Strut Rod bushing placement

Taking advice from you Guys months ago, I'm lowering my car 1-inch. New coils, then this turned into a front suspension rebuild, then New slotted rotors. Sorry off topic. The new strut rod bushings have a metal disk cup piece , I have no idea where this goes. I know where the bushings go, the sleeve and the large dished washers. I've seen some pic's on the internet, just doesn't seem to fit in the kit. Hopefully I'm explaining this right.

Thanks.

Hey coupe351w. I also had the same problem when I put in new strut rod bushings.

Got this pic from 72HCode, and helped me get the idea of where everything goes.

Taking advice from you Guys months ago, I'm lowering my car 1-inch. New coils, then this turned into a front suspension rebuild, then New slotted rotors. Sorry off topic. The new strut rod bushings have a metal disk cup piece , I have no idea where this goes. I know where the bushings go, the sleeve and the large dished washers. I've seen some pic's on the internet, just doesn't seem to fit in the kit. Hopefully I'm explaining this right.

Thanks.

Click to expand...

It turns out there is some significant debate about these bushing installations. I have a 69 that I am restoring and I had this very question. so, I am going to offer my suggestion based on my findings, but you should use your own judgement.

My thread (Jay Estes) on the 1969stang forum is here:

http://www.1969stang.com/mustang/forum/showthread.php?t=11192&highlight=strut+bushing

It should generally be the same for the 71-73 series.

That thread never really came to a full conclusion. Recently Justin and I took the 71 for a good alignment (and a bunch of other stuff too. $500 worth of front end labor - i supplied the parts mostly) They put the frame washer on the backside of the car frame, which I think is incorrect since braking and front wheel being pushed backwards like on pot holes or curbs, both squash the front bumper more, so I think the frame washer goes on front side between the bumper and the frame to help keep the bumper in place. However, I don't think it matters all that much, and it is a VERY experienced and qualified place I took it to.

On the cupped washers, I think it makes the most sense to put them like this:

fwd side --(@I F @)-- Wheel side

where "(" are ")" are cupped washers showing which way cupped and the "@" are bumpers with biggest side to frame, and "I" is the frame washer, and "F" is the frame.

In that above thread, the real debate comes in on the wheel-side cupped washer. There is a fair contingent of folks, and they have documentation like the patent and the Moog instructions, which support their claims.... that the wheel side cupped washer is flipped over, or:

fwd side --(@I F @(-- Wheel side

I can't for the life of me figure why you would configure it that way, and my car and other stock configs show it different than that, so - best I can tell you need to decide for youself, and again - I don't think it matters that much. I'm leaving mine cupped to fit the bumpers (like my first description)

Anyway, interesting little Q you posted. bet you didn't think there would be a debate about the right answer huh?

Jay Estes


Even more interesting is that "failed bumper" which to mee looks pretty darn new... posted by King Kong above! That shows the "frame washer" configured like the alignment shop I had to the work did, BUT, the forward bumper is the thing that split open! My thinking is the frame washer - which could act as a cup for this forward bumper - should be on the front side of the frame, helping to keep that front bumper from splitting apart as has happened in that photo...

I dunno. I can't see why you'd put that frame washer on the backside. Braking and front wheel impacts both are gonna squeeze the front bumper more. I think the frame washer should be on the front side of the frame.

My 2 cents.

Jay

Those instructions are NOT printed in China, so they should be correct!!!

Expensive but if you are going to keep the car a heim jointed strut rod is a much better design. Here is one example:

http://www.amazon.com/Global-West-Suspension-ASR6-Adjustable/dp/B002L1CMXO

Just a note, the Washers i was supplied with 2 different strut replacement bushing sets were the same size for all 4.

I was also told to install the washers like this "(" ----")" according to some alignment shops. if ")"---")" is the correct way then many cars on the road are incorrect.

i've had mine installed "("----")" for 4 years now with no issues.

Also as King Kong posted that was the first set i tried which were poly bushings and they fell apart in less then 50 miles. I switched to OEM rubber and have no problems.

Thanks All, I'm still confused as He**. This is what I found on the Nolan Mustang Barn Site.









I still can't see how that metal cup would go next to the metal of the frame. When I removed the old one's (and I believe original one's) No metal cup and the end bushing washers went like this ( @ F @ ).

(-washer

@-Rubber bushing

F-Frame

Interesting. Go heim joint. It's the RIGHT way to do it.

Will e, My wife would kill me. I was told to keep this at around $500 and I'm over that by Much.

What do the Ford assembly manuals show?

What do the Ford assembly manuals show?

Click to expand...

Ford assembly, DUH

Dang... I'd never guess that!

Dang... I'd never guess that!

Click to expand...

LOL you asked

I only have the Assembly Manual's for the 1971-72 Body and Interior. Thought maybe the Body one, but nothing.

The new bushing kits are a different design than the original parts. Original parts had 2 sleeves which fit over each other, one end went thru the curved washers and was "swelled" to hold the washer. The new kits have the "frame washer" (what I call it anyway), an inner sleeve, two bumpers and 2 cupped washers. Anyway, the old instructions are no good anymore.

I think the instructions posted by TommyK are not applicable for the bushing kits we are all trying to use. They don't even show the "frame washer", which has to go next to the frame somewhere, and the instructions seem to be a generic set for many models/brands.

The Pic's posted later by coupe351w are the best instructions I have seen. That shows the same configuration that my trusted alignment shop installed them into. Though, I am still trying to figure out WHY the frame washer goes in the back rather than the front. Someone please help me with the mechanics of why it is better to have it there. Imagine hitting a pothole at 50mph...seems to me the frame washer should be in front to hold the front bumper together....

And I'd sure stay away from those poly bushings, instead of rubber. I keep hearing stories of people blowing them out in a catastrophic way as described above. Sometime cheap rubber just makes more sense.

Good thread tho guys! Great exchange.

jay

The instructions I posted are from the moog replacement kit and are correct for those parts. Since you accurately point out that the replacement kits that are available are somewhat different than the way the factory did it, then to me the orientation of the factory installed washers is somewhat irrelevant. My advice is to buy quality parts (like moog) and follow the instructions that come with them and you should be fine. The orientation is often marked right on the washers.

The thing is and it came from my 73 year old Dad, You don't put metal against metal like that. The Factory didn't do it, So why in this kit. He said do what I wish, but he would not.

Yeah, I get the puzzle. But seems like all the kits come with that "frame washer" - and NO INSTRUCTIONS. There is no way to configure it that will NOT leave metal on metal. I look at it as that "frame washer" is really a bumper keeper. It simply holds the bumper together when it gets really squashed. The idea of metal on metal is counter intuitive, but the strut rod is tightened pretty good, so it's not like this thing is ever really go go slack and knock around.

Anyway, I let the pros do it, what those guys did independently was matched by those photo instructions you posted, and mine are working great with no noise or slack. In this case, looks like you are going to have to make the call - I just don't see any definitive source or theory behind the placement.