Wulf Gaertner Autoparts AG's have introduced re-engineered control arm bushings for Mazda 3 and 5 Series models, some of the most popular Asian vehicles in Europe

One of the most frequent causes of unscheduled workshop visits is defective control arm bushings and the new MEYLE-HD part has been specially designed to alleviate problems. It incorporates a rugged full-rubber mount designed to easily outlast the hydro bushing used on the Mazda OE version.

"Feedback from repair professionals has shown that the original control arm bushings, which are filled with fluid and therefore called hydro bushings, tend to fail prematurely", says Sven Nielsen, Technical Director at Wulf Gaertner Autoparts. He adds, "The bushings offer advanced driving comfort, which is why they are also called comfort bushings. However, driving comfort is achieved at the expense of durability. The bushing's structure is somewhat fragile and likely to be weakened if the car hits a pothole or the driver frequently slams on the brake. Eventually, the bushing can spring a leak".

A leaking hydro bushing will gradually lose its damping performance and mean increased vibration during operation. The steering feels unresponsive and the car's road-holding becomes poor.

Reacting to this Wulf Gaertner Autoparts's engineers have redesigned the bushing so that the MEYLE bushing is made from steel and high-grade natural rubber, dispensing with all fluid. Nielsen says this makes the new part immune to premature failure caused by fluid leakage. To ensure the part offers identical damping capabilities the forces acting on the components have been calculated using the finite element method (FEM), allowing the MEYLE bushing to provide for similar dynamic driving properties as the OE hydro bushing.

"This latest addition to our MEYLE Asia Line allows workshops to offer their professional services to a growing number of car owners and foster loyal customer relations", says Nielsen. The new part number is MEYLE no. 35-14 610 0009/HD.

Contact Strongline Autoparts Limited on (01) 462 4631 for further details.