Bad Strut Rod Bushings - The Movie

[billcu]

The green 94 has been feeling a little loose lately, since I replaced the front brakes. I suspected the strut rod bushings.

I thought an easy way to check them would be to make a few movies.

These were OEM bushing and sleeves, but I've put some hard miles on this car since I replaced them years ago.

This movie shows the worse side, I 'filmed' the black 94 while I was at it too, they look good enough for this kind of suspension.

View full screen.

https://youtu.be/4-AkwPdBB3k

 

[driller]

Wow! I've been meaning to check mine exactly the same way. They may "look" fine but you never know.

 

[Slowmkviii]

Nice way of checking

 

[billcu]

Yes, you can get under the car and move things around with a pry bar, but how would you know how much movement is OK?

Even looking at the black car videos of the tire, it's hard to say how much movement is normal.

I'll do a video after I put the new bushings in for a reference.

 

[Jamesvinar]

This made me cry a little on the inside

 

[billcu]

This made me cry a little on the inside

It's not that bad, I've seen much worse.

I was able to tighten the bushings down a bit, the car feels much tighter now.

I would like to see a video like that, of a car with poly or thermoplastic bushings to see the difference.

 

[Whtwhale]

Holy smokes this must have been what happened to mine a few weeks back. I had the thermoplastics in there and the strut rod broke where it connects to the frame.

 

[SCTBIRD1173]

It's not that bad, I've seen much worse.

I should do a video of my '90 SC for reference... 27 years and 155k miles on those beasts

 

[billcu]

I should do a video of my '90 SC for reference... 27 years and 155k miles on those beasts

Please do, when you get a chance, just have a friend take a movie while you shift gears and brake at idle.

I always wondered about the T bird bushings, are they that much different than the Mark VIII bushings?

Here's a shot of a T bird bushing:

 

[SCTBIRD1173]

Same bushings, the Mark uses the T-Bird bushings. Mine are very bad, like if the car is parked with the wheel turned you can put you foot on the tire and push the wheel/tire forward/back more than an 1" easy. :big-grin:

I'll try to get a video soon. Currently the car is a little buried in the garage with the blower and intercooler off.

 

[billcu]

I finally got around to replacing these. The rears were still like new so I re used those.

I wanted to change these the easiest way possible, so I jacked the front end up with the air ride switch on, to vent the airsprings first, then put it on jack stands.

Then I just loosened them up and pulled out the lower control arm to K member bolt. Then I took the strut rod nuts out all the way and pulled the spindles out enough until the strut rod dropped out.

I had to use a jack under the control arm to line up the control arm after putting the new bushings in, but they went together easy enough. Then I removed the jack stands and lowered the car enough so I could start the car and let the air springs inflate.

I'll take a video to see how tight they are as soon as I adjust the alignment.

Here's a shot after the strut rod dropped out of the spindle.