Bushing fitment problems

[Chris_32212]

Many of you have probably seen my other recent thread about my differential issue. Well, since I have the car apart I wanted to replace my bushings. I spent a little more money this time and bought an Energy Suspension Systems poly bushing kit because the prothane kit I installed on my other 91 corvette project had a fitment issue. The bushings for the bat wing were too big in diameter by a 16th or an 8th of an inch. I had a frustrating time trying to get answers from prothane as to why the bushings were too big and all they could tell me was that I was the only person to have a fitment issue with that part number. Well I ended up modifying the bushing to make it fit. This time around I used a different company and I have the exact same fitment issue on a different bat wing.

Has anyone ever replaced the bushings on our cars and not had this fitment issue? it cant be just me? am I the only guy that replaces bushings?

[rhipsher]

Yes. They are very tight. There are two ways to skin this cat. You can do what I did which was put a 1/4 X 30 degree chamfer on one of the two and press them in one behind the other or you can do it by hack sawing a split in the sleeve and removing it and then press them all in together. Whats your poison?

Here's a detailed link to both technics.http://www.zr1.net/forum/showthread.php?t=12548

[Chris_32212]

LOL. well, I didn't even know there was a sleeve there. Think I will remove it and do it that way. I modified my first set of bushings similar to how you did but left the ears on. I just narrowed the diameter of all the bushings by putting them on a small bolt and used a bench grinder on them while letting the bushing roll in my fingers slower than the grinder to try and get them as even as possible. Took off a little at a time until I could press them in with a tight fit. I didn't want to have to do that again which is why I posted. Thank you for the information. :cheers:

[rhipsher]

Even though I ground a chamfer on one corner I didn't touch the diameter. But I still used a 12 ton press to press them in. And once you get them mounted and start tightening the bolt its going to cause the bushing to expand even more. Its not gonna go anywhere with or without one ear missing.

[Chris_32212]

Oh I agree with you. The ear missing is no big deal. I didn't have a press to do it the way you did. I wasn't thrilled about modifying the diameter of my bushings but they were clearly too big. I am very tempted to pull it back out of the car, cut the sleeves out of the bat wing, and install some new bushings.

[rhipsher]

I don't blame if you don't feel good about it. Those are the biggest bushings on the car besides the motor mounts. I rebushinged the entire car with the prothane kit and the rear differential carrier bushings were the tightes fitting ones in the whole kit. But I can see why. They have to obsorb all that torque when you shift gears.