:. Projects/Mods .:
Beginning |
Bushing Install |
Impressions/Summary
MATERIALS:
The following is what I used to get this job done, you may have better/easier ways to get it completed:
| Tools |
Get From: |
| ·6" C-Clamp |
~$5 - Harbor Freight |
| ·Standard DSM size rachets & wrenches |
Wherever |
| Materials: |
|
| ·Noltec Caster Bushings |
$44 - Mofugas - P/N N52419 |
| ·OR: Whiteline Caster Bushings |
$38 - Mofugas - P/N KCA321 |
| ·a few feet of 2x2 wood |
any hardware/home improvement store |
| ·2"x1/8" flat steel bar-stock |
any hardware store |
| ·a helper/partner |
many years of friendship, or $20 |
|
I'll say this first: this process was the hardest thing I've done yet on my DSM. I apologize for the lack of pictures, since I did this mod before I had my digital camera.
Having said that, most of it was because I did it alone, and without a real press that some of you may have access to. I started using the Energy Suspension Bushing Install VFAQ. However, the pictures for the press he made weren't very informative, so I made it up as I went, basically.
Do all the normal blah-blah safety stuff and get your car in the air. Higher is better, since you'll need some shoulder room underneath the car. Start by disassembling the front suspension. I chose to leave the arm on the car and not have to remove the CV joints, shocks, brakes, etc since I wasn't going to be removing the arm to take it to a press, so this is a shorter list than for those of you using a real press:
- front swaybar endlink (gives you more room to manuever control arm
- front bushing bolt
- 14's and 17's holding the rear bushing bracket on
I disassembled both sides of the car at once, but you may want to leave one attached for a reference, if you don't have a manual.
The rear, large bushing is very simple, it simply slides off the rear of the control arm. Before removing it, note its orientation, since that is important. One end has a slightly bigger 'shelf' than the other. Compare to the new bushing, and install them in the same way. If you are installing non-offset bushings, then just slide the new bushing on (oriented as previously mentioned). Don't grease it yet, since it will get everywhere, but remember to do so before reinstalling the control arm.
If you are installing an offset bushing, then you want to install it with the hole oriented towards the outboard side of the car. This pushes the lower ball joint further forward, effecting an increase in caster.
Now for the front one. Curses. Note that there are two small rubber "ears" that are on either side of the bushing - these can pulled off and discarded.
The rest needs to be pressed out. It may be possible to burn the sucker out, but I never tried, so you're on your own for that. To press the bushing out, I built the little wood and metal press that you see in figures 3 and 4. Pathetic, isn't it?
The press is made of some soft 2x2 redwood I had lying around and a 2x4. Some nice pine would do a much better job, you might not even need the metal reinforcement that I put on mine. The two parallel pieces are spaced exactly such that they sit on the outer metal edge of the control arm.
Fit the large end of the c-clamp over the cross-piece (2x4), and the small end will press on the bushing. this is where it really helps to have a friend to help steady the press, c-clamp, and control arm. After that it's just a matter of worrying the bushing out. It will pop out when it's about 2/3 out of the hole.
Now install the Energy bushing. Like a lot of the other Energy Suspension bushings, this one has two plastic halves, and a metal sleeve that goes in the middle. Memory fails me if they are identical or not, but if they are, in fact, different, just compare to the factory bushing as before. Put the plastic pieces in first, followed by the metal bushing, tapping it in with a hammer if you need to.
That's about it - now it's just a matter of reinstalling the control arm. Don't forget to grease the rear bushing. I had a bear of a time getting the control arms back on - the front bushing bolt is tough to get lined up correctly. Ultimately, I had the best luck by loosely installing the rear part to get the alignment close, then just worrying the thing on with a few taps from a hammer.
The last 'gotcha' mentioned in the VFAQ is to wait until the vehicle's weight is on the front suspension to put the final torque on the fasteners. Don't know why - but it *is* in the manual.
Additional Information:
There are numerous suspension books out there that can help you understand more about how suspensions work, and specifically, to understand the shortcomings of the 1g's front suspension.
Closer to the point of this article is one that Ground-Control wrote on the subject of Caster, available here. (in fact, read all of their tech articles, they're very informative).
And that should be it! Any questions/comments/flames/love letters to:
mrjones@holly.colostate.edu
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fig 1.
fig 2.
fig 3.
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