[topdogger]

My polyurethane bushings have finally arrived. Is there anything I should watch out for when installing these? I'm hoping to get at it this weekend if it isn't -40 out. Exam week is just wrapping up so I get friday off(my headers are supposed to arrive friday aswell!).

The mechanic I bought the parts from said that it would be a good idea to cut a piece of angle iron to fit in between the a arms so that when I push the bushings in nothing gets mangled. This makes sense to me. I will most likely end up taking the a arms to my highschool shop and using a hydraulic press to put them in. There should be some scrap angle iron I can use there aswell.

Is there anything else I should watch out for? I'm doing the rear leaf springs and front suspension all in polyuerethane.

BTW, this is for a 1974 Nova SS. It has power steering, no pump. I'm not sure if there's anything else I might need to add.

Thanks,
Luke

 

[busterwivell]

I've done them in my pickup, my Monte Carlo SS, and my 66 Chevelle. I've got a nasty squeak in the Monte Carlo. The other two are fine. Use the grease WELL on them, and you should be ok. I'm so frustrated by the Monte's squeak that I may redo the whole thing. GRRRR!

 

[topdogger]

I've done them in my pickup, my Monte Carlo SS, and my 66 Chevelle. I've got a nasty squeak in the Monte Carlo. The other two are fine. Use the grease WELL on them, and you should be ok. I'm so frustrated by the Monte's squeak that I may redo the whole thing. GRRRR!

Can you just redo the bushings by pulling them out applying more greese and sticking them back in or do you have to buy new bushings?

I'm hoping to only do this once and I'm thinking of going to get more greese. They don't give very much in the kit.

 

[35WINDOW]

I might get thrown under the Bus with this, but I did it once and used Anti-Seize and they didn't squeak-

 

[busterwivell]

The Monte was the first car I did them on, and I was warned to use enough grease, but I guess I got more of that stuff on my hands than anywhere else. I don't know about removing and re-greasing. I don't want to do this 3 times. I went this route 'cuz it's supposed to last forever, unlike the rubber.

 

[texastomeh]

I'm hoping to only do this once and I'm thinking of going to get more grease. They don't give very much in the kit.

I was going to point out that you should purchase some additional grease prior to getting started. You are right - they do not provide enough. ain: ain:

Tell your auto parts store guy what you're doing with the grease. Someone out there may have a favorite that they will recommend. Be sure to coat them THOROUGHLY!!! :thumbup: :thumbup:

If you are interested, I've got a little trick for installing the bushings in the upper and lower trailing arms of an A/G body without collapsing them.

texastomeh

 

[Arcuden]

Use some 2-1/2" (or close) steel tubing in place of the angle iron. There is going to be a lot of pressure coming down on whatever spacer you put in there, and the circular shape will help prevent it from popping out (at very high speed), which a piece of angle iron might want to do. You want to completely surround the slot into which you are pressing the bushing to provide support everywhere. If you don't, your A-arm will either warp where there is no support, or the whole thing will flex to the point where the bushing is being pressed in at an angle and you destroy the slot; neither scenario is any fun to fix.

Also, and I'm assuming you are using the stock A-arms here, you'll need three spacers per arm: One large one to go between each slot, and two small ones to surround each of the slots themselves, in between the two sides of pressed steel.

I'm not sure if your bushings can, but I was able to separate the bushings (urethane part) from the shells (metal part). I pressed the shells in alone so that I didn't crush the urethane. It also allowed me to get grease in EVERYWHERE. No sqeaks yet.

 

[Arcuden]

Check out this thread, too:

http://www.hotrodders.com/forum/street-rod-front-end-rebuild-104293.html

 

[topdogger]

I was reading that post and I thought I would point out that I do have access to one of these:

What will it do though? I forget what my auto teacher had said. Doesn't it support the bushing preventing it from bending?

 

[larryblack]

The bending comes from putting too much pressure on too fast. I have pressed a-arm bushing with the ball joint tool easy enough. Most shops used one for years as they would not pull the arm from the vehicle. If you use a press, go slow, and watch the bushing slide in. It might take longer but it is cheaper than having to buy them.

The anti sieze shoud do the job nicely. wear rubber gloves and be careful. NON flammable brake cleaner will remove it from your clothes, vehicle parts where you do not want it and body parts.

You will immediately notice a harsher ride but that will dampen a bit as things seat. Your handling will be SSSSOOOO much better too. I am waiting for the rain to stop so I can install some on my rear springs. I did the front 110k ago and it is definately worth the time and effort.

 

[xntrik]

For the bushings that don't require removing the outer metal housings.... just heat the old rubber bushing housing with a torch for 30 seconds and push the melted rubbers out with a screwdriver, less than a minute and it is OUT. Clean the hole with a quick pass of 80 grit and lube the inside of the metal sleeve and out side of the bushing and just push it into the hole with your hand. :thumbup: or a light tap of a hammer. Pushing too hard expands the bushing making it tighter... :nono:

I have 58,000 on one rig with urethane all around front and rear and no squeeks yet.

Bushings come in urethane, polyurethane, and graphite impregnated. I don't know which I used (NOT graphite), but it came with a can of clear grease about the size of a small pill bottle. The only place grease is needed is where the bushing pivots on the metal shells...... not all over the chassis.

Don't forget the inner metal sleeve. It is there to prevent overtightening of the bushings. The inner shell does NOT pivot on the bolt.

 

[topdogger]

Here's the kit I ordered.

I just noticed I will have to order a tranny bushing. This kit didn't come with one.

http://www.webdummy.net/nova/winter/parts/DSCF0008.JPG

Here's the new cooler that will be cooling my tranny. All came in the same shipment.
http://www.webdummy.net/nova/winter/parts/DSCF0006.JPG

 

[yknot]

Both Energy Suspensions and Performance Polyurethane offer quality parts, but I have more experience with the Energy Suspension products. While I have used them mainly on 4x4 trucks and off-road vehicles, I have also used there products on my latest project for axle stops,engine and transmission mounts and a few mounts I had.
i am getting ready to re-work my truck and I purchased everything I would need from Energy Suspension. They have always made a good product and I trust them. My truck got new shock reservoirs isolators, sway bar end pieces, front suspension bushings and a load of shock bushings and various tube bushings.
One the grease front, you can not just use normal wheel bearing of chassis grease, you have to use there grease, Energy Suspension calls theirs Formula 5, Energy Suspension "Formula 5" Pre-lube is a versatile grease. Waterproof, non-melting with Teflon. It last were the other stuff washes off and then the bushings starts making noise. Also, if you don't use the right grease, they are almost impossible to dis-assemble. Good luck.

Polyurethane