Rebel Bushing Install, also yet another reason I dont let "pro" shops touch my cars Options

[JamesM]

I have never really documented the work I do on my cars, but figure this might be a good place to start as I have not seen too many people out there running these Rebel Racing Bushings.

Start with a little back story:

A long time ago, in a state far far away... or at least as far left as you can go on the map. 13 or so years ago, before I did much work on my own cars I had some failing front bushings replaced with poly ones by a local alignment shot. They were ok aside from squeaking all the time, but then I really didn't push my car to the limit on a regular basis back then. Fast forward to today, been autocrossing for 5 or so years, always felt like the car has pushed really bad in the tighter stuff and always seems to lose traction in the front WAY to easy under breaking. Came to the conclusion that a lot of it is probably the poly bushings in the front sucking major @$$ and binding all the time. I had not planned on doing this upgrade this year but a failed rear bushing meant I had to get an alignment anyways so I figured might as well just do them all.

Decided to go with the Rebel front setup as I like the design and don't like having to lube bushings all the time.


Crapy phone pics to come...

[JamesM]

Snag #1:
Never fun to have a sway bar mounting tab break off in your hand 1 week before the next autox. Thankfully I have a spare control arm, and it even has a decent balljoint.

I suspect this was due to a combination of the mechanic who installed the polys losing the spacer for the end link on this side, combined with the amount of force required to move the stuck control arms, and also the fact that I had adjusted the swaybar to full soft in an attempt to compensate. Angle +force = SNAP

[JamesM]

Anyone else notice the crack in this picture? I have known it was there for some time as you can see it in the front trunk but after examing it closer due to a bit of binding when installing the new bushings on that side it seems like it might be related to the poly bushing freezing up as well, I am guessing also related to the damage to the sway bar tab. I suspect that due to lack of front suspension movement the swaybar tab was at times acting as a fulcrum causing the suspension crossmember to be pulled away from the chasis. The tear goes right across the top of the mount for the crossmember. The binding when installing the new bushings was due to the control arm wanting to angle up towards the front of the car. As this can not be corrected with the adjusting washers I had to take a 2x4 and a sledge to see if I could straighten it out a bit. Its slightly better now but not great, nowhere near as free moving as the drivers side. Oh well, just have to live with it for the moment as I am pressed for time. I know of a shop in town with a celette bench, might have to make an appointment this winter to get it straightened and stiched up.

[JamesM]

As the crack has been there for quite a while I am not to concerned to autox with it a few more times, has not seemed to be getting any worse. Think i might have to sit it out next year though if i dont get this taken care of this winter.

Looks really nasty in close ups.
Anyone else seen this sort of thing before?

[Jeff Hail]

As the crack has been there for quite a while I am not to concerned to autox with it a few more times, has not seemed to be getting any worse. Think i might have to sit it out next year though if i dont get this taken care of this winter.

Looks really nasty in close ups.
Anyone else seen this sort of thing before?

Pretty common. Ive seen cracks around the sheetmetal boss and along the arch of the pinchweld. Aside from the old bushings being stuck; how low is your car? Does the suspension bottom out a lot and has it ever been in a collision on that side of the car. Any more metal fatigue visible under the car at the footwell.

I'd fix it now. Its only going to get worse by driving it. It's a safety issue.