Re: [Amc-list] Replacing strut-rod bushing

[Tom Jennings <tomj@xxxxxxx>]

On Fri, 2007-06-01 at 22:35 -0400, Matt Haas wrote:


> What's your experience been with the one piece bushings? At least from 
> the illustrations I've seen, it looks like that's what's available now. 

really? You mean Rambler OEM 1963 style, where you push them through
from one side and a fat washer distorts them into "grommets"?

The only modern types I've seen are these:

http://wps.com/AMC/Strut-bushing-modern/index.html

Here's a very poor pic of a 63 NOS OEM part after 4 days of driving
(around 2002? 2003?)

http://wps.com/AMC/Strut-bushing/index.html


> Also, having to align the car every 6 months doesn't sound too out of 
> the ordinary. I was getting my 96 Ram aligned about every 10,000 miles 
> (which was about every 6-9 months).

We're getting used to third world quality. I probably sound like an
obsessive crank with my rantings on strut bushings, but as far as I'm
concerned cars should hold their alignment for a decade and/or 100K
miles, short of ramming a curb, accidents, etc.

The only reasons I can think of for front ends going out of alignment
besides bent metal (accidents etc) is loss of bushing concentricity with
rubber deforming over time with constant pressure, and that's basically
materials quality.

Look how long those old AMC/Rambler (and probably Brand F and both Brand
C's) parts lasted! We've all bought cars at 75,000 - 150,000 miles with
ORIGINAL SUSPENSION PARTS STILL IN, and yes they were worn at that age,
all rattley and loose, but they were still intact. It took 10, 20, 30
years to achieve the crappy state-of-tune that I now get in BRAND NEW
BRAND NAME parts after only a year or two.


>  I have yet to find out how well the 
> 07 Ram holds an alignment.

Yes, that will be interesting. I bet it will be pretty good until it
needs repair! In my chats with the greybeards at the alignment shop
(SPENCE WHEEL ALIGNMENT, Glendale CA) modern chassis design and
construction is often shit, one medium-sized curb bonk and it need all
four wheels on the laser aligner.


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