TheSamba.com :: View topic - KYB Gas-a-just bushings?

Sun Dec 06, 2015 3:33 pm

I bought the KYB Gas-A-Just shocks for the link pin front beam. Unfortunately they glued the bushing into the grommet and I destroyed the rubber getting them out since they are too small to fit the lower shock mount. Anyone have a clue what I need to order to replace them or do I just measure the lower mount and head to NAPA? Thanks

Sun Dec 06, 2015 4:48 pm

What application is this for? Never heared of a shock not fitting out of the box if intended for VW front beams. Any 12mm id steel insert should fit any VW front beam shock mount stud.

Or do you have some custom set up require ring a different kind of shock?

Mon Dec 07, 2015 9:08 am

Vanapplebomb wrote: What application is this for? Never heared of a shock not fitting out of the box if intended for VW front beams. Any 12mm id steel insert should fit any VW front beam shock mount stud.

Or do you have some custom set up require ring a different kind of shock?

I'll take a pic when I get home. The lower shock mount has a 16mm shank that steps down to the threads.

Mon Dec 07, 2015 2:39 pm

I think that 16 mm shank is part of the old shock, not the spindle. I remember having a hell of a time getting the old ones off.
DWP

Mon Dec 07, 2015 3:18 pm

DWP wrote: I think that 16 mm shank is part of the old shock, not the spindle. I remember having a hell of a time getting the old ones off.
DWP

That would be my luck. Hopefully I can find as decent set of replacement bushings!

Mon Dec 07, 2015 4:26 pm

somehow i remember taking a chisel and splitting them off. If you have some old shocks you might be able to use the sleves from them. Press them on with a vise
DWP

Mon Dec 07, 2015 4:27 pm

Did you throw away the ones you took out? If you still have them, press them back in. Or if the old shocks steel inserts are still on the stud, and about the same size as the ones you removed from the shock, just press the shock on over the existimg ones. Should work either way.

I'm still a little unsure of what you got. Pictures would help clear things up. It sounds to me like you overlooked something simple and jumped straight into performing open heat surgery on a patient suffering from a mild cold. :wink:

Mon Dec 07, 2015 5:01 pm

Just went out and measured. the 16mm is part of the KYB shock not the spindle.
DWP

Mon Dec 07, 2015 5:28 pm

Also make sure your lower shock mount does not still have the old bushing sleeve on it. I see a lot of cars that have issues and it is 99% that the old shock sleeve is still on the lower mount making it appear to be bigger than what it is.

They stick real well and often you cut them to get them off.

Mon Dec 07, 2015 6:06 pm

Vanapplebomb wrote: Did you throw away the ones you took out? If you still have them, press them back in. Or if the old shocks steel inserts are still on the stud, and about the same size as the ones you removed from the shock, just press the shock on over the existimg ones. Should work either way.

I'm still a little unsure of what you got. Pictures would help clear things up. It sounds to me like you overlooked something simple and jumped straight into performing open heat surgery on a patient suffering from a mild cold. :wink:

Oops... double post

Mon Dec 07, 2015 6:10 pm

:roll:

Mon Dec 07, 2015 6:11 pm

Vanapplebomb wrote: Did you throw away the ones you took out? If you still have them, press them back in. Or if the old shocks steel inserts are still on the stud, and about the same size as the ones you removed from the shock, just press the shock on over the existimg ones. Should work either way.

I'm still a little unsure of what you got. Pictures would help clear things up. It sounds to me like you overlooked something simple and jumped straight into performing open heat surgery on a patient suffering from a mild cold. :wink:

Nice analogy! :lol: That's exactly what I did, but unfortunately the bushings were destroyed in the process. The rubber is bonded pretty strongly to the sleeve and it tore the hell out of them. I thought I could push out the sleeve and keep the bushing. I need to find 1" by 1" bushings with the proper sleeve ID for the shock mount. Live and learn.[/quote]

Mon Dec 07, 2015 8:07 pm

Ouch, yeah, that bites. Sorry man. Where did you buy them? Possible to return them for a replacement set?

The diameter of the stud on VW beams is 12mm, as should be the inner diameter of the metal inset in the shock. If yours measures 16mm outer diameter, that sounds about right. Sometimes there is a slight interference between the steel insert and the mounting stud. That is ok. Most steel inserts I have seen are a rolled piece of sheet metal, not a solid sleeve, so when forced they do split open enough to slide on...but it shouldn't take more than a good shove or a couple light taps with a soft hammer to get it started. Then you should be able to push it on by hand without to much effort.

Lucky for you it is easy to confirm that you I fact did have the right sized shock sleeves. Take the steel insert sleeves you removed from the shock, slide them over the threads on the stud, and then tap it onto the stud. It should pop over after a few gentle taps. Remove with pliers. If you can tap it on, your golden. Get what you had before.

I think by the time you source new bushings for your shocks, you may as well have just gotten a new set of shocks. Probably hard to find just the bushings, and once you have them you risk damaging them when trying to press them in, and then your out even more money. Just my opinion. Hope that helped more than it confused you. Lol

Mon Dec 07, 2015 9:03 pm

just go and get some universal shock bushings.

Mon Dec 07, 2015 9:46 pm

RUST!!!

I've even encountered this issue on cars here in the desert.

Check Energy suspension for bushings. Maybe others around here have old KYBs that have bushings they could pop out and send you. They've been bonding the bushings for a number of years, but they didn't always. Bushings from other shocks could work.

I've used a flat double cut file to grind off one side of the old bushing, then lightly chisel the rest off. If you're REAL CAREFUL, you can use a grinder.

Tue Dec 08, 2015 9:43 pm

Yeah, that is an option. Check autozone or similar. Usually in one of the middle rows they have some universal parts like bump stops and stuff like that. Sometimes they have universal shock bushings...not sure how well that would work though. I still think it best to get fresh shocks, and if you can, return the old ones.