Re: [AMC-List] Strut bushings

[Frank Swygert <farna@xxxxxxx>]

Yes, but as in all tings on volume cars, the biggest "advantage" is
it's cheap to produce and fast to install at the factory, and it's
"good enough" for Joe Shoppingmall. Strut suspension, for example --
derived in part from strut rod suspension (struts also use a strut
rod!). The older Ramblers with double wishbones actually have a better
suspension design! I believe quick and easy factory assembly is why the 
one piece design -- takes a few seconds less for a factory worker to
assemble (x 100,000 plus cars and it adds up!!), and less likely to
make a mistake that ends up going back to a dealer for warranty work.
In some cases I've seen one part design (not necessarily strut rod
bushings) used for the factory installation with the replacement a
totally different design. I can't recall the part, but believe it was
an import... maybe something on my friend's 72 Mercedes??  

The fiddling with the strut rod bushing design was more likely to
reduce the number of replacement parts stocked, make one part fit all
similar applications. 

The parts books don't always illustrate minor changes. They use a
generic suspension diagram and sometimes have two part numbers for the
same part with notes like "used after (dat or serial number)" after one 
part number. So what was the change?? You can't tell. 

On August 18, 2006 Tom Jennings wrote:
 
> I wish I had systematic access to all the parts. A full
> set of parts catalogs would be a start, but I think actual
> side-by-side comparison of hard parts would reveal that a lot
> of different-number parts are really microscopic variations on
> some one part (eg. holes for shocks, anti-roll bars, etc). Those
> of us wrenching and driving would be happy to have wrong-year
> parts that work :-)


=============================================================
Posted by wixList Archiver -- http://www.amxfiles.com/wixlist

_______________________________________________
AMC-List mailing list
AMC-List@xxxxxxxxxxxx
http://www.amc-list.com/mailman/listinfo/amc-list

or go to http://www.amc-list.com