I ran into this issue while installing the urethane bushing "energy suspension kit". Where the compression rod attaches to the body, or frame, the drivers side is missing the two "retainers things" that keep the bushings in place. They must have completely corroded away. The pic with the red arrow is the good side, and the other pic is the bad side. Any ideas? What options do I have here? I'm sure leaving it like this wont be a good thing. I'm kind of at a dead end here. Thanks for any input.

Edited January 11, 201015 yr by rubrbulits

You now have the nicest TC rod bushing cups in the world.

Don't forget to grind down those welds so they don't tear up your nice new bushings.

Edited January 17, 201015 yr by =Enigma=

Ground down smooth and painted.

" I might just heed your warning about the urethane bushings. Iv'e read numerous threads about how these bushings are a risky application on the compression rods.

I agree with this concern. This fitting is truly meant as a pivot point. In fact I was looking at an old 944 the other day, which, along with many other cars I'm sure, has a tc arm with 2 hinge points, one of which is the rear anchoring at the same location as our bushing/washer connection. I don't know why Nissan didn't engineer a true hinge instead of a steel rod inside rubber, but that would have been a much more stable connection.

If you look at most of the urethane bushings we put in, they are at rotation points, and are not really made to flex much. It seems to me that the flex at this connection would be very "reluctant" and if the rod were to give instead, you can tell by the geometry of the suspension that the results could be disastrous.

I'm not meaning to open a can of worms here but I'm putting in rubber at this bushing, even though I got urethane ones with my kit.

Edited January 17, 201015 yr by tlorber
typo

I've had urethane TC bushings in my '73 for about 5 years now and have not had any problems with them. The car doesn't get driven a lot, but when I do drive it, it tends to be spirited driving on twisty mountain roads.