Front radiator support bushings very low

johnnunez29

Greasemonkey
May 9, 2022
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I just tried on my fenders and there’s a huge gap. I read that I can use hockey pucks for this. Is this a normal issue? Changed all body mounts to prothane including the rad support bushings .
 

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pagrunt

Geezer
Sep 14, 2014
9,170
15,356
113
Elderton, Pa
Did you reuse the old metal with the new bushings? Depending on how much off thigs are washers might be needed for shims. If you need hockey pucks you might need the original metal to get to the needed height.
 
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johnnunez29

Greasemonkey
May 9, 2022
238
53
28
Did you reuse the old metal with the new bushings? Depending on how much off thigs are washers might be needed for shims. If you need hockey pucks you might need the original metal to get to the needed height.
I was thinking of running a washer over the puck. I don’t have any of that
 

ck80

Moderator
Moderator
Supporting Member
Feb 18, 2014
5,743
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Hockey pucks are a bad idea. Not only do you lose the compression/flex aspect as the frame moves (and the frames bend a good bit then relax back to shape) but they also crack and fall out over time.

Years ago they were poor-mans body lifts for trucks and had a habit of breaking and causing unsafe condition.

Use shims and washers, and make sure the right bushings went in the right spot. The factory had steel shells that went along with the bushings at the radiator. If your kit expected you to put your new bushing along with that metal hardware, that's part of your problem.
 
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johnnunez29

Greasemonkey
May 9, 2022
238
53
28
Hockey pucks are a bad idea. Not only do you lose the compression/flex aspect as the frame moves (and the frames bend a good bit then relax back to shape) but they also crack and fall out over time.

Years ago they were poor-mans body lifts for trucks and had a habit of breaking and causing unsafe condition.

Use shims and washers, and make sure the right bushings went in the right spot. The factory had steel shells that went along with the bushings at the radiator. If your kit expected you to put your new bushing along with that metal hardware, that's part of your problem.
My kit did not show any type of old item being used in the detail. So my idea was just to use my kit and put it on top of the hockey puck. That should retain the flex. Just lifts it a bit from the frame. I really see no other option. The rest of the cars body mounts are prothane and went on great. These front ones are just too low.
 

johnnunez29

Greasemonkey
May 9, 2022
238
53
28
I may look at washers but that’s a LOT of washers. Sounds like it would make more sense just raise an inch with a puck. May even be a little too much.
 

melloelky

Comic Book Super Hero
Oct 22, 2017
4,163
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mass
i had this probelm with my ride before,make the spacer out of whatever you see fit,the placement is more important.by that i mean as long as your o.e style bushing sandwiches the support it'll provide the absorbtion of noise,vibration,harmonics etc etc in the process.the bushing will do it's job regaurdless of what it's bolted to.
 
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johnnunez29

Greasemonkey
May 9, 2022
238
53
28
i had this probelm with my ride before,make the spacer out of whatever you see fit,the placement is more important.by that i mean as long as your o.e style bushing sandwiches the support it'll provide the absorbtion of noise,vibration,harmonics etc etc in the process.the bushing will do it's job regaurdless of what it's bolted to.
was thinking of what else i can do. really not many options. so puck it is. thanks
 

Rt Jam

G-Body Guru
Mar 30, 2020
595
590
93
Ontario Canada
I just tried on my fenders and there’s a huge gap. I read that I can use hockey pucks for this. Is this a normal issue? Changed all body mounts to prothane including the rad support bushings .

The clearance between the fender and the radiator support may even be bigger than the pic shows. Without any support, they fenders will bend down in the front.

Install the front bumper to determine how much higher it needs to go. You can find the big shims from another G body. Washers will be too small for the big hole in the frame and a big washer will have too big of a center hole.
 
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