strut bushing, proper assembly, the Final Word (version 6)

[Tom Jennings <tomj@xxxxxxx>]

After long deliberation, three lawsuits, murder, world war(s),
tea-leave consultations and a glance at some AMC TSMs (aka
tea-leaves in a cup) I've determined with good certainty that the
direction of the cupped washers on strut bushings is totally
arbitrary. Sort of.

The TSMs I have do not spell out assembly in detail, but have
grotty little pictures that "hint". Here's what I found. Schematic
drawing of the strut with front-of-car on the left:


1963:
           ---------------------( |== (--    (one piece)

1970:
           ---------------------( |= =| )--  (two piece)

1972: (drawing vague)
           ---------------------) |= =| )--  (two piece)

1974:
           ---------------------( |== )--    (one piece) (see notes)
           ---------------------( |= =| )--  (two piece)

1977:
           ---------------------( |= =| )--  (two piece)


Pre-1965 don't really count, as they are of a different design
than later parts, though the general design (load-bearing bushing
and all that) is the same they use a different part.

I've used three different brands of rubber and one polyurethane
part. All the rubber parts were of different shape.

_ The "traditional" one is a simple truncated cone with a
  cylindrical base, plus the stepped part that fits in the hole.

_ The most-recent part is the same, except the truncated cone
  is undercut; it has a concave shape, probably the cheap bastards
  saving a bit of materials cost.

_ The third shape is very substantial; the center steel bush
  instead has a flange, goes on the outside of the (included)
  cupped washer, which is nearly 1/4" thick, and the rubber
  is massive. Looks like a truck part! Might be a Jeep part.

_ The poly part was a copy of the traditional shape; I cut
  these down for the Rambler fix.

Alas, I did not record the brand names of these items, except that
the most recent, undercut part is NAPA 274-9054. MOOG #K3090,
Perfect Circle #FA685 are good-quality "traditional" ones, and
Norris McQuay? FA685 might be the super-good one.

LEGEND:

   (
   )   The cupped washers.


   |== is the old-style one-piece bushing. Parts stores
       always list it, but in my lifetime I have never
       seen one available, and yes, I asked. NOS parts
       for 1963-1964 are available; I bought one and it
       self-destructed within days (ancient rubber).

       I find it strange that it's mentioned in 1974
       (though it would be a different part than 1963-1964)
       and not in 72 or 77.


   |=
   =|  The two-piece bushing we all know and love and

       still available today, used on 1965?-1989.