Disintegrated Strut Bushings

[ew1usnr]

Well, gee.

I had the front end re-built this past August, including new strut rod bushings.

I just noticed that those new strut rod bushings are all squished in and disintegrated.

(Right)
1-DCP_0031.jpg

(Left)
2-DCP_0032.jpg

What would have caused this? Were they over-tightened or under tightened?

[redfalken]

I'm not sure what the other cupped washer looks like but the illustration that came with mine have them cupping outward, not inward although you wouldn't think so.

And there should be a metal tube between the two washers that the strut goes through. It prevents the bushings from being compressed too much. One other option is poly bushings. I've heard a lot of complaints about how bad the rubber parts are from some importers these days.

[ew1usnr]

Hello, Kenny.

Thanks for the photo. I stuck my camera underneath and just took this photo of the left bushing looking from underneath. The front bushing is squished and the bushing behind it is split.

Left from below.jpg

I can't understand how that would happen. The parts came from FalconParts.com and appeared to be new.

I checked at the local parts store and replacement bushings would cost $32. I just ordered a set of "poly graphite" bushings on-line from Performance Suspension Technology (PST) at http://www.p-s-t.com/ for $28, shipping included. I'll see how they hold up.

POLYSBK-gen.jpg

“Zero-deflection, ultimate handling Graphite impregnated - no squeaks!” “One of the primary problem areas in classic musclecar suspensions is the use of rubber bushings. They were cheap to manufacture for mass production and provided isolation from road noise and vibration, but rubber has a significant tradeoff – its relatively soft durometer (hardness) allows for significant deflection of the chassis components under load. The rubber bushings twist and deform as the suspension components rotate, causing premature wear and unpredictable handling. Rubber eventually dry rots when exposed to the elements and degrades in the presence of grease and oil. PST perfected polyurethane with the introduction of POLYGRAPHITE® - a special formula incorporating a low-friction graphite lubricant into the actual bushing material. With POLYGRAPHITE®, you get the near-zero deflection performance of polyurethane with a self-lubricating bushing. As an added benefit, POLYGRAPHITE® is impervious to grease, oil, weather, and other natural elements and will never dry rot.”

[SmithKid]

Dennis, when I saw the foto of your bushings, I got an idea why yours are cut and disintegrating (but this is purely speculation, not knowledge). I had the impression that the washers may be the culprit due to the (comparatively) sharp edge of the washer against the bushing. On top of that, I thought my washers were installed as yours are. I was wrong, and my washers are installed as Kenny pictured. Mine have been installed for a couple of years, but I'm sure I don't have near the mileage on mine as you. I bet with the new bushings you ordered and installing the washers as Kenny suggests, your problem will be gone. Here is mine:

[Jeff W]

Kenny, the diagram you posted shows the front cup washer installed as Dennis' was (opposite of Gene;s), the cup towards the rubber bush. The rear washer is installed cup away...

I don't know what is correct but you guys need to figure it out before I do mine in the spring

Here is a link to the diagram Kenny uploaded:

http://www.rainierfalcons.com/forums...6&d=1395203618

http://www.rainierfalcons.com/forums...=strut+bushing

[doghows]

Dennis as smashed as those are did you have the steel sleeve inside the bushings? I think the washer may have some effect on it but if that sleeve is not there you will definitely get what I see in the pics.

[redfalken]

I forgot about that previous post. I'll have to crawl under the car and see what I did but I'm guessing I went by the diagram on the instruction sheet. And I should inspect the bushings too. I haven't since I installed them.

[ew1usnr]

Dennis as smashed as those are did you have the steel sleeve inside the bushings? I think the washer may have some effect on it but if that sleeve is not there you will definitely get what I see in the pics.

Darn it! I think that you are right, Steve. (I really like this club.)

The metal sleeve spacers must have been left out.

The bushings kit that I had ordered from FalconParts.com came with the spacers.
Strut Bushing Kit.jpg

The poly-graphite bushings that I ordered this evening evidently will come with a new set of metal spacer sleeves. This was the photograph they used to illustrate the bushings:
POLYSBK-gen (1).jpg


In the link to the previous discussion on bushings Pat said "Get new rubber bushings for this location. Don't use poly on stock strut rods." Why is that?

The bushing diagram is kind of odd in that it shows that the washer on the front of the car has the dish facing inward, while the washer on the back has the washer facing outward. I wonder why that is?

[BadBird]

I don't have those parts anymore since I have the mustang ll suspension but I thought I remembered the washers with the concave side against the rubber bushings. I checked my old pictures before I took the car apart and I checked the "1964 Falcon/Comet" book I have and that is the way they also show them. I think the nuts were just tightened too much, but pretty hard to be sure if that's the cause. Soooo it looks to me like you had the washers on the right way. Larry

[doghows]

Dennis, the poly bushings are too firm for the stock arms and there have been several cases of the arm breaking due to lack of movement. Those arms have to move up and down with your suspension so for your car I would stick with rubber. I'm looking in to the adjustable ones just for better alignment issues, but my car has been lowered so it causes more issues when it comes to alignment.
I think there is a good web site with info on the ploy vs rubber I think it is car daze.com. Check that out.

[ew1usnr]

Dennis, the poly bushings are too firm for the stock arms and there have been several cases of the arm breaking due to lack of movement. Those arms have to move up and down with your suspension so for your car I would stick with rubber.

Hello, Steve.

You convinced me. I ordered another original-type 1962-1963 strut rod bushing kit C2DZ-3A187-A from FalconParts.com.

Strut Bushing Kit.jpg

Thanks, Dennis.

[doghows]

Glad the information helped with your decision. Just make sure to use the sleeves this time lol! Besides we need you to keep your car on the road, especially this time of year when we can't get ours out too much. We need your trips to keep us going through the winter.

[Luva65wagon]

Having installed about 6 sets of these in 3 years they are not all created equal. I've seen 3 different types so far and some have the sleeves and some do not. But the sleeves are there, when included, to stop you from crushing the bushings. I noted elsewhere that NOS rubber parts don't seem to survive being put into service. Not sure if these were, but may have been old stock. They seem to be crumbling as well.

As Steve said these are supposed to move up and down. The washers are curved outward to allow the bushing this movement. If you either overtighten the nuts (no sleeve) or use too stiff a bushing (poly) the control arms can't easily raise and lower.

I know Jay Baker had two sets of the adjustable control arms for sale at our past 3 swap meet appearances. They were not (are not) cheap. For a driver, probably not needed. He proposed bringing them to the mini-regional, but not sure if he did or not.

Also, the adjustment of strut rods are very elusive. I have never found anything to indicate where those nuts should be placed. I can only guess that these are are adjusted if wheel caster can't be adjusted correctly using shims on the upper control arm. I would think that with the car weight on the front end, these should be adjusted neutral. You can effectively pull the lower control arm fore and aft this way - though I can't imagine wanting to do so very much. It is a fixed length and as the control arms go up and down it has to affect caster some. Some cars, I've seen, don't have the rear-ward nuts and have a positive stop on the back side. These could never be used as an adjustable part.

[ew1usnr]

... the sleeves are there, when included, to stop you from crushing the bushings. I noted elsewhere that NOS rubber parts don't seem to survive being put into service. Not sure if these were, but may have been old stock. They seem to be crumbling as well.

I telephoned PST this past Monday morning and canceled the order for the poly-graphite bushing order. They were nice about it and didn't argue.

Operating on the assumption that the squished bushings had indicated that the steel spacer sleeves had not been installed, I ordered another OEM-style strut bushing kit from FalconParts.com this past Sunday. That order was delivered yesterday and after I got home from work I took the car back to the mechanic who had rebuilt the front end this past August. I explained that the bushings had disintegrated and that the metal spacers might not have been installed. He looked surprised but didn't argue and said that he would take a look at them. I also showed him the diagram that Kenny had posted where it shows the rear washer with the dish facing outward and the front washer facing inward. I asked him to re-check the alignment and to also replace the ruptured dust boot on the left inner tie rod end.

Ruptured tie rod end dust boot
Ruptured dust boot.jpg

They called me this afternoon and said that the car was ready. The mechanic showed me the squished bushings and said that the spacers had been installed, and that it had been the composition of the rubber bushings that had been at fault.

Crumbled strut rod bushings
1-DCP_0043.jpg

I explained that the new set of bushings had come from the same company where I had bought the first set from. The mechanic said that the new set of bushings was different. He said that the new bushings had been made from polyurethane. I said that I had been told not to use polyurethane bushings because they were too stiff. He said that the poly bushings came in different degrees of stiffness and what I had was fine and that I would not notice any difference. He said that maybe FalconParts had problems with the supplier of the rubber parts and had switched to a new supplier with the polyurethane parts. I had handled the new poly bushings and rubbed them with silicone grease and it had never crossed my mind that they were not black rubber. The new bushings had not felt any harder than the previous rubber bushings. The mechanic also said that he had replaced the one torn tie rod end dust boot and that all the other boots were good.

New polyurethane left strut rod bushing
1-DCP_0044.jpg

New polyurethane left inner tie rod bushing dust boot
2-DCP_0045.jpg

And the mechanic wrote the work off as a return visit on the previous front end rebuild and alignment and said that there would be ... No Charge!

I think that I will mail the disintegrated rubber bushing back to FalconParts, though, and ask for my $32 back.

I had the mechanic install the washers as shown in Kenny's drawing. That configuration seems correct because as the strut rod moves up and down at the lower control arm, the radius point of the arc of motion would be at the outer washer. The bushing would not tilt much there and the inward facing dish of the washer would serve to center the bushing. The trailing washer is where the arc of movement would occur and the bushing flexes against the convex curved front surface of the washer with its dished surface facing the rear. At least that is my theory.

The weather is ideal, gas is cheap, and my Falcon is back on the road. Yea!

[Jeff W]

Thanks for the conclusion to the story.

Your reasoning makes sense and I am going to go the same route.

The labor for mine will also be "no charge". In fact the guy that will be doing the work is sitting at my keyboard right now