Tension Rod Bushing Install
We swap out the worn out tension rod bushings on our 95 240sx for some new polyurethane pieces. We also show you how to remove your old bushings without a press!
Tension Rod Bushing Install
**Please note that this is performed on a '95 Nissan 240sx. Other cars will be slightly different, but the basics will be the same.**
This Write Up Comes To Us From Doctorbull, and because of Support Made Possible by PacificAutoToys! Be Sure to Check Them Out!
The project 240sx was experiencing some vibration at higher speeds on the freeway, and since I knew the tires were balanced correctly i traced the problem to worn out torsion bar bushings. A quick call was made to PacificAutoToys who graciously hooked us up with a set of Prothane Polyurethane Torsion Bar Bushings. They were a great company to deal with, and i had the parts lightning fast. If you are in need of some new suspension parts, i highly recommend looking into their inventory, the banner above is a link yo their Ebay Store. Now we could have gone with OEM rubber replacement bushings and been just fine, but if we are going to go to all the work of replacing the bushings, we might as well upgrade them, so the choice of the Polyurethane replacement kit was an easy decision to make!
Here is our set of Prothane Polyurethane Bushings fresh out of the mail.
First thing you need to do is gain access to the torsion bars. The easiest way to do this is jack up the front end then secure it with jack stands. Once this is done you can proceed. The bars themselves are very easy to remove.
Start by removing the front bolt that passes through the bushing itself, theres a nut on the backside. An open ended wrench should do the trick with a rachet on the other end.
Next, undo the rear two bolts that connect the torsion bar to the lower control arm, your going to need a deep socket for this one.
The bar itself might need a little motivation via a light tapping to remove itself from the mounting holes. Once you have it out now the real fun can begin.
Once we had the bars out, a closer inspection showed just why we needed to replace these parts, the bushing was destroyed, ripped, and no longer doing its job properly.
Then repeat the same process to the other side, and now that you have both bars out, you have a choice to make. Those bushings are going to need to come out, you can do it with the "garage method" or the "easier route" and use a machine press to remove the old, and install the new bushings.
I'll show you how to do both, and you can decide what method you want to choose, but i know what route i would go if i had to do it again.
Method 1
Removing the Bushings Yourself With Garage Tools
So your brave huh? Well method 1 involves removing that pesky center section. So you need to weaken the area surrounding it. Drill a series of holes around it first of all.
To further weaken the bushing to allow for easier removal, a blowtorch can be your best friend, not to mention its really fun, i wouldnt recommend breathing this in!
That center section should just peel out now. The use of a hammer and pry bar are excellent tools for this step, just remember the metal will still be hot!
Well now thats out of the way, but we need to get at that inner retaining ring, but how can we get rid of that remaining bushing....
MORE FIRE!
Then just tap out the remaining bushing and you are good to go forward onto the next step!
Now with your bar securely placed in a vice, you can cut the inner ring out. Be careful not to damage the outer ring. Make 4 cuts to the inner ring, then use a screwdriver or punch and hammer to pound out the inner ring, then you're ready for the next step!
Method 2
Removing the Bushings Yourself With A Press
Honestly, this the best choice you can make. Method 1 took about 40+ minutes to remove the bushing and inner ring, and method 2 took about 20 minutes to remove AND install the bushing... and it required little physical effort, and less bandages.
To push out the bushing using the press you need to support the bar by its outter ring, and have a socket that will fit the inner ring that the press can push against.
Here you can see the underside to show how we supported the bar so that the bushing could still be pushed through
Here is the bushing on its way out! And all without any burns, but i would recommend wearing saftey glasses, because if this setup lets loose it could be dangerous. So make sure everything is properly secured, and take your time!
TA-DA, the bushing and inner ring are out, and with ALOT less mess!
Now from here on out both methods use the same installation method. If you were doing the garage method, you could technically use a vice to install the new bushings, but i was already at the press so just did both installations with the press.
Now you need to discard the inner section, and clean the remaining outer section to make sure it is free of debris to ensure the new bushing slides in nice and easy.
Now its time to install the new bushings, make sure the are clean, and remove the center pin to make installing the bushing easier.
Next apply the supplied grease to the bushing itself and the outer ring. The use of the grease prevents squeeks sometimes associated with polyurethane parts.
Spread the grease all over the bushing, and be generous with the supplied grease, dont be stingy or you'll be dealing with squeaks, and PacificAutoToys provides more than enough grease to do the job.
To install the part, just press and go, now the upper plate was required for us, as without it, the bushing would tend to try and fold over to one side, but with the upper plate the pressure was distributed evenly and allowed the new bushing to slide in straight on the first shot!
Lube up the inner rod and the inner portion of the bushing in preperation for the insertion of the center section.
Throw the parts onto the press and slide the center section in, this should be really easy!
You are done! You now have the new polyurethane bushing installed into your original torsion bar. Just repeat the installation tips above to install the second bushing.
Now reinstall the torsion bars in the opposite steps required to remove them. Torque all the bolts properly, and you are done, you just completed your bushing upgrade!
All thats left to do is admire your newly installed bushings, then lower the car and go for a test drive. With the 240 I instantly noticed the handling benefits! Sometimes people worry about using polyurethane because they are affraid of the added vibration caused by the stiffer bushings. This was a thought in the back of my own mind while working through these steps, but all those worrys were shattered the second I began throwing the car through the turns. The ride was actually improved on the 240 because the old rotted OEM bushing where causing more vibrations, and an increased discomfert in ride quality than the Prothane Polyurethan pieces. After the swap the handling characteristics seemed to improve in all areas. No more harsh hits when coming in contact with a pothole, 'turn in' seemed increase as well as steering responce. This was a very affordable upgrade that i would recommend to anyone looking to get the most out of their car in an afternoon! I would like to thank PacificAutoToys again for their gracious support of the forum and this tech article. Be sure to check them out for your next suspension upgrade when your looking for quality, affordibility, and great customer service!
Thank You Again To: PacificAutoToys
