Need helpful suggestions as how to install new lower A arm suspension bushings. These are the ones purchased from Welsh and they are not the original rubber ones. They have center sleeve of steel and each side is tee shaped. Extremely tight fit. Have ruined one trying to install.
So they are poly bushings? If so, with plenty of poly grease i remember mine squeezing in ok. Pretty hard to destroy. You sure you have the right ones?
Memory is a bit sketchy, but i seem to remember tightening nut onto bolt so washers would squeeze them in? May have used screwdriver to assist.
Destroyed a second bushing as they are too darn big in OD so bought some Prothane bushings from Terry’s Jaguar and they where much easier to install. They also came with special grease to install. Don’t have a press so used bolt centering on bushing with sockets.
Neither the Jaguar instruction manual, Kirby 's book or bushing package says if the lower swing arm sleeves should be greased or installed dry on their ID. Talking about the big bolt part number C30772.
To grease or not to grease is the question of the day.
Sounds like those first ones were wrong. I also used bolt centering to help press in the bushings.
I bought my own grease so I could use more. IMO, you can’t over grease a poly bushing.
And I think I did grease my sleeves. That poly bushing needs to rotate around the sleeve, I think. Not like the rubber bushing that flexes.
I would buy some quality synthetic grease and go to town. That’s what I did 2 years ago, and knock on wood, all looks good and no squeaking.
If you’re talking about the bolt inside the metal sleeve, I used my synthetic lithium axle grease. Mainly to keep out water, and make things easier in the future if I ever have to remove again (hope not!)
Don:
I have a set of those lower A arm bushes from Welsh, too. They came in a kit that I bought a few months ago, which contained all of the front end bushes and the ball joints, among other things.
I immediately noticed that those lower A-arm bushes weren’t correct- I am surprised you made any progress, however little, at all with those. I wrote Welsh and left messages on their phone regarding this, wanted to get these subbed for the correct parts. Never heard back after repeated attempts.
I think the COVID era pushed alot of the Jag vendors to the brink. A year ago last summer, I had to make two attempts to get a steering rack bush removal tool before I got one of the correct dimension! The first one I received did not work at all, not engaging the outer edge of the bushes, and pulled through the bush before I recognized what was going on. The second tool, which I ordered from SNG (and had to wait a few months as it was back ordered…), was also incorrect, believe it or not! Here, the main screw was metric while the mating parts were english (!). Fortunately, the first tool’s main screw was the correct thread for the SNG parts (!!!) and I cobbled together a frankentool that I was able to use to successfully remove the bushings. I had done this job before and had just a miserable time with those, having to cut out the centers and carefully hacksaw through the outer band, driving the split affair out with a chisel (!). Monstrous time of it. This one wasn’t all that easy, either, but the effort here was primarily spent getting the correct tooling gathered and assembled. With that, the bushes walked out pretty reliably.
A shame, really, that the attention to detail has all but gone walk-about. I hope things are settling down for these vendors- our hobby is going to (continue to) enjoy a sizable dose of frustration if they don’t!
I will get a set of the lower A-arm bushes from a reliable vendor before I attack this job later this spring. The rest of the kit looks to be correct, but I am reserving anything definitive until I get into it, and know for sure.
Don, I am sorry for you that your note reminded me of this lower A-arm incorrect part problem.
-M
With great effort was able to remove the one bushing that was installed without spiting by inserting hack saw blade through and splitting the sleeve.
Polished the bore a bit with 220 grit then rinsed off. Using lubricant provided in bushing kit from Terry’s Jaguar the bushing where a simple installation using sockets to align and then a wood workers C clamp to set them in.
Have both lower A Arms installed now in suspension frame. Hope to finish installation in a day or three. I did apply Mobil1 Grease to shaft and inside of the sleeves.
I will be giving Donnie a call at Welsh to morrow and suggest they change their bushing vendor to Prothane.
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