A very definite "clunck" developed a few days ago from the right rear suspension. After jacking the car up and looking at everything, and shaking everything, I saw nothing to indicate where it came from till I shook the wheel. Bingo! trailing arm bushings are shot! It's a street car, but I still drive it aggressively as possible when I get the chance. Couple of ax's a year. What are my bushing options? Sorry Mueller, that's not one of them.

If not Mike's, then you have to go urethane. Rubber are not available separate from the arm. Search for articles on doing grease fittings and grooves on here or the bird board.

Dunneed no bird-board... We've got all you need here
Browse the "classic threads forum" you'll find some good and usefull install tips there

cheers,

Jeroen

No problem, I'll have a set waiting for you when you get tired of the squeaks and moans

seriously, make sure the set of poly bushing fit correctly, I installed a set a while back on Scott Carlbergs car and the damn things fit too sloppy and I had to shim the OD of the bushings with .02" sheetmetal, not a pretty repair, but it'll last for a few years or more. We had a few other options, but due to time and budget, I did what I know will work.

Options?

buy new trailing arms with "good??" ID's or make custom sized poly bushings (Racer Chris does this, and now I know why !!! )

The inside diameter of the trailing arms is not exact, and with the problem you described, one end might be ovalized due to the axle banging up and down on the tube of the trailing arm.

You have to trim the flange of the new bushings as well...the axle must extend past both sides of the bushings by a few thou or the axle will not fully seat against the mounts.

I might have posted pictures of Scotts install, if not, I'll post a quick write up on Monday

Whats a bird board?

Thanks Jeroen, Just got done with that. found a few useful threads.

James, the grease zirts were already a consideration. But haven't found any info on that yet(not done looking). Should just be a matter of drilling, tapping, and insetring, right? Where is the best place for them?

Curt

FLAPS should have zerk fittings, not a lot of matieral to tap, so be careful

Sorry for the mention of the "bird", but I remember an OLD write-up about it showing grooving the bushing, etc. so it was probably over there...

See? you guys make me think about all kinds of stuff. guess I better get off my butt and on my back(under the car that is).

OK, think I figured it out. Found an arm on another car that has a "like new" rubber bushing. Got off my ass, switched them out. I'm done! I go drive now. We'll see how it feels.

Actually Mike, my 'noise' came back about 10 days later.

I called Dave at GPR (where i bought the p.u. bushings) and asked him if they ever got
a bad/ill fitting group of bushings.

He said,
"I have had one other issue but it was 1 out of 250 sets if not more. You
need to really grease the bushings well and I even groove them".

I told him that you had done the Grooving & Greasing things.
He also added,
"I will send you another set with your next order". (front strut mount kit)

But I'm starting to wonder if my arms are just not in original/good shape, where the
bushings go in. ???

Noise is gone. handling seems better. Seems to have a little less squat on acceleration. How tight should the nut on the bushing be? one was very tight and one was not so tight when I took them off. The washer under the nut was also missing on the bad one( my driver).

Thanks to reading some old threads, I checked the hole in the ear on the suspension console and it looked perfecly round. I never would have thought to look.

No fat tire in Okieland, but I'm off to Chili's for dinner and a newcastle brown ale!

Don't worry, just janking sum chains

cheers,

Jeroen