Bushings

[herm beeck]

If any of you are interested, Kevin Taeger (e-mail,hyperfx)
(phone, 949-361-3939) would welcome a GMC at his door to take
measurements and see what we need to get a kit together for the GMC
group
Herm

>
> GMCers
>
> OK, here is the part I forgot.
>
>

> >
> > I know that you are in the high performance business. I would like
to
> > talk to you about our GMC Motorhomes. These were made from 1973
> > to 1978. There are still 8000 to 9000 on the road today. I would
like to
> > know if you would be interested in developing a bushing kit for this
> > use. The units have front wheel drive and are much the same as the
> > Olds Toros. We need bushings and frame pads. If you like check out
> > www.gmcmotorhome.com There are a lot of us out here.
> >
> > Take Care
> > Arch
> > Gcbr
> Arch-
> I have bushings for this application, please call me at 949-361-3935.
> Thanks - Kevin Taeger.
>
>

_________________________________________________________
DO YOU YAHOO!?
Get your free @yahoo.com address at http://mail.yahoo.com

 

[bartz paul]

If you're not already aware, Gateway has a blue colored, polyurethane
bushing kit for the front stabilizer bar. Around $40 as I recall.
Paul Bartz
From: Gcbr
Sent: 1/13/99 8:40 PM
Subject: Re: GMC: Bushings
In a message dated 99-01-13 17:22:05 EST, you write:
Arch, got in touch with energy Suspension. Talked to Kevin Taeger who was
very helpful. He has lots of bushings. He supplies to racing and motorhome
industry. I measured my sway bar diameter and width and height of the
bushings and sent it to him by fax. He gave me a part number but I'm going
to remove mine and send them to him to make sure I get the correct parts.
I'll post when I get the parts.
Manny
Well folks I am back up. My college going son is back home. He has been
using my main frame to look at his porno stuff I am sure. He managed to
loose my hardive. I am running on my old laptop. No spell checker here. So
this old dyslecik may make a lot of mistakes. Manny Glad to hear something
may come of this. Please share all info with group. I hope this will lead to
a better product for a cheaper price.

 

[patrick flowers]

>
> If you're not already aware, Gateway has a blue colored, polyurethane
> bushing kit for the front stabilizer bar. Around $40 as I recall.

Bought sway bar bushings and the end links from JCW - they're made by
Prothane. $10 for the bar bushings w/brackets and $12 for the end link
bushings. Had to buy new end link bolts from Cinnabar.

Patrick
- --
Patrick Flowers
Mailtoatri63

The GMC Motorhome Page
http://www.gmcmotorhome.com

 

[john wright]

I bought my front stablizer polyurethane bushing kit from JC Whitney.
For the stock 1 1/16" bar the part# is 85DK9783P and the cost was 9.95
for the kit. These are Prothane bushing and they are red in color. I
also installed the prothane end link bushings. This is a set of 8
bushings for 8.95. Also bought an standard end link assy at the local
auto parts place for about 8.00. The whole group of parts was less that
30.00 and took less than 2 hours to do. I also cleaned and painted the
sway bar before I reinstalled it. The old bushings and end links were
worn out. Really changed the front ride and tracking. This is your
biggest bang for the buck! You can reach JC Whitney at:
http://www.jcwhitneyusa.com/
J.R. Wright
GMC Greatlaker
77 Eleganza II
Michigan

>
> If you're not already aware, Gateway has a blue colored, polyurethane
> bushing kit for the front stabilizer bar. Around $40 as I recall.
> Paul Bartz
> From: Gcbr
> Sent: 1/13/99 8:40 PM
> Subject: Re: GMC: Bushings
> In a message dated 99-01-13 17:22:05 EST, you write:
> Arch, got in touch with energy Suspension. Talked to Kevin Taeger who was
> very helpful. He has lots of bushings. He supplies to racing and motorhome
> industry. I measured my sway bar diameter and width and height of the
> bushings and sent it to him by fax. He gave me a part number but I'm going
> to remove mine and send them to him to make sure I get the correct parts.
> I'll post when I get the parts.
> Manny
> Well folks I am back up. My college going son is back home. He has been
> using my main frame to look at his porno stuff I am sure. He managed to
> loose my hardive. I am running on my old laptop. No spell checker here. So
> this old dyslecik may make a lot of mistakes. Manny Glad to hear something
> may come of this. Please share all info with group. I hope this will lead to
> a better product for a cheaper price.

 

[larry dtimothy]

> I bought my front stablizer polyurethane bushing kit from ....
> less than 30.00 and took less than 2 hours to do...
*****************************************
> Really changed the > front ride and tracking.
*****************************************
> This is your biggest bang for the buck!
*****************************************
> J.R. Wright

This is good stuff to hear for those of us trying to improve "tracking"
and wanting to set up a pecking order of things to do. If I do
everything once, I have no way of knowing which afforded the greatest
improvement.

What Would be the second best bang for the second buck?

Are there other opinions as to what is the "best bang for the buck"?

Tim Timothy
73 26' Glacier
Pensacola, Fl.

 

[travis martin]

Howdy from a lurker...

Guys, I like a "can do" spirit as well as anyone and have the greatest
respect for folks that tear in to their projects as Manny obviously has, but
there are certain tasks, or perhaps "sub-tasks" that make better sense to
subcontract.

Pressing these bushings in is a great example. To do it properly, you need a
decent press, pilots to push the bushings, and some jigs to keep from
bending the control arms. As you have seen, these tools are expensive; you
can't justify buying them for one use.

My suggestion is to take the control arms to any competent shop that does
front suspension work and pay them to remove and replace the bushings, then
re-install the control arm. I think you'll find that the cost is quite
reasonable...it only takes a few minutes if you have the right tools. And
you've done by far the majority of the job yourself.

Spend your time and money where it'll do the most good!

Travis...still looking for the right coach!

- -----Original Message-----
From: MTrovao
To: gmcmotorhome
Date: Thursday, January 21, 1999 10:03 PM
Subject: Re: GMC: Bushings

>I'm replacing the bushing on the front end and have the upper A-arms off
>already.
>I was trying to get the bushings off but no go. I called Gateway to check
if
>they sold the tools the Manual calls for but NO. He told me that a company
>called Kent-Moore made those tools. After some doing, I got a number for
Kent-
>Moore and they still sell the tools. $210.00 yikes. My question now is do I
>need those tools? Is there another way to remove the bushings?
>Why am I doing this?
>Well, it started out as replacing the bushings on the sway bar, then I
noticed
>the cv boot on the driver side was cracked, then I noticed the lower A-arm
was
>cracked on the edge of the ball joint.
>One thing after another but I'm having fun.
>
>Manny 73 Custom/ex-Glacier
>

 

[thomas g. warner]

Many if you are trying to remove the upper control arm or lower control arm
bushings and you can do wo with a air impact tool. It will push them right
out. Put them back in with a hydraulic press. any good auto shop can do it
for you at not much expense. If the lower control arm is cracked I would
replace it with one of Buskirks HD ones. 1-800-715-1133.

If your lower control arm is cracked around the ball joint I would be
interested in knowing if it is the factory riveted ball joint or one bolted in?

>I'm replacing the bushing on the front end and have the upper A-arms off
>already.
>I was trying to get the bushings off but no go. I called Gateway to check if
>they sold the tools the Manual calls for but NO. He told me that a company
>called Kent-Moore made those tools. After some doing, I got a number for Kent-
>Moore and they still sell the tools. $210.00 yikes. My question now is do I
>need those tools? Is there another way to remove the bushings?
>Why am I doing this?
>Well, it started out as replacing the bushings on the sway bar, then I noticed
>the cv boot on the driver side was cracked, then I noticed the lower A-arm was
>cracked on the edge of the ball joint.
>One thing after another but I'm having fun.
>
>Manny 73 Custom/ex-Glacier
>
>
Tom & Marg Warner
Vernon Center NY
1976 palmbeach

 

[thomas g. warner]

If the truth be known the cracked A control arms are in the bolted in ball
joints. the installers are not careful about elongating the holes when they
drill the rivets out. That bolt must fit the hole snuggly without any play.

>Thanks Thomas and Travis for your replies.
>I called around and found a shop that will take the
>bushings off and press them back on.
>The passenger side lower A-arn ball joint is riveted, looks good.
>The crack on the driver side lower A-arm is by the ball joint.
>This one is bolted in. Removed it and noticed the holes were
>oval side to side. Calling Buskirk now.
>
>Manny 73 Custom/ex-Glacier
>
>
Tom & Marg Warner
Vernon Center NY
1976 palmbeach

 

[phil swanson]

> I'm replacing the bushing on the front end and have the upper A-arms off
> already.
> I was trying to get the bushings off but no go. I called Gateway to check if
> they sold the tools the Manual calls for but NO. He told me that a company
> called Kent-Moore made those tools. After some doing, I got a number for Kent-
> Moore and they still sell the tools. $210.00 yikes. My question now is do I
> need those tools? Is there another way to remove the bushings?
> Why am I doing this?
> Well, it started out as replacing the bushings on the sway bar, then I noticed
> the cv boot on the driver side was cracked, then I noticed the lower A-arm was
> cracked on the edge of the ball joint.
> One thing after another but I'm having fun.
>
> Manny 73 Custom/ex-Glacier

I simply took my upper A arms to my local machine shop with new busings in hand
from Cinnabar and they pressed them out and the new ones in.... presto, and did
not need to buy any special tools.

Phil Swanson

 

[zachary zehnacker]

Arch,

Sorry, we have never used the green. We usually use the blue (not a
locker) or the red (locker). That is what was available at the auto parts
store, so that is what we usually use. Now that we have easy access to
more types through catalogs, we might have to start looking into it. The
less used ones would get pretty expensive though since the small tubes mean
we can never find them again when we need them . We usually have three
or four tubes of the red located all over so that we are bound to find one
of them. At $8 a tube, it would get pretty expensive to have 4 tubes of
all the different types . Our engine builder gets the stuff in the $80
size (still pretty small) bottle. I wouldn't want to misplace any of those!

A catalog I have handy lists several #s for green loctite. They also list
some numbers with no descriptions, so the best type might be among those as
well. My guess from the described #s would be either 620 for a high
viscosity one or 680 for a medium viscosity one. Both will fill gaps up to
.015". These seem to be made to replace press fitting in some
applications. I guess that is similar to what the rivet fit is.

Zak

>Zak do you know the number on Locktite green stuff?
>
>Take Care
>Arch 76 GB IL Got 7.5 inches of rain last night. Big Muddy River came up
> 21 feet last night. GMC only took on water in 3 spots.
> None of the main windows!!! Hooray
>

 

[thomas g. warner]

You stold my thunder Arch you old devil! thats the way I did it on the
Toronados but did not use the green locktite. Good idea however and one
that I will use now. I only tried to find out if the failures are happening
on those lower control arms that have ball joints bolted to them

>Thomas
>
>Well, I might get in trouble here but here I go. I would say do NOT drill
>out the rivets. You never get the drill centered on the darn thing. You
>will almost always end up making a bigger hole, and not a round one
>either. First take a die grinder and begin to grind off the top of the rivet.
>Grind until there is almost no head left. Then take an air chisel with
>a sharp ended punch (note punch must be smaller than the hole) center
>it on the rivet. Give it about 10 hits. If nothing happens grind a little
>more.
>You just dont want to grind into the A arm. Hit it again with the air chisel.
>When you get it right the sides of the head of the rivet will fold up and the
>rivet will fall through. You have not enlarged the hole, nor have you
>elongated it. When you start to go back together go buy some Locktite
>green stuff. The green stuff is made to take up space sorry I dont remember
>the number something 477 or 747 something. A good supply house will
>know what you want. First drop the bolts through the holes to make sure
>you have the right length shoulder on the bolt. You do not want any threads
>in the A arm, Only shoulder. I know this sounds picky but when I did
>my lowers and uppers there were 2 bolts that were not the right length.
>They went back. Next put a good coating of the green stuff on everything.
>The ball joints where they contact the A arm and the bolts. Over the years
>I have never had ones installed this way come loose. I cant tell you if it
>will work on the GMC. I did it that way and only time will tell. Zak do you
>know the number on Locktite green stuff? I might mention that on the
>LeSharo that you install the front wheel bearings with this stuff. Nice
>tight tolerances by the French.
>
>Take Care
>Arch 76 GB IL Got 7.5 inches of rain last night. Big Muddy River came up
> 21 feet last night. GMC only took on water in 3 spots.
> None of the main windows!!! Hooray
>
>In a message dated 1/22/99 1:57:03 PM Central Standard Time, warner
>writes:
>
>>
>> If the truth be known the cracked A control arms are in the bolted in ball
>> joints. the installers are not careful about elongating the holes when
>they
>> drill the rivets out. That bolt must fit the hole snuggly without any play.
>>
>>
>
>
Tom & Marg Warner
Vernon Center NY
1976 palmbeach