yet another control arm bushing change (shimmy)

[yavuzfoz]

Hey guys. I've following the forum for a long time but due to recent problem created an account, so basically hello everyone !

I got violent shimmies lately, removed sway bar and arm. Yes, pressed in bushings are damaged no surprise at all.Due to maintainability i've ordered urethane kit for my 1974 SB (EMPI 16-5108), i do have pressed in BJ's sure. But i came across 16-5107 (it is clearly written for SB 71-73 on label) in parcel.

Local dealer claims that i can also use same kit for 74 control arm but i am not convinced about it. I know BJ is different in early SB's, arm itself is casted and there are minor dimensional differences but not sure about bushings.
Are those interchangeable as said or not? Any comment would be great..

Thanks all !

[raydog]

There has to be some difference between the two kits, hence the different part numbers. What's the difference? I don't know.
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Come on, It's not rocket science. KISS

[yavuzfoz]

i dont have too much experience on spare parts but did a search on wolfsburg's catalogue. for control arm rubber bushing there is one part fits for 71-79.
bushing for sway bar linkage on arm, it directs to urethane kits for different SB's. which is my case. there is one type sway bar to body bushing though..

so, i think yes i can mount 71-73 kit for eccentric bolt housing. but doesnt fit for sway bar linkage.. maybe it would also fit, i wonder that
i will return product anyway. damn covid issues and online shopping.

[raydog]

Hunting around a little, Yes, it looks like the control arm bushings are the same, and also the sway bar body mount bushings. The sway bar to control arm bushings are different.
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Come on, It's not rocket science. KISS

[yavuzfoz]

i would like to share updates.i decided to go with original type rubber bushings for few reasons.
for removing, i used hand drill + hacksaw + bearing puller (as pusher). i drilled rubber with a small size and removed inner liner. then cutted a slot to bushing liner. removed it with a suitable size spacer under bearing puller.

i'm a hobby machinist, i do have mini lathe / mill etc staff around me. so i made a mandrel to push bushing in. and also did some welding job in order to build my own design press or basically steel frame

my biggest concern was about interference fit's pressure requirement.. in some videos it is told as "10 tonnes shop press" etc.. i did some stess calculations for a frame under 10 tonnes ;
st37 steel (s235 grade)
40x40mm 3mm thickness square profile
35cm wide - 40cm height

actually for 10 ton, i need 3 of this frame acording to calculations, in order to live under materials yield strength. but i gave a shot after completing first frame,, o yes bushing went in with a breaking sound at begining, i was very pleased..

if anybody interested in that solution, i would advice to use 50x50x4 mm profile or basically a bit beefier then mine.

the sad thing, i bought full size profile 6 meters and only used its 1.5m part

ps
* sorry about metric units, i hope it would give basic idea what we are dealing with,
* i can give my mandrel dimensions if requested, basically negative part of bushing surface and doesnt contact with inner liner not to distort it. but centering busing with mandrel is very critical under these loads. so it is just in touch to help positioning.

[yavuzfoz]

btw i had violent shimmy. it is cured right know BUT i am feeling small amount of vibration on steering wheel at 50mph, it is not shaking wheel but vibing.. so there are still some problems, probably balancing issue.
in any case, steering damper is need to change since it isnt damping that vibration ( but it helps to diagnose anyway).

[Tim Donahoe]

I suspect wheel balancing, out of round tires, or a bent rim. Or a combination.

The dampener, not so much.
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Let's do the Time Warp again!

Richard O'Brien

[yavuzfoz]

i am looking for on vehicle balancing service shops for a time.
to be honest, there are problems on both tires and rim.