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General Information => Upgrades (non engine related ) => Topic started by: theman53 on January 13, 2011, 08:19:57 pm
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I purchased new prothane a arm bushings. It says to press them in, but it doesn't say which way. I fully understand pressing in, but there is a difference in thickness in the rear bushing depending on which way is up. There is no mention of it in the instructions. Literally all it says is press them in.
The main question is: Is there a correct way to press in the rear A arm bushings or not? Do I just pick one side as up and keep both A arms with that side up and call it good? Any and all info apprieciated :D
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MK2?
most of the prothane stuff I have used were press in with your fingers, not a shop press.
-Owen
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Here is how I installed mine (A1 parts - not sure what model is being asked about):
http://www.4crawler.com/Diesel/CheapTricks/PolyBushings.shtml#SuspensionBushings
(http://www.4crawler.com/Diesel/CheapTricks/Images/bushings.jpg)
The flat side of the rear bushing sits flush against the sub-frame, the round side is held by the u-shaped clamp.
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Thanks, it is MK2 prothane stuff. I will be doing the sway bar, steering rack, and maybe the bump stops while in there. The problem is I bought new control arms with new bushings in there, but they were supposed to be prothane. They came and they were rubber, so I am going to put the prothane to it. The rear bushing looks to have a top and bottom side to it. They would be different thicknesses if I just put them in there so I will probably put it in so the thicker side is up. Were only talking less than 1/8" but with alignment stuff that is critical.
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grease them well with synthetic grease
GB
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I did the sway bar bushings tonight and there is some slop in them. That is the only parts I have done since getting the prothane kit. I hope the rest is tighter than that.
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Here is how I installed mine (A1 parts):
http://www.4crawler.com/Diesel/CheapTricks/PolyBushings.shtml#SuspensionBushings
(http://www.4crawler.com/Diesel/CheapTricks/Images/bushings.jpg)
The flat side of the rear bushing sits flush against the sub-frame, the round side is held by the u-shaped clamp.
The picture is MK1 stuff so no subframe, MK2 is quite a bit different looking.
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Here is how I installed mine (A1 parts):
http://www.4crawler.com/Diesel/CheapTricks/PolyBushings.shtml#SuspensionBushings
(http://www.4crawler.com/Diesel/CheapTricks/Images/bushings.jpg)
The flat side of the rear bushing sits flush against the sub-frame, the round side is held by the u-shaped clamp.
The picture is MK1 stuff so no subframe, MK2 is quite a bit different looking.
Yeah it looks different but similar. The rear is the biggest differenc and the one I have trouble with. I need to figure out if I can press them in by hand or shop press. I will know by the end of today I hope :D
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Have you tried squeezing them in with a vise?
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I have gator grip hands. I used there silly cone lube provided and they pushed in by hand fairly easily. With the lip the MK2 ones have I don't think they would come out as easy as they went in. I didn't need a press for the entire job. I cut the old out with a sawzall and tapped them out with a hammer and screw driver. They were rubber mounts that I got by mistake, brand new but "old" as I said above.
I have driven a day on it and already love the poly up front. Figured it would be harsh, but not bad at all.
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Mine are a few months old now and I really like 'em but I've discovered that they're horribly squeeky at -30F.
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Mine are a few months old now and I really like 'em but I've discovered that they're horribly squeeky at -30F.
I did my whole car with prothane except for the motor mounts, I used the lube that came with them and they were awfully squeaky for a month or two but after that they seemed to "settle in" and they're squeak-less now.
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I think I would like to to the engine mounts and everything else but the rear shock mounts. It looks to me like top of the rear shocks are supposed to pivot a little and these are supposed to fight that movement. Maybe I am off on that, you knowledgable people let me know. Up front the control arms, sway bar, and steering rack is all poly now. So far I don't see any reason not to do it. It didn't stiffen it up to the point that I thought it would. I am now thinking it wouldn't be that bad for engine mounts because of it. I still have the hydro mount on the front of mine and think it is whipped. The 6 puck clutch seems to rock the mount pretty good on take off.
Rabbitman and Rabbit 79: How much did you guys do on your cars?
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I have the motor mount inserts and cab's on a mk1, the motor mounts make it loud but I don't have any carpet, padding door cards etc which do a lot of muffling. The firmness in the driveline feels great though, I'd say if you like stiff noisy cars (we do drive old diesels right?) go for it.
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If you're asking for exactly what I replaced with prothane I did the steering rack, the A-arms, and the rear axle beam bushings. I probably would have done the bumpers that go at the top of the struts too but I didn't know they had those in prothane at the time. I'd just put new struts on it about a year before anyway and they were in good shape so I wasn't too worried about those. I was kinda on the fence about motor mounts but I'd heard alot of people saying they thought they were a bit too stiff for motor mounts and increased vibration..... I don't know how true that is, but it made me decide to go with just standard motor mounts.
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I have the bump stops, but didn't install them. I also have the rear axle beam mounts, but haven't opened that can o' worms yet...and won't if I don't have to. But the rest is prothane and I was really hoping for stiffer. With the clutch I have I don't think it could get much worse on take off so I think I am going to try the engine mounts this summer=warmer than now :D I guess driving all the mk1's I have had with whipped control arm bushings make me think that this MK2 is a cadilac and miss some of the bumping and banging.
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Last spring I installed a HD rear mount on my mk1 and it shakes the dash so bad cd's skip! Lol however with an mk2.. The rear mount isn't tied directly to the body/firewall area.. So I don't see any reason why you shouldn't do the motor mounts.
Should make the take offs feel a lot more firm.
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Control arms, rear axle beam, rear shock mounts and steering rack. I tried the rear tranny mount but it was terrible so I swapped back and tried the front engine mount, it wasn't nearly as bad but I am back to stock......much quieter.
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http://store.blackforestindustries.com/g60sorutrmo.html
There is this...
The stock trans mount I didn't do since I figured it was ok and more easily replaced than the rear engine mount. The G60 better than stock? Or would the 75.00 BFI poly mount be the ticket? Derlin is way hard I am sure. I still have the hydro front mount on the starter. I figure that one will be the one that is worst on vibration, right?
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Love the prothane poly stuff,
been running it for years..
On the Jetta, I even seam welded the new control arms,
to increase rigidity over the stock spot welds.
I totally noticed the difference. (just kidding, could not feel it but I did seam weld them)
Squeaking? You gotta lube them puppies!
Prothane does not really give you enough goop, I just use full synth. grease, so I can be generous and wipe the excess after install.
re: Engine mounts.
a full kit (poly, or stiffer) is quite a commitment.
I did Black Forest Industries' complete green poly kit
on my Mk3 2.0 with a big cam, and it was like a complete shiatsu
massage from idle until about 3500 rpm.
The whole car vibrates to the frequency of the engine,
which can be good or bad.
It is good if you are launching the car, drag race style.
There is no rubber slop at all in the drivetrain.
It is bad when you take a girl out for the first time,
and she asks if you need her to drive because your car "feels broken"..
(really happened)
OP: you said there is some slop in the sway bar bushings?
-Which bushings? (under the subframe or on the control arm?)
-Slop like how?
There are different diameter sway bars from the factory, and you might have a smaller bar?
-Brad
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P.S.
The Autotech hollow front swaybar
is the single best suspension modification available for (Mk2/Mk3) for any amount of money.
It's a steal at $169.
Not off topic, as it includes polyurethane bushings.
-Brd
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http://store.blackforestindustries.com/g60sorutrmo.html
There is this...
The stock trans mount I didn't do since I figured it was ok and more easily replaced than the rear engine mount. The G60 better than stock? Or would the 75.00 BFI poly mount be the ticket? Derlin is way hard I am sure. I still have the hydro front mount on the starter. I figure that one will be the one that is worst on vibration, right?
I wouldn't touch the bfi stuff and I think streeting delrin anything besides shifter bushings in a diesel vehicle is insane.