installing the delrin/aluminum/rubber bushing kit for the tension rods.

everything fits well, but does anyone have a hint on installing the black boots that are supplied?

do they just fit flush 'into' the cups attached to the frame?

i would think they are supposed to fit over the cups to help seal the assembly and prevent dirt/water from entering and prematurely wearing the delrin.

if this is true, any tips to getting the edge of the boot over the cup since it's pretty tight in there (heat until more pliable, maybe).

thanks

Handy install with pics here:

http://www.atlanticz.ca/zclub/techtips/suspension/comprod/ball&socket/index.htm

Sounds like you're on the right lines with the heat approach.

Cheers,

Rob

A hair blower will work just fine once you've nipped the buds off the front. Don't get them too hot as the plastic doesn't have much memory.

thanks guys,

perfect pics.

kinda what i thought but it's great to have confirmation from someone who's done it before.

thanks again

Did mine last night. In a garage hairdryer will work. I had to point the forced air propane heater on it ,temp in upper 20's uot in the portable shelter.

Sorry to bring up a really old thread, but I'm looking for thoughts on this kit. First off, I have been using poly bushings on my tension rods for about three years. Somehow the nut came off the back of the tension rod on the drivers side, and I lost the backside bushing, big concave washer and the nut. I now need to either go with this kit, or go with another set of bushings. Either way, I need to source that concave washer. I can go the easy route with a bushing kit from NAPA that has the big washer, and everything else I need. Should be a quick and easy install.

However, I don't mind trying the MSA kit if it makes the car less twitchy. I imagine it won't, but thought I'd see if anyone had noticed improvements. What I mean by twitchy is highway behavior. It isn't bad, but its not a car the wife can nap in while on a long trip. It's just too jittery at highway speed. I have Eibach springs, with KYB inserts and poly bushings all around. Stock front sway bar, and no rear bar. I'm thinking this kit might let the control arm move vertically. With really stiff bushings on the tension rod, I think a vertical force on the rod would get partly translated into a horizontal force and back into the frame and also into the steering knuckle, thus making the car jittery at speed.

A third option is if the NAPA part is really rubber, I can put a rubber bushing on the backside of both tension rods, with a poly bushing up front. This might also allow more vertical movement, and would be an easier install than going with the MSA kit.

Any thoughts? Thanks!

Like you, I went with poly bushings throughout when I restored my car - and now wishing that I had not! Waaayyy too harsh a ride for a street car. I have eccentric bushings on the front LCA's for alignment with my lowered springs, so no chance of going back to rubber there. With poly bushings now on the steering rack, all absorbancy in the steering is now gone and twitchy / high feedback steering is a result. That leaves the T/C rods as a candidate for going back to rubber which I will do when the weather warms a bit. After that, I may go back to rubber for the steering rack.

Jim

I used the MSA kit with stock rubber bushings. This was over 3 years ago.

I was using my Z as a daily driver for a while and it rode fine.

Dave

Just a quick update. The NAPA bushing kit arrived, and it is definitely real rubber. Much softer than the poly, and it fits perfectly. I put a rubber bushing on the back of each T/C rod, and left the front bushing poly. Also, it is worth noting from Z tech tips which way to install the big concave washers. I originally installed the rear most ones the wrong way. I did this over 3 years ago, and I was tired. If you install those things backward, it seems like it would further limit the vertical movement of the rod. I assume I incorrectly installed the one that fell off, but who knows. Don't work on your car when you are exhausted. I haven't driven the car yet, because of the salt rime on the roads. Will report back in the spring on whether the ride is improved.

Speaking of salt, I also did my annual policing for rust. Found some starting on the left front frame rail, where some undercoating was cracked. No big deal, just scraped off all loose undercoating, sanded it back to clean metal, chemically treated it for good measure, painted it and put on some fresh undercoating. Having paid good money to get all known rust cut out and replaced, I'm a bit nuts about fighting rust. Once a year, I pick over the underside, looking for loose undercoating and other signs of problems.

Did mine last night. In a garage hairdryer will work. I had to point the forced air propane heater on it ,temp in upper 20's uot in the portable shelter.

Sir I dub thee an honorary Canadian.

I got a chance to drive the car during some good weather last week. I am happy to report that it is much smoother with rubber bushings on the back of the T/C rods. All the twitchiness I was experiencing at highway speeds is gone. I now notice other NVH issues that I wasn't noticing before because of the twitchiness, though. The car is smooth as can be until 90 mph, then I start to get some vibration.

NVH issues?? Not familiar, please clarify. Thanks!