Upper Control Arm Offset Bushings Gap Question

[autoxcuda]

After thinking about it for a while, I'm giving them one last shot. Here is what I just wrote them:

Jeff,

No other bushing on the market currently features a non-steel cladding on the bushing for this particular model of car. With the way the Raybestos bushing is, the caster/camber bolt wobbles inside of the bushing, and the upper control arm rocks back and forth. Attached is a youtube video of how much room this control arm has. I can also make a video of the wobble the bolt makes inside the bushing if requested.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L7T5RJFcPcY

This control arm should have no wiggle room. It appears the Raybestos design mirrors the Moog design in every single way, except lacking the "steel cladding". Please refer to this link from Rock Auto to see the "iron cladding" that Moog offers with their bushing.

http://www.rockauto.com/catalog/moreinfo.php?pk=203130

I am requesting this correspondence be forwarded to your supervisor and/or engineering department. Thank you.

I bet it is the same part made by the same original manufacturer.

IMHO, the box was missing the washers. It was incomplete. Just have Raybestos send you the correct washer they left out of the box.

 

[Judge Mills]

I bet it is the same part made by the same original manufacturer.

IMHO, the box was missing the washers. It was incomplete. Just have Raybestos send you the correct washer they left out of the box.

The guy at Raybestos is claiming they ship without washers, and their bushings don't require them. I will contact Amazon tomorrow and see if I can return them. My big problem is that I already got rid of the packing slip and lost one of the Raybestos boxes. I think I may be S.O.L. :banghead:

 

[autoxcuda]

The guy at Raybestos is claiming they ship without washers, and their bushings don't require them. I will contact Amazon tomorrow and see if I can return them. My big problem is that I already got rid of the packing slip and lost one of the Raybestos boxes. I think I may be S.O.L. :banghead:

They don't know their own parts. Which I bet 99.9% is just a repackage deal. Raybestos doesn't make them. Or even package them. All done at original manufacturer for Raybestos.

Raybestos was mostly brake supply company. I don't know how they got into chassis parts. I guess they are trying to capitalize on thier name, go wide, and push other companies off the shelf.

 

[Judge Mills]

Makes sense to me! I am going to mess around with my old bushings, try to get the washers to work SAFELY. If they don't, I'll pop for the Moogs.

Thanks for the help, everyone!

 

[autoxcuda]

Makes sense to me! I am going to mess around with my old bushings, try to get the washers to work SAFELY. If they don't, I'll pop for the Moogs.

Thanks for the help, everyone!

I just looked at some C-body UCA's I have in the garage and they have those same washers.

Do regular non offset UCA bushings for A/B/E bodies have those washer inserts too. I've only installed offset bushings in cars.

 

[Judge Mills]

I just looked at some C-body UCA's I have in the garage and they have those same washers.

Do regular non offset UCA bushings for A/B/E bodies have those washer inserts too. I've only installed offset bushings in cars.

Regular bushings have something similar to a washer, however they are probably pressed in. I have the original set that I removed on top of two sets of extremely cheap stock replacements that I am going to attempt to try and use the bushing ends from. If it doesn't look good in any way, I will scrap that idea.

On another note, about six months ago I tried to install some extremely cheap bushings from a low end company called mevotech. The outside diameter of the bushing was larger than the control arm's hole! What have I learnedly with this car? There is no such thing as a good deal.

 

[Judge Mills]

Payday has come, and I have ordered the PROPER bushings; the offset Moogs. They should be here next week!

I still haven't heard back from Raybestos. I'll try to prod them for some more info next week.

 

[RedFish]

I have email from Federal-Mogul Corporation who owns Moog stating that we are sht out of luck if the washers weren't put in the box.
I have always known that I could buy a new set, steal the washers from the box and return the bushing for refund but that's not how I fly.
You can bet I'll fly away from Moog parts from now on. Krazy as it sounds , I would rather install Elcheapo ball joints and replace them yearly than to deal with a company with such poor customer support.

 

[BillGrissom]

Ibuy a new set, steal the washers from the box and return the bushing for refund but that's not how I fly.[/FONT][/FONT]

Perhaps somebody did that, and that is why the OP is missing parts. A competent company should never resell a returned item without a thorough inspection. Walmart and such usually resell returns thru places like Big Lots.

Easy for me to help since the UCA's are still off my 64 Valiant. I expect the paint has fully cured after ~1 year. I put an offset bushing on the rears and a regular bushing in front (cheap bastard). I measure 1.865" width for the original and 1.870" for the Moog offset. I held them to the car, and they will definitely not be loose. I will need to tap them in. I don't like that the offset bushings have smooth washers, instead of the ridges on the originals. We want the washers to bond tightly to the frame brackets, so that only the rubber turns. I hope the new paint on the car helps bond them.

BTW, keep the bolts loose until the car has full weight on the suspension and the ride height is set. You want the rubber to be in the neutral position when the car is nominal. Otherwise, you could overtwist the rubber and shear it. Ditto for LCA bolt.

 

[wjajr]

I have used the caps from the old bushings that were removed. They're just press fit, and a little tapping, and screwdriver action will pop them right out.

 

[Judge Mills]

I haven't been on the site in a while. Thanks for the tip.

Perhaps somebody did that, and that is why the OP is missing parts. A competent company should never resell a returned item without a thorough inspection. Walmart and such usually resell returns thru places like Big Lots.

Easy for me to help since the UCA's are still off my 64 Valiant. I expect the paint has fully cured after ~1 year. I put an offset bushing on the rears and a regular bushing in front (cheap bastard). I measure 1.865" width for the original and 1.870" for the Moog offset. I held them to the car, and they will definitely not be loose. I will need to tap them in. I don't like that the offset bushings have smooth washers, instead of the ridges on the originals. We want the washers to bond tightly to the frame brackets, so that only the rubber turns. I hope the new paint on the car helps bond them.

BTW, keep the bolts loose until the car has full weight on the suspension and the ride height is set. You want the rubber to be in the neutral position when the car is nominal. Otherwise, you could overtwist the rubber and shear it. Ditto for LCA bolt.