Mopar Muscle Association UK

We need some Front Strut Rod Bushes for the '63 Polara (B body).

It's the large-ish dia rubber bushes that are visible looking down at the X-member where the diagonal strut comes through from the LCA. Mine's disintegrated behind the big cupped washer.
OEM rubber would be fine. I'm not even sure if poly is an option.
I have read that 65-70 something are the same so I'm not sure if that means the 63 ones differ from the more popular years?

I just rang US Automotive and they said 10 days which isn't too bad I guess.

Anyone have any? Anyone changed to poly or binned their X-member in favour of something more exotic?

Last question(s):
- are they difficult to change (yes I did look in the FSM, it doesn't help with changing just the bushes),
- is it best not to drive the car with one falling apart (not me, the bush!).

A bit like these....

TIA Stu

I am sure you have to remove the LCA to get the strut rod out of the "K" member. I know that the strut rod does screw into the LCA but this is on a taper can can be hard to remove / get out and I cannot remember if you can get this out of the LCA whilst it is still in situ.

Surely the old one can't be that bad and you can wait until end of the season to change it at your leisure...

Got mine off ebay US,dodgeboy was the seller,came quick.
Jack up,remove wheel,undo torsion bar adjuster all the way to fully slack.Take the front nuts off the strut rods first then take off the rears in lower control arm. Remove torsion bar circlip,slide boot forward,take off front torsion bar nut,get a smooth bar (tyre lever I used) and push arm backwards so torsion bar slides back enough to get the strut rod out. Clean,rebush and assemble in reverse order to above,lower to ground,adjust torsion bar ride height (on jack with weight off bar) then when happy tighten up everything you undid with car sitting on it's wheels. Hour a side,longer if torsion bar won't slide back easy.

THESE are what they look like when new,a few places have repro ones cheaper than this http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/NOS-MOPAR-195 ... 58c4c4bf42

Think I have some, not sure if they might be rubber or poly. Can check in the morning and let you know though

Thanks guys, i just had another look and, having presumed they'd be like those Moog ones in the pic i attached, the FSM shows the bushes to be more like the ones Steve posted off that Ebay link. Thanks Steve.
I would appreciate if you could have a look Rebel, but they'd need to be like the ones on Steve's link.
I'll try to get the parts first then think about fitting. Pic below shows the one that's knackered - driv side, pass side not too bad. Is it best to keep off the road till it's fixed?

I may be able to help out - I will let you know tomorrow....

That would be spiffing.

The ones I have are more like the moog parts in your pic at the start of the thread Stu. I know I don't have any that look like the ones in Steve's eBay link

Got these. Came off charger. Think they are right.
Changed due to complete rebushing of everything rather than because they were actually knacked. If they are right (a quick peek under front of car suggests they are) they are yours if you want em...

Collect or post...

http://www.billrolikenterprises.com/pro ... =2071443-P

ClassicIndustries show the wrong 2 piece bushing.

http://www.classicindustries.com/produc ... k7039.html

I think there are 3 types of bushing you can buy in rubber at the moment

2 types that are made up from 2 rubber bits a set of cupped washers and a tube

and 1 type that is a single press fit bit of rubber

the problem starts with the first 2 types

1 kind was specifically for 60s A bodies and has a thinner rubber doughnut facing the rear of the car up against the Stop on the strut with a fatter bit on the K member

early A body struts have that stop in a slightly different place

most you can buy are 1 piece or B body E body kits so the chances of getting some that don't fit is low

the chances of getting some that don't look anything like what was put on, on the production line is high because they changed them and the latest versions are the one you can buy from moog

the single push fit rubber persisted in Australia for longer not sure if it was early or late fitment and appears to still exists just to cause confusion

they are seemingly a pig to fit

if you fit it all up and it pushes the lower A arm back too far you will not be able to achieve a desirable smidge of positive castor.


this is not relevant to you car but has some nice pictures to show you the part and the fun somebody had when they had the wrong bushings

http://www.heritech.org/cuda/bushings.html


Dave

Sorry guys, my search has drawn a blank.

Morgan,good to see you have the washers on the CORRECT way. Concave side outwards The other way round locks and destroys the bushing.

I always do it that way but the service manual posted above says do it the other way. Strange.

Nobody really knows!

http://www.forabodiesonly.com/mopar/arc ... 78005.html