Suspension: Torque Rod Bushes...

[JJKM]

Hi all, new to the forum but have a 1991 240 estate, and loving it so far! It has had an annoying rattle for a while and having investigated, I am putting it down to the torque rod bushes (or so I believe they are called). I went to order them from the usual parts shop but they were struggling to find them but when I look online, they seem to be about in abundance. I'm just wondering if I am perhaps using an Americanised name for this name and is there a more common English term? I can't say I had come across this set up and had to look at a diagram to find out what they were called anyway (so far only used to series landies!). I looked up an OE number but the the parts shop seem to think they are trailing arm bushes... I know what I want certainly aren't trailing arm bushes!

Can anyone offer a bit of guidance and perhaps how much these should be costing/part number/alternative name so that I can double check before ordering. The shop will not accept a return as they are special order so don't want to be stuck with the wrong things!

Thanks all in advance.

[stephend]

Not sure what you mean by "torque rod"...

If you mean the rod that runs more or less parallel to the back axle, with one end on the axle and the other on the chassis, then that's what I've heard referred to as a "Panhard rod" - and certainly to be found on coil sprung landies etc (not sure about series landies...)

[davebslater(uk)]

Torque rods bang when changing gear. Your dampers might be rattling on the bolts a little bit so tighten them up with a big washer. See if it goes away.

[JJKM]

Well like I say, I was unsure if that was the correct term but have found a lot of american websites calling them that. And no you are right, having rebuilt 3 leaf-sprung series landrovers, they definitely do not have them!

They bolt from the rear axle to the chassis and seem to support the pivotal movement of the axle in relation to suspension. I've attached an exploded diagram to which it appears as No. 7 and 6 for the bush. You might think I'm being really stupid but like I say, am struggling to name it correctly and this diagram does not have labels!

Thanks

[mad matt]

i all ways use poly bushes as the standerd ones are crap if you wont them pm me and i supply them for you

[loki_the_glt]

Haynes calls them "Reaction Rods", but they may also be referred to as "radius arms".

Classicswede, on this forum, does replacements if you're interested.

[wooble]

Torque rods, reaction rods, radius arms, they have many names. The bushes do go bad, poly can be an improvement. Usual symptom is a heavy thump when taking up drive and changing gear. A steady, lighter rattling from the rear can be a shock being a bit loose (god know why they do this), a wierd 'wagging' feeling accompanied by clunks can be the panhard rod, and general clunking and loose feeling is the big rear trailing arm bushes, which are a pain to change. mine need doing and I've been putting it off for a year!

[Clifford Pope]

The reaction rods have 4 identical bushes in total, 2 each rod.
It's not that difficult to do yourself, if you have a good vice and lots of bits of 2" pipe offcuts, large sockets etc as spacers.
Otherwise I think there might be suppliers of the complete rod with new bushes.

They have a relatively short life, in Volvo terms, so I always have a spare pare ready-bushed to swap over.

[Antz]

The torque rods are the easiest bushes on the rear axle by far.

I used a drill in multiple places to get the middle bits of rubber out then cut through the metal outer ring in 2 places to collapse it and a couple of screwdrivers with a big hammer to smack them loose and remove them.

Then poly ones straight in.

Far easier than doing the rear axle bush. Thats a fun one

[Paul240480]

I replaced my reaction rod bushed with cheapo GSF ones in..... 2006/7 ata guess. Still good so far.
It did not stop the annoying knock on 'take off' . That was down to the main axle bush.
Did those with polys (no brainer). With Mike Brace as my 'tutor'