Chris, I did my Spit over the winter with new bushings all around. It
sure made a world of difference. The car doesn't wander or oversteer
like it used to. The bushings on the steering rack also took out the
free play in the steering wheel. Some people say that the feel of the
road becomes more pronounced with the hard bushings but I haven't
noticed that.
Getting the old bushings out is a lot more work than getting them in.
The old ones are likely well seated in and maybe have some rust that
holds them in place. Use a socket or short piece of pipe with the
diameter big enough to fit around the old bushing but small enough to
sit on the surrounding mount. You can bang them out with a hammer or
better yet squeeze them out using a large vise.
The new ones are in two pieces and just slip into place on each side of
the mounting holes. It is recommended to lubricate them before inserting
so that they don't seize up again.
It is a small investment that results in great returns on handling. I
bought the bushings from Spit Bits and the rack bushings from Ted
Schumacher.
PS If you want to get together to see how my Spit feels, drop me a note.
It would be another excuse for a drive.
Vic Whitmore
76 Spitfire
Thornhill, Ontario
Chris Taylor wrote:
> Listers
> This winter I will be rebuilding the front end of
> my 75 Spit. Can anyone tell me the advantages/disadvantages
> of using urethane bushings in place of stock bushings. Also
> any tips to help the job go smoother would be appreciated.
> I realize this thread has been covered before but I didn't
> print off the pertinent information.
> TIA
> Chris Taylor
> 75 Spitfire
> Burlington, Ontario
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