moosestang

I've found a few posts about people using a steeda poly bushing to replace the stock rubber bushing on the rear axle. Has anyone used this one?

http://www.latemodelrestoration.com/...al-Bushing-Kit

So you have to press out the stock bushing and sleeve, then reuse the sleeve? Has anyone had success cutting or burning the rubber out and leaving the sleeve installed?

There's also this one.

http://www.cjponyparts.com/prothane-...-2012/p/CAB46/

moosestang

I ordered the prothane bushing from cjponyparts.com. I plan to drill out the rubber bushing and burn out what the drill doesn't get. My stock bushing has a vertical tear in it. I'll take some pics when I remove the upper control arm.

moosestang

Success!




Here's the stock bushing. The tear looked much worse with the control arm pulling on the bushing.


I learned a few things along the way. First, buy a wire wheel for your drill that will fit in the bushing sleeve, because after you get the center of the bushing out, the left over rubber is still a bitch to get out.

I drilled out around the bushing. I burned it with a propane torch. I used a serrated knife to cut around the bushing. More burning, more burning, more burning. Honestly, the bushing just laughs at a propane torch. I was expecting it to just melt like butter, but it doesn't and it doesn't burn all that well either.

The best thing I had was my dremel with a round grinding stone, but a wire wheel on the drill would have made short work of the left over rubber.

After I got it all clean and smooth, I tried hammering the bushing in with a rubber mallet. I had put it in the freezer for several hours, but it still would only go half way and there isn't much room to hit it. So I had to use my homemade wheel bearing installer for my motorcycle.



Just a piece of all thread, two nuts, some large washers and a couple of bearing races I had laying around. I probably would have pulled the tire and used a pieces of board and hammer from the side.

Getting the control arm back down over the poly bushing wasn't that bad. I used the jack under the pinion to tilt it up, then pulled the arm down over the poly bushing by hand. then used a piece of board above the control arm and the jack under the pumpkin to push it the rest of the way. You could also use a ratcheting strap to pull the arm down over the bushing and the jack under the pinion to line it up.





I didn't want to drop the drive shaft, otherwise I would have just pulled the axle out to do this. I started at 11am and was all done by 4pm. It would have taken an hour with the proper tools. I was too tired to test drive it and I might ride the bike to work tomorrow, so Tuesday will be the road test.

baddog671

Feel any difference by switching to poly?

moosestang

I'll let you know in a couple of hours. I'm expecting zero, zero, zero wheel hop, more nvh and possibly some binding. I may need to replace my upper arm with one of these.

http://www.spohn.net/shop/2005-2008-...vot-Joint.html

I just couldn't see putting in another rubber bushing. That thing allows for to much movement.

moosestang

There is added noise with this bushing. There may be a little more vibration when accelerating or running over road reflectors, but it is small or maybe my imagination. It feels so much more solid now. Not once did I get a clunk when downshifting to second to take the 90 degree corners in my neighborhood.

It feels like I added a bigger sway bar. I think it may need a new upper control arm to get back some articulation, but it's well worth it!

moosestang

Love the poly bushing! It's like going from the stock 2 piece drive shaft to a 1 piece. It feels like there is no longer any slop in the drive train. I really think it rides better now.

I'm worried it's going to twist the upper control arm mount. When cornering hard there is very little body roll compared to before.

baddog671

This'll have to be on my "one-day" list

Diabolical!

I've been a bit standoffish with polyurethane bushings since I spit one out of an LCA on a hard launch once. Does anyone make a rod-end bushing that fits there instead?

Diabolical!

Found it. This may be added to my near-future mod list: http://www.uprproducts.com/mustang-c...ricals-05.html