Strut Arm Bushings (question)

[HammerDown]

So, how difficult is it to press-in new camber strut arm bushings, and, is this a good place to use Polyurethane or stay with rubber?
BTW, I don't have a "press" but used my vice with some oversized sockets and or C-Clamps that work quite well for things that need to be "pressed in"

 

[GTR1999]

I machined up a tool to press them out and install them. Not too bad to do but I use a press. I have a couple to do this week.

 

[Hib Halverson]

Pay attention to what "GTR1999" says about tools.

As for bushing material, for C3 strut rods use either stock rubber or spherical bearings. Polyurethane is too stiff and will cause the suspension to bind near the extremes of travel because those rods have to rotate as well as move vertically. If you use urethane, they can't rotate as they move up and down and that binds the suspension.

 

[HammerDown]

OK, so no poly useage in this location. And how it was explained makes perfectly good sense.

 

[6880 Mike]

I cleaned up the bores on my strut rods and installed the new stock rubber busings without having to use a press.

 

[HammerDown]

I cleaned up the bores on my strut rods and installed the new stock rubber busings without having to use a press.

Thanks for that feedback Mike, sounds promising!

 

[HammerDown]

Observation & question...
So, today I got to see an 'aftermarket strut rod' with rubber bushings installed.
What I noticed, the current replacement rubber strut-bushings come with an outer metal collar making the rubber area thinner! My 'original' 1.3/8" bushings had a lot more/thicker rubber to them.

What I didn't like, I could clearly see some of the rubber wasn't (in-depth) uniform around the inner bushing and outside collar. Some rubber was to the outside and other areas the rubber stopped 3/16" inside!
Obviously, more made in China or wherever, Junk-Junk-Junk!

Question, being people tell me NOT to use poly strut bushings or the 'adjustable' strut-rods...where do I purchase QUALITY 1.3/8" rubber bushings where the rubber is the same depth all the way around the metal collar???

 

[Vettehead Mikey]

I'd reuse the existing struts and just change the bushings. Haven't heard about any quality issues on those.

 

[HammerDown]

I'd reuse the existing struts and just change the bushings. Haven't heard about any quality issues on those.

I agree, nothing wrong with my OE struts but, I'm seeing prices for the replacement rubber-bushing between $12.00 each to $28.00 each > yet the pictures used are all the same.

The bushings in those aftermarket struts looked bad > around the bushing, the rubber was not of even depth thus you can't expect even support around the bushing.