you do.

I bought a set of Minispares adjustable lower arms this month, and they came with those funny crooked offset bushes.
I don't like the look of them so I'll fit stock tapered ones.

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DrMini- 1970 wasaMatic 1360, Mk1S crank, 86.6HP (ATW) =~125 @ crank, 45 Dellorto (38 chokes), RE282 sprint cam, 1.5 rockers, 11.0:1 C/R.

I fitted some of those last month, will see how they go, they put quite an angle on the bottom arm!

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speed costs....how fast do you want to go...

Yeah Doc, i`m not a fan of those either,,, why would anyone want them when you have the adjustability in the arm itself??? weired ,,, even more weired that they sent you those "With" adjustable arms ???? crickey... & the pohms think "we`re" dumb

i can imagine that "Some" people would see "some" merit in them if their particular race class rules didn`t allow the use of adjustable arms, so therfor those off-set bushes may come in handy in that circumstance,,, but i`d expect that who-ever uses them may need to change them out every 2nd race meeting (or so),,, they couldn`t possibly last any length of time.

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No offence intended here but--> anyone writing a book about minis 30 years ago may not have experienced such worn or stuffed-with components as we are finding these days.

You should put your heart & soul into everything you do.

The way I have them fitted, as per the instructions, they bring the outer end of the lower arm foward, so the bush is not distorted by the Tie bars pulling them foward when correcting the castor. - Or so I thought?

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speed costs....how fast do you want to go...

Yes, that's the theory.
I might fit them (since they are in the kit) and see how long they last... if they die I'll fit stock ones instead.

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DrMini- 1970 wasaMatic 1360, Mk1S crank, 86.6HP (ATW) =~125 @ crank, 45 Dellorto (38 chokes), RE282 sprint cam, 1.5 rockers, 11.0:1 C/R.

I fitted mine with the offset bushes about 12 months ago and they are still OK. It is a daily driver and has done about 15000 km since fitting.
Cheers Pete

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A recent study found the average Aussie walks about 900 miles a year
Another study found Aussies drink, on average, 22 gallons of alcohol a year
That means, on average, Australians get about 41 miles per gallon

Kind of makes you proud to be an AUSSIE