widz

iTrader: (1)

hey im trying to restore my suspension on my 85 gsl-se....i've seen that respeed offers a COMPLETE master bushing set

http://mrcmfg.com/catalog/product_in...roducts_id=153

now this is for either billy from re-speed or anyone else who has purchased this set for their 1st gen....does this kit come with ALL the bushings available for my car or is there something that isn't included that people usually dont need to change....i want to replace every bushing available for my car (no matter how insignificant it may be) so i dont have to worry about it again, but i dont know exactly what i need....

so the complete master bushing kit comes with almost all the major components but i also noticed that customers also bought the "Polyurethane Tie Rod or Ball Joint Boot"....how come this isn't included in the kit? can someone please enlighten me....i just want to know exactly how much ALL the bushings on my car will cost and which one i will have to order (please include EVERYTHING that is recommended to be changed like tie rods and what not)...thank you

bwaits

iTrader: (12)

The master kit includes everything Energy suspension makes for the first gen sans the Tie Rod or Ball Joint Boots. They are not included since they do not fit well. They are sold individually.

The only parts left on the car, not included in the kit, that are bushing related would be idler bushings and shock bushings. Idlers can be picked up at a local autoparts store for a few bucks each and the shock bushings come with new shocks.

-billy

widz

iTrader: (1)

thanks billy....took a suspension class at my college and figured i'd take advantage of it and replace all my bushings...i'll order em soon

flyboy333

Just make sure you have a plumbing or other high heat torch, if your bushings are anything like mine you'll need it, once I figured out how to use it those rear arm bushings were out and with a clean bore in 5 minutes each.

Kentetsu

Two things to add:

1. A small fire (bonfire, or stack some wood on your grill) will get the old bushings out in a matter of a minute or so. Much better/easier than even using a torch.

2. For the idler arm, some companies sell a high performance "race" version that uses ball joints rather than bushings. These last much longer, and are much stronger, than the stock setup. You can find exactly the same "race" idler arm at www.rockauto.com for about $30.00 less than the specialty companies are charging. Just look for the Moog idler arm.






.

Keith13b

iTrader: (6)

I just swapped out my bushings this week. Fairly simple job. I would recommend (1) getting a MAPP gas (plumbers) torch; and (2) go rent a ball joint press from the local auto parts store. I assume all stores now give out free loaner tools w/ refundable deposit.

Torch the metal on the joint for ~2-3 min. Be careful not to light the rubber on fire - just hit the metal. Move the flame around constantly and wait until some melted rubber starts to "blister" out of the space between the rubber and the metal - you will know it when you see it. Shut the torch off, and go "press" out the rubber bushing just like it was a ball joint. It should come out easily and all in one nice piece. The bore should be smooth and the bushing will look like it was not melted at all (kinda cool). If you press out the bushing and bits of rubber are still stuck in the bore, you didn't heat it long enough. I only made that mistake once and used a battery terminal wire brush to clean outy the remaining rubber.

An insider tip - pull all the bars at once - alternate bars after you remove one bushing. The torch heat can make the bar arm hot. Doing both ends back to back can make it hard to handle w/o gloves, so just keep switching ends. Also - the grease that is supplied is nice; however, it has the cohesive attributes of melted tar. It will stick to everything that it comes in contact to. I used my bare finger to apply, then wiped off my finger then proceeded to use some hand tools. Next think I know the tool was a magnet for dirt and became tacky (but well lubed!). Moral of the story - use latex gloves to spread the grease or use a good de-grease soap after you apply it before you touch ANYTHING else. It does not come off paint easily either...........my fenders have some nice greasy finger prints that don't come off with soap and water - LOVELY.

Good luck on the lower control arms! Have a helper, crow-bar, or both. I was solo - so I used a floor jack to hold the arm against the bracket- added a little pressure to start to deform the bushing, then used a large flat head screwdriver and mallet to "pinch-in" the bushing on both sides evenly. Once its in straight - its easy. If its crooked at all - you will be there for a long time cursing.

Good luck! And remember to tighten everything while the car is on the ground under a load.

Also forgot - a couple of the bolts for the arms have a tab welded in place to prevent the head of the bolt from turning. I was not able to get a hand tool on the nut side, so I had to grind down the tab to put a socket around the head of the bolt. Not sure if you will have the same problem.

Start to finish took me about an hour and that included some time for the bars to cool before insterting the new bushing. I also had an air wrench and u-joint sockets which greatly speeds up the process. W/O it it would probably be a 2-hr job.

This is a simple job - but you will get very dirty.

snwyvern

Keith13b, Kentetsu:

Thanks for the information. Can either of you relate (from personal experience) how important it is to swap out struts and springs at the same time?

And... +1 to the Moog/CP Idler and Pitman arm(s).

Kentetsu

Really, the only reason to swap the struts and/or springs during this job is the fact that you already have everything torn apart.

snwyvern

Really?!? (I haven't done this on an RX, obviously...)

I helped a friend with this (Bushing/ball joint/etc.) a couple of weeks ago on his 3rd Gen GM F-Body and the saggy/borken/maladjusted suspension blew out two of the bushings (PST) that were replaced and "tried" to bend the ball-joints out of the frames. [As soon as the car was put on the ground and left to rest under its own weight]

I had just assumed that this was just the "nature of the beast" for RWD suspension geometry and what-not.

Thanks for the info!

orion84gsl

iTrader: (5)

There's a good chance a lot of the bolts wont break free and will need to be cut off, or will break entirely. I suggest removing what you can without breaking them and get replacement grade 8 hardware from the local store. Might as well spend the extra $20 and get new nuts and bolts too.

j9fd3s

iTrader: (3)

in canada!

Keith13b

iTrader: (6)

Sounds like you tightened everything while the car was in the air. It must be tightened under load.

And it is good idea to replace the shocks/springs if they are as old as the bushings! Like Kentetsu said, if anything, its all apart and easy to swap. If you have the $$$ do it all at once!

zaridar

iTrader: (3)

an hour for every bushing on the car?!!!?? Damn i think it takes an hour to lift the car loosen the bolts and retighten them. plus swapping out old bushings that are siezed in? thats impressive

Keith13b

iTrader: (6)

An air wrench is your friend. To be honest, I had my car jacked up already (all 4 corners) doing the re-speed steering kit so my bushing kit was the partial kit and I was only working the back bushings since ther fronts are are part of the steering kit. But jacking a car shouldn't take more than 5 minutes w/ a hydraulic jack and 4 stands. Having the u-jointed 14mm and 17mm sockets with extensions allowed me to hit every bolt w/ the air wrench - they spin off in like 1.2 seconds each. It really takes no time if you know what you are doing and have the right tools. I could not have done it as fast w/o those u-jointed sockets....and just adding a u-joint to a standard socket won't cut it with the small spaces. You'd be left doing it w/ 2 wrenches which would take forever and kill your shoulders. Droping the 4-rear bars and watts link took maybe 10-15 min - renistallation is about the same.

The hardest part was figuring out that there were those tabs preventing you from putting a socket on the nut. I had three that way on my car. A quick hit with the cut off wheel on the tab and all was good. Make sure to have a rubber mallot to knock in/out the bars.

Using a torch on the bars seems so much easier than putting the rubber in a fire. I couldn't imagine the smoke that would be produced. Torching the ends are quick, easy, and it produces almost no smoke.....aside from any oil residue on the bars themselves. Plus they cool faster and there is no cleaning of the bores required.

The ball joint press is a must - make sure to rent one. I'd most likely spend an hour on each end if I didn't have it. Again, using an air wrench, the rubber bushings can be pushed out in a matter of seconds; not minutes.

So I guess I can say expect an hour on the rear and an hour on the front if you have the full kit w/ air tools. The fronts dopn't require any torching, so that saves time, but re-installing the control arms takes a while...at least with the new crossmember.

trochoid

iTrader: (6)

Another simple way to get the bushings out is a drill and 1/8" drill bit. Plunge the bit into the bushing tight against the outer edge next to the metal. If held jut right, the flutes of the bit will grab the metal and walk around the inside, cutting through the rubber. Then use a wire wheel and sanding roll, 80-120 grit to clean up.

zaridar

iTrader: (3)

thats what i did after torching failed me without a press worked well

zaridar

iTrader: (3)

I see i had no press used the drill bit method.. and i did the whole car rear 4 link, watts, front and rear sway bars braket bushing and end links, control arms, and stay rods or whatever they are called in the front