Installing OEM Mustache bar bushings

[Mike W]

As a part of my rear end rebuild I decided to go will all OEM rubber bushings in an attempt to try and get back the original ride of the car.

One of the challenges that I have run into has been the installation of the OEM mustache bar bushings.

There are many good posts on this site about removing the old bushings including the inner sleeve and these were extremely helpful in getting that done.

However, the more challenging part of this is re-installing the OEM bushings and more specifically "flaring" the end of the bushing so that it is securely installed in the bar.

At least in Austin TX I found it very difficult to find a suspension shop, drivetrain shop, or machine shop who had the proper equipment to flare the end of the bushing and mostly got strange looks when I inquired about this.

So I happened to find a very old post from "Son of Z" in Washington state who successfully found a shop to do this and fortunately listed the name and number of the shop in the post. So in desperation I contacted this shop in the hopes of finding out the exact tool that they used to perform this flaring operation. Astonishingly, after 9 years the shop was still there and even more surpising I talked to an individual who remembered the process. It turns out that this particular shop is largely focused on brake applications and so used an "alignment cone" from their brake lathe as the tool to create this flare.

So I attempted to find a brake shop that had the correct sized cone, but no luck. However, in the attempt to do this, I was pointed to a local machine shop called "Scotty's Driveshaft" who had been described to me as a shop that could solve every problem thrown at them.

In short, they solved my problem. They actually made the correct tool (cone shaped flaring tool) and them pressed the flare into the bushing. It is not actually flat against the mustache bar, but there is no way that it is going to separate.

As a part of this transaction, I also received the tool that they made. If anyone has this issue and needs to flare the new bushings I would be happy to try and make the tool available to you on a loaner basis. Just contact me via PM and we can work something out.

Mike.[/ATTACH]

[gnosez]

A hammer does the same job.

[ajmcforester]

A hammer does the same job.

Ya but try to have it consistent like that in the picture with a hammer

[ajmcforester]

I might take you up on that offer sometime down the road

[Mike W]

No problem. Hopefully I won't be needing this for another 30 + years and so it should be readily available for anyone else in the mean time.

Mike.

[gnosez]

I have done it with a hammer on several times and I doubt you could spot the difference. And then there's the fact that those surfaces are hidden once installed.

[BackDoorz]

Would like to add my experience with replacing the OEM bushings in the mustache bar. Mike was kind enough to loan me his bushing tool and it worked great. I acheived the flare that I wanted with the bushing tool. I also used the "drive" end of a 2 1/2 inch socket to continue the flare down more. Once I did this, I used the other end of the 2 1/2 inch socket and continued to flatten the bushing all the way down. I am very pleased with the results. All of this was done using a 20 ton press. Ride is great and rear end noise is 100x better than with the urethane.

Thanx Mike.

[rcb280z]

Good to know Mike. Do you notice a change in the ride or if it is quieter with these over the urethane bushings?

[EuroDat]

I didnt know the OEM bushes were stil availabe. I installed urethane and it increased the drivetrain noise a lot. I expected the ride to harden and the noise to increase, but I think a lot comes from the mustache bar. If I could do it again I think I would leave the mustache bar alone.