I've decided that the vague steering on my P38 is driving me nuts at the moment so it needs sorting...

First port of call is the radius arm bushes... Looking on the Island 4x4 website, they list:

Britpart - £2.99
OEM - £7.50
Genuine - 15.99

The rear end bushes:

Britpart - £1.00
Genuine - £5.25

(All prices per bush and + VAT)

Will probably do the anti roll bar bushes and drop links whilst under it too.

When you times the difference by 4 it makes quite a big difference... Usually I'd go for Genuine without batting an eyelid at it, however, it's got me wondering if the cheaper ones are actually any good?

David.

Or on eBay you've got a set of 4 Bearmach ones for £16:

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/RANGE-ROVER-P38-FRONT-RADIUS-ARM-BUSH-SET-OF-4-NEW-BUSH-SET-ANR3332/261496868408?epid=651585217&hash=item3ce26d8e38:g:zSMAAOSwKrhVaFqv:rk:18:pf:0

David.

Or one that includes the bolts for £30...

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/range-rover-p38-radius-arm-bush-kit-range-rover-p38-front-suspension-bush-kit/253368243056?epid=651585217&hash=item3afdec9370:g:uQ8AAOSwokJaWyw3:rk:21:pf:0

Having some professional experience with just how complicated the behaviour of bonded rubber bushes can be and how much effect on performance seemingly minor details can have once things get a bit of age or use on them its genuine every time for me.

Looking under the car its a bit um "worrying" when you first seriously think about how much, or rather how little, connects the main part of the car to the axles and wheels.

Clive

I’m with Clive, if the genuine ones have lasted the nest part of 20 yrs why consider anything else, the ones on the end I’d also go genuine, after buying mine I found the PO had fitted yellow shitpart poly bushes, within months the panard bushes were shot, total waste of time and money in my eyes

That’s usually my line of thought too, I’ll bet LR don’t use the same quality rubber that they used to either though.

David.

If the OEM ones are actually OEM, then get those. I've bought various OEM parts for my Audi, and when they come you can see they've sanded the Audi logo off! Lemforder are the OEM for most of the Audi bushes. Its exactly the same part, but they're not allowed to sell it with the Audi logo on it outwith the genuine parts network!

Same thing when i bought TRW control arms for the front of my old BMW.

Unfortunately landrover parts places seem to have the habit of sticking "OEM" on anything that isnt complete junk.

Aragorn wrote:

If the OEM ones are actually OEM, then get those. I've bought various OEM parts for my Audi, and when they come you can see they've sanded the Audi logo off! Lemforder are the OEM for most of the Audi bushes. Its exactly the same part, but they're not allowed to sell it with the Audi logo on it outwith the genuine parts network!

Same thing when i bought TRW control arms for the front of my old BMW.

Unfortunately landrover parts places seem to have the habit of sticking "OEM" on anything that isnt complete junk.

If I see "OEM in a plain white box" I'll avoid it as I think it means "this is from a known crap manufacturer buy we don't want to tell which one".

If it says OEM and lists a brand next to it I'd chance it.

I’m put off the OEM ones as Island 4x4 picture them on top of a certain blue bag that the ShitPart ones are pictured on.

A little off putting...

But shitpart also source parts from OEM and 'other' suppliers. The genuine Dunlop air springs will often come via shitpart in a blue box too.

Buy there's no way of knowing until it arrived and it's a proper Britpart part you're stuck!

You could always contact the seller and ask?

I tried that with Rimmer Bros and they refused to tell me what brands were supplied for given part numbers.