Aluminium Shifter Bush Testing

Pynerd · Aug 19, 2025

Don't ask how, but I have accidentally, for free, acquired a few sets of aluminium shifter bushes. I won't have them for a couple weeks, but just wanted to gauge interest first.

My car isn't on the road at the moment, wondered if anyone would be willing to test them for me and report back? Happy to send them out for free, all I ask in return is feedback on them.

Pynerd · Monday at 9:06 AM

They've arrived if anyone's interested

Flob · Monday at 9:51 AM

Aluminium isn't a great bush material mate, @plees occasionally makes these up in brass which is better, bronze would be the daddy.

Pynerd · Monday at 10:15 AM

Flob said:
Aluminium isn't a great bush material mate, @plees occasionally makes these up in brass which is better, bronze would be the daddy.

What makes you say aluminium isn't a great material?

I wouldn't have chosen to make them out of aluminium, but they were free, didn't have much choice.

Flob · Monday at 10:24 AM

Depending on grade - ali isn't very hard, it doesn't wear well and has a higher coefficient of friction compared with brass. Brass is 3-4x harder and corrodes very differently.

Aluminium can corrode very quickly, it grows a layer of aluminium oxide over its surface which stops further corrosion, but when you use it in an application like this that oxide layer is constantly being damaged which lets it corrode far more quickly. Its also galvanically quite unhappy with its life. Some grades don't play nice with carbon steel while brass is often ok.

Your bushes will likely work fine but may have a short service life and might not be happy with the carbon steel shaft.

Pynerd · Monday at 10:28 AM

Flob said:
Depending on grade - ali isn't very hard, it doesn't wear well and has a higher coefficient of friction compared with brass. Brass is 3-4x harder and corrodes very differently.

Aluminium can corrode very quickly, it grows a layer of aluminium oxide over its surface which stops further corrosion, but when you use it in an application like this that oxide layer is constantly being damaged which lets it corrode far more quickly. Its also galvanically quite unhappy with its life. Some grades don't play nice with carbon steel while brass is often ok.

View attachment 1758998

Your bushes will likely work fine but may have a short service life and might not be happy with the carbon steel shaft.

Yeah pretty much what I thought, tbh I wanted to try delrin bushes. These would probably last well using a PTFE liner but as I said they were free and I have no use for them so I'm curious how long they would actually hold up

R3k1355 · Monday at 10:29 AM

Sell off cheap and get the next set made in brass.

When peoples bushes start getting sloppy, you've got an upgraded part ready to sell them

Louis · Monday at 10:30 AM

Prepare for them to seize into the bottom of the shifter. And the bolt to seize into the bush.

Pynerd · Monday at 1:43 PM

Is it the same bushes in the standard clios or any other renaults? I'll probs just sell them on ebay, no use for them.

Pynerd · Monday at 1:43 PM

Louis said:
Prepare for them to seize into the bottom of the shifter. And the bolt to seize into the bush.

Highly unlikely, it will just gall and oval

Louis · Monday at 2:13 PM

Pynerd said:
Highly unlikely, it will just gall and oval

OK

Brigsy · Monday at 3:29 PM

Alloy not the right material. Phosphur bronze ollite prob the best but im no engineer.

Ive done about 30thou on my brass bushes now on the dci. I had a look at them on sat whilst doing mot pre checks and no play whatsoever. The car also has no heatshielding like 172 so basically open to the elements. Regreased and assume be good to go for another 30k. All good in my eyes

Pynerd · Monday at 3:45 PM

Brigsy said:
Alloy not the right material. Phosphur bronze ollite prob the best but im no engineer.

Ive done about 30thou on my brass bushes now on the dci. I had a look at them on sat whilst doing mot pre checks and no play whatsoever. The car also has no heatshielding like 172 so basically open to the elements. Regreased and assume be good to go for another 30k. All good in my eyes

If I was paying for them I certainly wouldn't have chosen aluminium, hence I'm trying to get shot of them. Phosphor bronze, especially if greased would almost definitely outlive the car.

plees · Monday at 9:17 PM

Flob said:
Aluminium isn't a great bush material mate, @plees occasionally makes these up in brass which is better, bronze would be the daddy.

Sold him a set last month 👍🏻

K_McDermott · Monday at 9:21 PM

plees said:
Sold him a set last month 👍🏻

Youll be able to sell all the people who buy some of these a set of yours when these ally ones wear out

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