Strut Rod Bushings

[bowez]

Is there a definitive action plan on strut rod bushings since the OEM ones are gone? I know the thermoplastic ones don't last (didn't on the wife's 5.0). What's the best option on replacements and procedure now?

 

[LukesCougar]

Im running the 1961 Lincoln continental front-frame and the oem rear-arm (i believe scp still sells the rears and the front poly kit of their own)

The poly is gonna be noisy but if installed correctly and liberally lubricated id imagine they will last a lot longer than anything else aftermarket.

Others have said it doesnt really matter what you throw in the rear control arm, and from my experience it seems to be true. ive never had them fail, always the fronts but just for my sanity i replaced them with the oems anyways

 

[LukesCougar]

Is there a definitive action plan on strut rod bushings since the OEM ones are gone? I know the thermoplastic ones don't last (didn't on the wife's 5.0). What's the best option on replacements and procedure now?

I also considered these before going with the lincoln continental bushings. claims to be natural rubber.. not sure..

More Information for MEVOTECH GK8659

 

[bowez]

61 Continental bushings?

 

[XR7-4.6]

SCP poly bushings are repackaged energy suspension bushings for a 61 continental

 

[Stanley]

I have the SCP front bushings and can confirm that they're noisy as all hell if it's the least bit cold out. I eventually need to figure out what to do about that.

 

[XR7-4.6]

I have the SCP front bushings and can confirm that they're noisy as all hell if it's the least bit cold out. I eventually need to figure out what to do about that.

Did you lube them during the install? Mine are silent and I haven’t relubed them since I installed them. I used dielectric grease

 

[LukesCougar]

SCP poly bushings are repackaged energy suspension bushings for a 61 continental

That reminds me, are the sleeves/ washers unique or did i just get swindled for a set of 40$ bushings??

I genuinely wondered if i was paying for the instructions or hardware or just getting clucked

 

[LukesCougar]

also mine are only noisy when it is really cold, hard braking. Lube was applied by the shop but who knows how good or bad of a job they did and if they remembered to lube the sleeve too

 

[XR7-4.6]

That reminds me, are the sleeves/ washers unique or did i just get swindled for a set of 40$ bushings??

I genuinely wondered if i was paying for the instructions or hardware or just getting clucked

The energy suspension Continental sleeves need to be hogged out a little bit to fit over our metric strut rods and they don’t come with washers, so the SCP premium does have some value to it

That said I was able to hog mine out using a brake cylinder hone and the very same washers in the SCP kit are less than $10 from your local Ace hardware

 

[LukesCougar]

The energy suspension Continental sleeves need to be hogged out a little bit to fit over our metric strut rods and they don’t come with washers, so the SCP premium does have some value to it

That said I was able to hog mine out using a brake cylinder hone and the very same washers in the SCP kit are less than $10 from your local Ace hardware

this does make me feel a bit better about the purchase, and bill seemed to know his stuff, the shop that installed his parts didnt

 

[Trunk Monkey]

I have the SCP front bushings and can confirm that they're noisy as all hell if it's the least bit cold out. I eventually need to figure out what to do about that.

Too cold? What to do about that? Move out Canada!

Oh, heads Carolina, tails California
Somewhere greener, somewhere warmer
Up in the mountains, down by the ocean …

 

[XR7-4.6]

this does make me feel a bit better about the purchase, and bill seemed to know his stuff, the shop that installed his parts didnt

Yeah and if I didn’t have my tools to do it I’d have bought the bushings from him. The hardware is reusable forever, and if you ever have the bushings fail you can just get the Continental polys for $20-40 to replace them if they fail. That’s why I got them, they’re not theoretically ideal but it’s good futureproofing, but like I said with mine they’ve been holding up and they’re silent

 

[Stanley]

Did you lube them during the install? Mine are silent and I haven’t relubed them since I installed them. I used dielectric grease

No idea: I have no mechanical knowledge / space to work, so I rely on shops to do what I need done, sadly. I hope one day to have an actual garage with space, but in the meantime I'm stuck. Is it possible to go and ask them to take the bushings out to grease them once they're already on, or should you might as well replace them at that point?

 

[XR7-4.6]

No idea: I have no mechanical knowledge / space to work, so I rely on shops to do what I need done, sadly. I hope one day to have an actual garage with space, but in the meantime I'm stuck. Is it possible to go and ask them to take the bushings out to grease them once they're already on, or should you might as well replace them at that point?

Sure, just make sure not to move the rear frame side nut in the process and you won’t effect the alignment. You can get the front nut off, front bushing and pull the sleeve off to lube everything up well and good. As long as the bushings aren’t physically damaged there’s no reason to replace them.