https://www.instagram.com/reel/DJXFiV6hoZ3/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link&igsh=MzRlODBiNWFlZA== Does that link work? I have a Lares 209 on my desk right now, along side a SGF (VW branded) part and also a new Bus-Ok coupler. Thought you chaps might like to see a comparison. Lares is two years old - just took it off last weekend. SGF i have no idea how old but its OLD. Bus-Ok is brand new, not fitted yet. I don't claim to be able to analyse every product that's out there, but as i had these three on my desk i thought it was worthwhile showing the differences. I'm aware some of you have just bought lares via a group buy - up to you what you do with your own bus, and i'm absolutely not giving anyone any advice, but but i'm going to fit the bus-ok coupler this weekend.
i fitted the lares same time as i put on a recon steering box from n2 engineering - much improved at that point but hard to say how much was the coupling - the big difference was the recon box i think. i've since fitted new drag link and new track rods - again, improvement but i still thought there was a "wooliness" to the steering that i couldn't explain. most noticable when driving bends that go left then right ie the steering loads up one way then the other. i took the lares coupler off just to inspect - bus now has an unknown repro part on it temporarily - no idea the brand or where i got it but its v stiff compared to the lares. steering feels more precise than with the lares. i will fit the bus-ok this weekend and see how that feels. i think there is too much flex in the lares - i think it was maybe stiffer than this when it was new but over time it's become more bendy. as you can see in the vid theres a v small tear in the lares after 8k miles - i suspect if i'd kept that on longer it would have got worse and potentially failed at some point in the future.
Thanks for that. I fitted one during the refurb but can't remember where I got it; I must check because I did do two group buys back then from Otto at Bus-OK in Germany and it might have been from there. I bought a Lares in the group buy two years ago - I'll have to inspect that to see if it's like yours.
