Control Arm Bushings

[Taking the Plunge]

I have completed the front end. I now read a build page that says the bushings need to be modified to allow grease to express out the end of the bushings against the frame (as recommend at build school that I have not attended). Is this necessary? If so, I need to go back and disassemble the front end to do this. If so, just another important item "left out" of the build manual.

Craig

[rcotner]

I have had the same question. I put my front end together without cutting slots in the bushings. What I have noticed is that the grease pushes out pretty evenly around the bushing. I do not plan to dissasemble the bushings to cut grooves. I may regret it later but it can also be done later. hope this helps.

[CHOTIS BILL]

Some people cut groves in the face of the washer that attaches next to the bushings so that air and grease has some way to get out as you add more grease. You then grease the bushings until grease comes out the slots that were cut in the washer faces.

Hope that makes sense,

Bill Lomenick

[Tim Whittaker]

My kit is #303 and the grooves were in the ID of the bushings. I replaced the rubber ones with some delrin and machined pivot tubes that are all the same length. One needs to pay attention when assembling the front end to make sure the pin the bushing rotates on is trapped between the mounting tabs before the rubber gets trapped so that the suspension bushing rotates freely around the pivot pin. In some cases, you'll find the rubber is binding on the mounting tabs as the pivot pin is not long enough. I used precision shims on my delrin bushings to make the pins the correct length as the tubes the bushings mount in are as much as .050 different in length.

[rcotner]

Tim,

I assume mistakes here will lead to bushing wear and early failure. I did not cut any grooves but I did make sure the arms pivoted freely after torqing the bolts.

[Tim Whittaker]

The main thing is to have the pivot bushing bolt trap the pin before the rubber is squeezed so that the bushing rotates freely around the pin and doesn't bind on the rubber. Assembly lube should be fine for awhile but the grooves will make future greasing easier. They aren't very deep and I would be surprised if they were supplied without the groove. They are used on most all the FFR designs.

I have stainless shims available if the pins are too short in .030 thickness.