Body Mount/ bushing replacement what do I need to know?

[RKRUZIN]

I have a 1981 Chevy Malibu with a pretty rust free frame however I just found a passenger rear bushing that was not connected to the body and basically flopping around. It looks like the top of the frame where the bushing is sitting is shot everything else looks good. I think it can be repaired with this:

http://www.gbodyparts.com/product_i...d=619&osCsid=c21b84e1f4467bbf68ce6c49c3e77308

and I bought all the body bolts also here:

http://www.gbodyparts.com/product_i...d=807&osCsid=c21b84e1f4467bbf68ce6c49c3e77308

and then all the body bushings:

http://www.summitracing.com/parts/ENS-3-4141R/

I also bought the upper frame mounts to the body here:

http://www3.sympatico.ca/conradlozier/

I found some really good instructions here:

http://www.gnttype.org/techarea/bodygauges/bushings.html

Am I missing anything? any tips or help besides removing both bumpers and steering shaft, fuel line and radiator hoses.

 

[moose]

I found some really good instructions here:

http://www.gnttype.org/techarea/bodygauges/bushings.html

That write up was very helpful to me when I switched out my bushings. I had to move the wood tee along the body to get it high enough to remove all the bushings.

Am I missing anything? any tips or help besides removing both bumpers and steering shaft, fuel line and radiator hoses.

I didn't remove any of that stuff. The best tip I can give you is to use a lot of PB Blaster. Get a couple cans and soak the bolts every day for like a week or two. Work slow, make sure the wood tee if sturdy and properly supporting the body as this is the only thing preventing you from loosing a finger. Also make sure all the nuts are removed from the entire side you are working on.

 

[RKRUZIN]

ok will do the PB stuff..I don't understand how the tee is made the pic shown on the link kind of sucks and actual pic would have been better

 

[martin.ca]

Well, when I did mine I was glad to have someone with a mig welder on-hand, as the rear frame bolts had rusted out, and I needed to cut open holes in the trunk floor and weld nuts to the top of the old bolts to get them out. Other than that, nothing on the car needed to be removed.

 

[moose]

Well, when I did mine I was glad to have someone with a mig welder on-hand, as the rear frame bolts had rusted out, and I needed to cut open holes in the trunk floor and weld nuts to the top of the old bolts to get them out. Other than that, nothing on the car needed to be removed.

Same thing happened to me. A bolt snapped in half trying to get it out from the bottom. I used a mini torch to get it glowing and then used an ez out drill bit to get it out from the trunk side.

 

[redster]

I had a similar problem. Although i fixed it in a totally different way (my car is rather rusty, no use in spending lots of money on it!). No more clunking around when i hit a pothole now :lol:

I think the guys at work will be able to weld the plate for me this week, who knows.

Good luck on your car!

 

[martin.ca]

Actual hockey pucks? Geez, there's no give there.

 

[redster]

They were the "softest" ones i could find :? Besides, its better then what was there before, which was nothing at all :lol:

 

[moose]

I had a hole like that in mine. Didn't have the time or resources to weld in one of those bushing mounts like gbodyparts sells. I ended up taking some scrap sheet aluminum, about 1/16th, and made two pieces about the size and shape of the frame and cut a hole for the smaller bushing to fit through on both. I after cleaning and applying zinc rustoleum, I sandwiched the hole with the aluminum pieces and then installed the new bushings. Not the best option, but it seems to work.

To the OP, I don't have any pictures of the "t" I used, and it's probably irrelevant by now;
Place the smaller piece flat on the ground. Place the longer piece on it's side and center the smaller piece. Then screw them together, securely.