urethane LCA bushing install

[red79]

I've got a pair of prothane bushings pressed into my LCAs (I know, I know, not trying to have a rubber vs. urethane debate though). I'm trying to get the length of my adjustable strut rods dialed in, so I've got the pivot pin bolted in and am sweeping the arm through it's travel to make sure there's no binding.

The problem is, every time I sweep the arm up and down, the arm is backing off the bushing a little each time--by the time it's been up and down a few times, it's more than a quarter inch back and keeps going. Aside from the obvious safety issue, it's making it impossible to get a good strut rod measurement. I'm pounding it back forward with a mallet, but it keeps backing whenever I rotate the LCA.

Is there anything I'm missing? Maybe a special way to install urethane bushings without this headache.

Please help!!

Thanks,
Matt

[bull]

I can't imagine there's any special way to press them in that would prevent them from backing out like you've described. What brand are they and where did you get them? Obviously the urethane shouldn't be backing out, or the pins shouldn't be backing out, so I'd have to say the bushings are defective. I used rubber and I can only move the UCAs up and down maybe 3-4 inches without really pushing (with the sway bar and strut rods loosely in place). And I don't see the rubber flexing at all when I do that.

Do have any pictures you might share of this problem?

[tan top]

 like  Bull said   need pictures really  ,    


you need to re-use  the outer factory bushing shell & inner  sleeve for polly  & only the outer shell when  using a pivot pin for a polly bushing  

[red79]

Hey guys, sorry no pictures, I've actually been in a mad rush to get my car rolling again because my landlord threatened to tow it. Apparently I violated the renter's agreement by having a car in the lot that (1) Did not have a current VA state inspection and (2) did not have front wheels.

Anyway, after thinking on it a while I realized that the poly bushing design has nothing physically keeping the LCA forward on the pivot pin except the torsion bar. The small adjustments I was making to the strut rod were pushing the LCA back every time I swept it up and down, so I simply chose a good setting, installed the t-bars right away, and called it a day. Now I'll just have to see how it looks after a few miles of road to judge if it's working or not.

[tan top]

yes that the argument  with the polly v oem rubber     

[red79]

and here I was thinking it was all about k member stresses and road feel 

I was almost tempted to go back to rubber after messing with them for so long. I would have, too, if I hadn't already invested in an absolutely beautiful pair of firm feel greasable pivot pins--seriously, those things are a work of art