Just had my LCR polybushed- Review

DOLBY

Active Member
Jun 24, 2006
2,934
98
North of London
www.facebook.com
Hi,
Ok, so i had planned on doing this for a long long time and it wasnt until i see that AmD were doing an offer on them that i jumped at the chance. However AmD are miles away so i asked my local place (the TT shop) that they said they can price match it.

I have had KWV3s now for around 15k/18months or so now, and i am very happy with them. But it was still only 'half a job'. My sole purpose is to make this car the car it should of been from the factory, so the bushes should of been changed at the same time. Hence the "half a job" quote. The suspension had been choppy for a while...i assume due to the deterioration of the rubber bushes. But still, i had no impending advisories in MOT so i suppose i beacame lazy. Well to say i was looking forward to the installation was a lie. More like scared to death!! I have a friend who drove a Rover 220 that apparantly was Powerflex'd up, and tbh it was so uncomfortable it was laughable. Either it had cheapo coilovers or the bushes themselves were a complete waste of money. Admittadly it handled, but c'mon, a decent handling car doesnt have to be bone rattling hard. This isnt the 1980s anymore. Technology has moved on.....

Ok, so to the review:
Dave and the boys had my car for a total of 2 days, as i had new brakes all round and a new front R32 anti roll bar installed too. Dropped off my courtesy car (the milk carton ie Nissan Note) and saw my car roll in from the test drive and completed MOT.
Dave ran through all the allignment with me, how the V3s will complemented by these mods and the required settings for the coilovers etc etc.
He mentioned to me after i asked him how uncomfortable the ride will now be that "after he came back from fitting them (the mechanic) he put in an order asap for his own car as he was so impressed with them." Obviously this was a good sign. Dave also told me "this is one of the best handling LCRs he has driven. Well this side of a LSD" :D

Once behind the wheel, i turned the key and sat for a few minutes to test the NVH (noise, vibration, harshness). Well this was an instant pass as there was none, at all. A while ago (4 years) i had the powerflex dogbone mount bush fitted, and after start up the steering was shaking like mad! So ok, still impressed. I moved the steering, it felt tight.

So moving off, the NVH was still suppressed totally. At slow speed there is virtually no noise. I had my windows open, radio off etc and still very very smooth. At the first junction turned right, steering was very precise. If you turn it a little bit you can feel the car respond. Im still very impressed. Ok so now i plant my foot and you can feel the whole car hunker down but at the same time very very direct. The tyres stayed full of traction which im sure the dogbone mount bush was working overtime to contain. The steering never violently threw me either side. I should include that i had the 'steering mount rack bush' fitted too and wow what a great mod.

The choppyness in the car seems to of disappeared. Im unsure how many folks have read my thread and me complaining about how uncomfortable my ride is...well it actually seems much much better. A lot of people say the car feels like new and they are right. It almost seems like the car knows it is now at its best, so all the parts are working together as one. I now call the ride 'fluidy'. Its not really comfortable and its defo not uncomfortable either. Very fluidy.

I took the car around some of the roads that i like to really floor it. A lot of sweepng right handers and quick lefts and omg any mark 1 Leon or LCR driver will be so impressed with these bushes it is unreal. I have a favourite left turn that i go round and after 5 years im fairly sure i know my car inside out, but dear lord i took it a bit faster than normal, realised that i was indeed going a bit quick for the corner and turned into it as soon as i could and the whole car dug in and gripped like crazy. I laughed out loud. A guy at work told me the SuperPros have a job to do, and they do their job very very well indeed. Well he wasnt wrong. Apparantly these are the best bushes on the market for VAG cars atm and i can see why.

Ok to summarise. I wholeheartedly recommend these bushes to anybody that like to 'drive' their car. Dont worry about any NVH as there is virtually none that i can feel or recall. Dave told me they are expensive but the return on them is fantastic, as it makes your ride amazing. The car feels tight, secure and fluid. It is an amazing mod and im glad i did it. (Dont forget that i was having sleepness nights over how uncomfortable the ride will be....dont worry it wont be).

I should be going to the RR day at AmD next month, so if anyone wants a drive to see for themselves then they are welcome. Im glad the car is what i set it out to be. Also it still looks 100% standard too. Im not big headed, but this car really does handle now. Its amazing. I actually think it doesnt even need a rear ARB too as everything feels just right.

These are the bushes:

SuperPro Polybushes:
Front Control Arm, front bush kit.
Front Control Arm, rear bush kit.
Lower engine steady, front bush kit.
Lower engine steady, rear bush kit.
Dogbone Mount Bush Kit.
Rear Axle Pivot Bush Kit.
Front Anti-Roll Bar to Chassis bush kit.
Steering Rack Mount Bush Kit)

Cheers for reading
 

DOLBY

Active Member
Jun 24, 2006
2,934
98
North of London
www.facebook.com
Dude it was 18 high...nearly fainted heheh.

Ok, just a quick update on my current supension mods for others to compare with their own rides.

KWV3 coilovers
SuperPro polybushes
R32 front Arb/ SuperPro bushes
Front & rear strut braces
Rear 15mm spacers

thanks
 

Ronin225

Active Member
Jan 17, 2008
4,652
22
Worcester
Told you that you'd not regret it.
Give it a few weeks to settle in as they will change a little
With regard to the rear ARB it enhances the drive even more, especially as you've got a bigger front one
 

DOLBY

Active Member
Jun 24, 2006
2,934
98
North of London
www.facebook.com
At one point i hardly noticed that i had them fitted until i came to a corner lol. Thing is i got to be careful as im bedding my brakes in atm so slow slow slow for a 1000 miles or so.
 

Phillc

Love is....Yellow
Apr 23, 2007
4,170
20
Pershore, worcestershire
Another fully polly Leon welcome to the club, i still have a silly grin on my face when i go round corners, what size rear arb have you got? Yeah should bed the brakes in......oh about half an hour, i think Bill has a guide on his page.
 
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LEE69

Stage 2 Revo'd
Dec 10, 2004
21,262
74
C\UK\Devon\Torquay
Different brakes need different bedding in procedures get it wrong fooked brakes, or should i say not performing as well as the should.
 

t0m

LCR 225
Apr 29, 2007
8,133
7
Kent
Nice. Defo want to get this done more than ever now and it will be happening soon :D AmD are doing mine.

Great stuff.

Get a rear ARB now mate ;)
 

t0m

LCR 225
Apr 29, 2007
8,133
7
Kent
Mate I might have to take you up on the offer at the RR day cheers! Mine desperately needs it doing and yeah I'll be getting the full hog not missing a single bush :D

I just need the front ARB and this bushkit then I'm done, unless I get a Wavetrac diff later in the year..
 
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Gravesie-363

LCR 225
Aug 4, 2009
353
0
Darlington
That's not a bad price for the full set up like :) I'm Gunna have a read through your thread now, had mine for 2 and a bit years now and haven't really done a great deal with it due to money, but just ordered full cobra exhaust system for it along with jet wash, snowfoam and plenty of other stuff :)

Good review bud
 

Lee M

Guest
Good write up mate. I always wish I'd done that to my LCR it was recommended, but I sold it before I committed to fitting.

Glad you're happy with it. Nothing worse than paring with cash only to be dissappointed.


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