Need Help - '91 Strut rod bushing
Hi, I recently replaced the front strut rod bushings on my '91.
Note that at some point in the early 90's they completely changed the strut rod / bushing design, so info for later cars may not be relevant.
I don't think I removed the caliper.
When I did it, I was also replacing the struts, but as I recall, to replace just the strut rod bushings, hardly anything needs to be removed.
The service manual seems to tell you to remove a lot more things than you really need to for suspension work - certainly on the front and rear struts.
As I remember, you don't even need to remove the strut rod. You probably want to loosen the two bolts holding the strut rod to the knuckle (?) so it can align itself to the center of the bushing before tightening it down. So just remove enough plastic splash shield to see the bushings, loosen the bolts (maybe 3 nuts on each one?), a little grease, then replace with the new ones.
Some tips (from memory, after doing it once):
- When applying the final torquing of the nuts (bolts?) on the bushings, the car should be jacked down, so the wheels are carrying the weight, and the wheels are pointed straight ahead. Otherwise you'll pre-load the bushings, maybe causing them to wear out faster. So ideally, I'd make sure the 3 bolts on the bushings and the 2 bolts on the rear end of the strut rod are loose enough to allow just a little movement. Then jack the car down so the wheel is supporting the weight. Then torque those 5 bolts.
- There is an adjustment nut on the strut rod (27 mm?). I compared the adjustment position on the right vs. left sides and noticed one was a few mm different. One had been replaced early on, and I'll guess they did not adjust things, so I adjusted that one to match the other one.
Note that at some point in the early 90's they completely changed the strut rod / bushing design, so info for later cars may not be relevant.
I don't think I removed the caliper.
When I did it, I was also replacing the struts, but as I recall, to replace just the strut rod bushings, hardly anything needs to be removed.
The service manual seems to tell you to remove a lot more things than you really need to for suspension work - certainly on the front and rear struts.
As I remember, you don't even need to remove the strut rod. You probably want to loosen the two bolts holding the strut rod to the knuckle (?) so it can align itself to the center of the bushing before tightening it down. So just remove enough plastic splash shield to see the bushings, loosen the bolts (maybe 3 nuts on each one?), a little grease, then replace with the new ones.
Some tips (from memory, after doing it once):
- When applying the final torquing of the nuts (bolts?) on the bushings, the car should be jacked down, so the wheels are carrying the weight, and the wheels are pointed straight ahead. Otherwise you'll pre-load the bushings, maybe causing them to wear out faster. So ideally, I'd make sure the 3 bolts on the bushings and the 2 bolts on the rear end of the strut rod are loose enough to allow just a little movement. Then jack the car down so the wheel is supporting the weight. Then torque those 5 bolts.
- There is an adjustment nut on the strut rod (27 mm?). I compared the adjustment position on the right vs. left sides and noticed one was a few mm different. One had been replaced early on, and I'll guess they did not adjust things, so I adjusted that one to match the other one.
Racer
Joined: May 2010
Posts: 1,472
Likes: 154
From: Kansas
So would this be super easy to replace? If just the bushings than the 3 bolts and center nut to remove and replace.
Probably have the mark the center nut to match up so your alignment won't be too far off. Aside from the price for these bushings sounds easy.
Anyone seen a good lowest price for the bushings? Sewell is sitting at $139 after our discount.
Probably have the mark the center nut to match up so your alignment won't be too far off. Aside from the price for these bushings sounds easy.
Anyone seen a good lowest price for the bushings? Sewell is sitting at $139 after our discount.
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