New MEYLE-HD control arm bushing for Ford and Volvo models

Hamburg, 20. May 2014. Designed to outlast its OE equivalents MEYLE-HD full-rubber bushings are also fully compliant with all safety and comfort requirements. They are the first choice of a growing number of repair professionals committed to saving their customers the hassle of repeated repairs. With the latest additions to its range of premium MEYLE-HD quality control arm bushings, Wulf Gaertner Autoparts AG offers value-added solutions for an ever wider variety of Ford and Volvo models including the Ford C-Max I, Focus C-Max, Focus II, Ford Kuga, and the Volvo C70 II and S40 II / V50. The Hamburg manufacturer's dedicated team of in-house engineers have developed a durable full-rubber version to replace the original hydro bushing. Designed to easily outlast the OE version the MEYLE bushing comes with a four-year warranty.

New registration statistics show: Ford and Volvo models enjoy great popularity among car drivers. To allow car owners to continue enjoying their driving experience, Wulf Gaertner Autoparts has recently added new solutions to its range of MEYLE-HD full-rubber control arm bushings to fit the Ford C-Max I, Focus C-Max, Focus II, Ford Kuga and the Volvo C70 II, S40 II / V50. With the latest additions independent workshops are able to offer value-added repair services for an ever wider array of vehicle makes. "Unlike their OE counterparts, the MEYLE bushings are made from steel and high-grade natural rubber, dispensing with any fluid", says Sven Nielsen, Technical Director at Wulf Gaertner Autoparts. "Because of the bushings' major influence on driving comfort, many OE parts feature a relatively flexible hydro bushing – at the expense of durability, as heavy load resulting from hitting a pothole or emergency braking, for example, can pre-damage the bushings, eventually causing them to spring a leak", Nielsen continues. The loss of fluid will affect the part's stiffness characteristics with a detrimental effect on steering precision, which can result in a variety of possible consequences, including unresponsive steering, brake judder and reduced driving comfort – all of which require immediate action.
 

As the new MEYLE-HD bushing does not require any fluid there is no risk of premature failure due to leaks. It may be damaged, however, as a result of improper installation. "To prevent the rubber-to-metal bond from cracking and peeling the bushing needs to be installed in a pre-loaded condition", Nielsen explains. "This is because rubber mounts have a limited load-carrying capacity defined by a pre-set torsional angle." The best way to ensure the bushing is installed pre-loaded is to position the vehicle axles to reflect the position of a stationary vehicle on firm ground. Only than should a full-rubber bushing be torqued down completely. "In addition, all bushings per axle should be replaced at once to prevent adverse effects on the driving dynamics," Nielsen recommends.

"With our latest additions independent workshops are able to offer professional repair services for an ever wider range of popular makes and models" says Nielsen, explaining the driving force behind the re-engineering of Ford and Volvo bushings (MEYLE ref.: 716 050 0031/32HD, 716 050 0035/0036HD, 716 050 0052/0053HD). The MEYLE-HD control arm bushing (MEYLE no. 714 610 0009/HD) can also be replaced individually – making it possible to change only the bushing rather than the entire control arm assembly. The new MEYLE-HD bushing is the latest addition to Wulf Gaertner Autoparts's range of individual parts, which in the OE version are not available separately, thereby enabling independent workshops to offer their customers cost/time-effective repairs and build stronger customer relations by providing all-round repair services.