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My Berlinetta has a mixture of suspension bushes fitted to the links in the back suspension.
The lower links both have nylon/plastic bushes at each end. The upper links are original Ford type rubber bushes at both ends.
The lower arm bushes do not have sleeves and bear directly on the bolts, The bolts can't be tightened fully because that would clamp the brackets to the bushes. The result of this is that the holes in the axle brackets and the bolts are badly worn. I propose to bore the bushes out to 16mm clearance and fit some 16mm od stainless steel sleeves.
However, I am very concerned that the use of these solid bushes at both ends of the links causes the links to flex in torsion as the axle rises and falls at one side or the other. I accept the solid bushes 'stiffen' the suspension and provide a more responsive feel to the car but at the expense of introducing flex into a component not intended to flex, that is why the rubber bushes have a rotational ability to accommodate the rotation of the arm.
I have read up on this and I am not the only one to have concerns about changing all the rubber bushes to solid plastic bushes. One solution I have come across which may be a good compromise, is to use plastic bushes on the car and the original Ford rubber type bushes on the axle.
I have just stripped the front suspension and the upper inner bushes seem to be in good condition, the lower arm inner bushes may be deteriorating. The tie rod end bushes have disintegrated. They appear to have been some sort of spongy plastic which seems to have deteriorated to powder where light has fallen on the bushes, further in they are still recognisable. Perhaps UV light has attacked the plastic?
For now I propose to make new Delrin or Polly lower bushes with SS sleeves, Probably leave the top inner link bushes as are for now. I will probably have to buy a set of plastic tie rod bushes because I don't know what material they are made from.
I have noticed the tie rods are adjusted very differently maybe 20mm different relative to the end of the tie rod. I haven't measured the tie rods and can't access them right now, do tie rods come in different lengths, perhaps from different models? Perhaps one lower arm has been replaced complete with it's tie rod...
The damper bolts have mostly broken off in situ.
Every thing else just unscrewed. <vbg>
The lower links both have nylon/plastic bushes at each end. The upper links are original Ford type rubber bushes at both ends.
The lower arm bushes do not have sleeves and bear directly on the bolts, The bolts can't be tightened fully because that would clamp the brackets to the bushes. The result of this is that the holes in the axle brackets and the bolts are badly worn. I propose to bore the bushes out to 16mm clearance and fit some 16mm od stainless steel sleeves.
However, I am very concerned that the use of these solid bushes at both ends of the links causes the links to flex in torsion as the axle rises and falls at one side or the other. I accept the solid bushes 'stiffen' the suspension and provide a more responsive feel to the car but at the expense of introducing flex into a component not intended to flex, that is why the rubber bushes have a rotational ability to accommodate the rotation of the arm.
I have read up on this and I am not the only one to have concerns about changing all the rubber bushes to solid plastic bushes. One solution I have come across which may be a good compromise, is to use plastic bushes on the car and the original Ford rubber type bushes on the axle.
I have just stripped the front suspension and the upper inner bushes seem to be in good condition, the lower arm inner bushes may be deteriorating. The tie rod end bushes have disintegrated. They appear to have been some sort of spongy plastic which seems to have deteriorated to powder where light has fallen on the bushes, further in they are still recognisable. Perhaps UV light has attacked the plastic?
For now I propose to make new Delrin or Polly lower bushes with SS sleeves, Probably leave the top inner link bushes as are for now. I will probably have to buy a set of plastic tie rod bushes because I don't know what material they are made from.
I have noticed the tie rods are adjusted very differently maybe 20mm different relative to the end of the tie rod. I haven't measured the tie rods and can't access them right now, do tie rods come in different lengths, perhaps from different models? Perhaps one lower arm has been replaced complete with it's tie rod...
The damper bolts have mostly broken off in situ.
Every thing else just unscrewed. <vbg>
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