Stevan

iTrader: (17)

I have the Energy Suspension bushings.
The engineering dept. at Energy Suspension states they are installed with the raised sections facing towards each other. To me, this makes no sense, they don't fit into the hole in the bracket. The hole in the bracket is 1.060" and the raised part of the bushing is 1.565". The guy(Bruce) I spoke with at Suspension Restorations(where I got them from) said all the of the strut rod bushings he's seen were made to fit in the hole in the bracket, and was surprised that I was the first to question this. Installed as directed the metal sleeve won't be held in the center of the hole in the bracket. There is a better chance of this if the bushing are installed the opposite way, the edge is slightly beveled on the flat side, so they nearly fit flush into the cups on the bracket. Are there 1st gens with a larger hole in the bracket that these were designed for? An interesting thing is the original rubber bushings have the raised part facing out from what I have seen, and it just get squashed flat.
Photos of new ES bushings, ones I removed, and a photo of stock replacements.

trochoid

iTrader: (6)

It's been several years since I replaced mine but I would be inclined to have them facing out, not in. Either way the steel tube for the bolt will keep them centered.

patmac6075

iTrader: (26)

I just replaced mine....They came packaged with the flat side facing toward the washers, so that's how I installed them.
Although I bow to Trochoid's vast knowledge and reputation....that's just the way I did it

Stevan

iTrader: (17)

The metal sleeve is 3/16" smaller than the hole in the bracket, so it can't center it perfectly. I don't think there should be any metal on metal contact anyway. If the flat side of the bushing had a little more bevel on the edge it would fit right into the cups on the bracket, like the new OE probably does.