Super Pro - Polyurethane Bushes
Not all bushes are created equal & all Poly bushes are certainly not the created equal.
SuperPro are one of the world’s leaders when it comes to product quality through constant innovation and design.
Their Poly bushes are at the high end of the market when it comes to longevity, performance and NVH levels.
SuperPro bushes are also backed by a lifetime warranty for assurance and peace of mind.
DESIGN
SuperPro designs incorporate the latest technology in polyurethane as developed by the superior SuperPro Research and Development Team. Design features such as bullet grooves, knurled and spiral bores and grease grooves ensure that the product performs to the highest standard without transmitting any excess noise, vibration and harshness (NVH).
SuperPro components are produced to the highest achievable tolerances for polyurethane. This is essential for the correct fit of each component resulting in the life of the product being maximised and to ensure that the vehicle componentry is not over stressed and damaged. All the steelwork used in the product range is precision machined for precision fitment.
MANUFACTURING
Designed, engineered and manufactured in Australia.
Best in class machinery and equipment designs coupled with innovative systems allow for flexibility of production to suit the customer’s needs. This flexibility allows for even the smallest production runs as low as one hundred while still remaining efficient and competitive for volume in the thousands.
Our 25+ years experience in manufacturing deliver better quality and save our customers money. This has been recognised by some of the leading automotive parts manufacturers in the world like Tenneco Automotive, Powerdown, Mack Trucks and the Australian Defence Force.
Tenneco is a worldwide ride control manufacturer and they use a range of SuperPro manufactured poly bushings in both their original and aftermarket shock absorbers in Australia and South Africa. These parts are supplied under the requirements of theProduction Part Approval Process (PPAP) as demanded by vehicle manufactures. SuperPro has supplied Tenneco Automotive with over 400,000 parts, with zero warranty claims.
SuperPro has also pioneered innovative tooling designs that enable a consistently high quality product.
Cutting edge technology allows the use of polymer-based moulds that offer flexibility in design, long life and enormous savings in overhead tooling costs.
RESEARCH & DEVELOPMENT
Research and development is critical in the continual improvement of the SuperPro product.
The gathering of information used to improve the product never ends:
SuperPro Is constantly re-engineering and testing on Superpro’s own fleet of cars and four-wheel-drives.
Cyclic testing performed on specifically designed testing equipment offers valuable information on the products durability. Customer feedback also leads to better products.
The heat, dust, harsh roads and vast expanse of Australia and the race circuits, rally trails, speedways and drag strips provide the perfect test bed to ensure top performance and reliability.
SuperPro products are also further tested in the diversified climates of Africa, Asia, Australasia, Europe, Middle East, South Pacific, UK and USA.
QUALITY
Many years of experience and testing gives SuperPro a unique and superior grade of engineered polyurethane.
Flexible manufacturing and state of the art processes lead to superior quality.
Experience with leading manufacturers including Tier 1 automotive suppliers underpins and reinforces the quality.
SuperPro through quality aim to achieve zero warranty claims.
For example, Tenneco Automotive, a worldwide ride control manufacturer uses a range of SuperPro manufactured bushes in their shock absorbers. In one review of over 400,000 part supplied over 2 years, Tenneco reported zero warranty claims or returns.
A key to maintaining quality is the development of both the material and the product design in the some very diverse environments. SuperPro bushings have been tested in diverse conditions, from track racing, rally competition use, to off-road and beach recreational four wheel driving.
These environments are part of the global automotive market and have been developed through partnerships between the following OEM manufacturers and suppliers.
Tenneco Automotive, A range of SuperPro polyurethane bushings to suit both their original and aftermarket ride control products in Australia and South Africa.Powerdown, an original equipment and aftermarket supplier to the Australian road transport industry use SuperPro polyurethane to meet the extreme conditions imposed by roads, loads and distances.
Mack Trucks use various components made with SuperPro polyurethane which are fitted to these vehicles as original equipment.
General Motors Holden use SuperPro alignment correction kits as part of their Parts and Accessories program.
The Australian Defense Force have utilised SuperPro polyurethane to improve the useful life of various components.
This provides development and testing under an enormous range of conditions, and has helped in the development of a material that will withstand climatic conditions throughout the world. For example, The polyurethanes used in the SuperProrange remain flexible at very low temperatures and posses outstanding resistance to thermal shock.
SuperPro polyurethane bushings have been successfully used on Antarctic expeditions in the suspension of Toyota Landcruisers. Temperatures in Antarctica rarely get above –15°C, and can plummet below –50°C. SuperPro has also been sold for over 10 years in northern Europe and Canada.
All SuperPro products go through elaborate production quality checks in accordance with proven systems. SuperPro has its own life cycle and functionality testing equipment as well as conducting definitive abrasion and duro hardness tests. These are used to confirm that the product has been produced with correct mixing ratio, and cure conditions. A NATA approved laboratory performs all backup and support testing of the product and material.
BENEFITS THROUGH INNOVATION
The advantage of using polyurethane or poly over rubber in the creation of suspension components has impressed engineers and designers so much so that it has become a preferred material for many new and creative concepts involving suspension technology. Polyurethane is now extensively used by Original Equipment Manufacturers in new vehicles and to rectify inherent design flaws in many applications, particularly in high performance vehicles, without changing the actual design of the suspension.
Here’s some of the technology that delivers the SuperPro advantage
Dynamic Roll Control
Body roll can be controlled a number of ways including with sway bars or stabilisar bars. Another way involves thoughtful and intelligent geometry changes.
SuperPro understand the different elements that contribute to body roll and provide all the popular roll control product solutions plus their Dynamic Roll Control technology. Modern vehicles extensively use MacPherson Strut front suspension systems that tend to increase body roll with increased roll. Dynamic Roll Control products correct this geometry to reduce body roll for all types of applications.
DuroBall Metal Poly Hybrid
Vertical pivot bushes are now very commonly used by OEM engineers to precisely locate control arm pivot points to the chassis. This solution provides great benefits in location precision but has its own inherent weaknesses that can lead to premature failure.
SuperPro has developed a unique metal and polyurethane hybrid design for this demanding application. Combining the core strengths of SuperPro’s engineered polyurethane coupled with a specialised metal ball joint, the DuroBall design delivers all the benefits of a vertical pivot solution with greater durability and service life.
Polyurethane Material
The specially blended Polyurethane used in SuperPro products has specific mechanical properties that make it extremely successful in its applications. The combined properties of extreme resistance to abrasion, low compression set, high tear strength, and a resistance to oils and solvents makes SuperPro ideal for most automotive applications. These properties lead to a resilient product that is highly versatile in its various applications.
Metalwork and “Supaloy”
Crush tubing is an integral component of the suspension bushing system and is necessary for free pivoting. The crush tubes are made to precision tolerances to ensure precise fits are maintained. Where possible, SuperPro uses high-stress, corrosion resistant and hard-anodised “Supaloy”. This new leaner, lighter alloy solution helps lower weight, fuel usage and running costs while improving service life and reliability.
Other metal components are made from engineered steels and zinc plated for corrosion protection and appearance.
In some applications SuperPro incorporates end knurls and hardened tubes to provide positive location. Where required, SuperPro products provide precision machined steel shells to allow the installer to quickly and easily replace worn components.
The Double Helix
The double helix design feature has led to marked improvements in SuperPro products. The double helix is used in two applications - firstly on the inside of the bush, and secondly on the outside diameter of the crush tube.
The first design of the double helix is used primarily on shackle bushes to provide a region for grease to travel along. This allows a boundary layer of grease to form between the inside diameter of the bush and the outside diameter of the tube. The double helix is extremely successful in greaseable shackles as the grease can travel from the center of the bush along the helix and out to the grease grooves in the head of the bush.
Knurling
Knurling is used to enable unrestricted pivoting of the polyurethane bush around the crush tube or any other mating steel surfaces. The knurling has inherent design advantages - reducing the surface area of polyurethane in contact with the crush tube, which results in less frictional force being developed. The design of the SuperPro knurl bore combined with the integral grease retention lips, keeps the lubricating grease intact for the life of the bushing, and eliminates the necessity for periodic re-greasing.
Bullet Grooves and Voiding
Bullet grooves are incorporated in the design of SuperPro bushes to allow for variances in control arm or spring eyes. The voiding and bullet grooves also allow for the transgression of displaced polyurethane into the volume of the grooves as the loads of normal vehicle operation are applied. Even though polyurethane is in a solid form when it is manufactured into bushes, its unique properties enable it flow in a manner similar to a liquid when loaded. The action of the bush flowing into its voids prevents the generation of noise, vibration and harshness within the bush and its mount.
Tangenial Grease Grooves in Head
The tangential grease grooves in the heads of shackle bushes reduce the friction between the head of the bush and the shackle plates. The grooves store grease, which is smeared around the mating surfaces when the spring shackles rotate, forming a lubrication boundary layer. This has the effect of minimising head friction and reducing noise.
Self-Lubrication Extends bush durability, excludes contaminants and assists polyurethane flow into grooves
Voiding Allows polyurethane to be displaced into grooves under load, reducing NVH (Noise Vehicle Harshness)
Caster off set Bushings Provide caster correction in non-adjustable suspensions
Extreme Factor Extra offset castor correction bushings for extreme lift 4WD applications
Superior Raw Material New advanced technology in polyurethanes
Turbo Style Voiding A high performance bushing to reduce engine movement & minimise transmission of high frequency vibrations by use of a unique turbo pattern