Strut Rod Bushings

[nugget68]

I am replacing my front suspension and removed my rods today...how do the bushings come off?

 

[D.Hearne]

They just slide on and off. And if you're thinking on using poly bushings on em, DON'T !!!! You'll end up with broken strut rods just when you least expect it.

 

[wild70stang]

So buying polyurethane to replace your old rubber busings on your suspension is bad? What is the reason? I know that they are alot stiffer than normal. Would they be bad for a car that sees the road maybe once or twice a week?

 

[Rusty67]

I talked to Opentracker about this. He told me if you use 1 rubber and 1 poly per side that it works out great. I just can't remember which side he said you put the poly bushing on as it makes a big difference which goes where. Maybe he will comment later.

The poly strut rod bushings put too big of a load on the mount because they don't flex enough. Eventually the shock from the suspension fatigues the mount and they brake loose.

 

[nugget68]

the bushings are alomost like the are attatched in some way to the car. you have the metal washer, the bushing, then the attatchment point on the car, then the other bushing ans the washer. the shaft in the bushings seem to be attatched to the washers...is there a trick to it?

 

[Grabber70Mach]

Last one I did some I soaked them with PB blaster for a while. Then hit it with a big hammer.

 

[SadbutTrue]

So buying polyurethane to replace your old rubber busings on your suspension is bad? What is the reason? I know that they are alot stiffer than normal. Would they be bad for a car that sees the road maybe once or twice a week?

Not all the bushings... just the strut rod bushings. NPD's catalog specifically tells you not to use poly there. Everywhere else is fine. Not sure why, but its said in enough places that you probably want to believe it.

The use of both poly and rubber is interesting, might want to look into that.

 

[D.Hearne]

There's been many members here in the past that experienced broken strut rods with them. It's been a few years though since this occured. I don't know how far back the search would have to go to find em, but I recall it happening several times here. Seems like it's just related to old rods, but I wouldn't bet the farm on that.

 

[Rusty67]

the bushings are alomost like the are attatched in some way to the car. you have the metal washer, the bushing, then the attatchment point on the car, then the other bushing ans the washer. the shaft in the bushings seem to be attatched to the washers...is there a trick to it?

Just unscrew the metal washer. There should be a nut on both sides of them. Back the rear one off a quarter turn or so and then unscrew the one from the front. After you have the front one removed, unbolt the strut rod from the lower control arm.

 

[bnickel]

you could probably get by with the poly bushings if you were to get new strut rods at the same time but if you're going that far you might as well replace them with a jointed strut rod like Opentrackers or the TCP rods. i kinda like the TCP rods since they're rebuildable and have a grease fitting

 

[CraigMBA]

You run a poly on the front side to keep the strut rod from deflecting under braking, and a rubber one on the back side so it can still deflect and avoid the sudden failure everybody knows about.......