Clunking of Control Arm 6 months after Installing Urethane Bushings

[Miles]

72 240Z:

 

Approximately 6 months ago I replaced the stock rear control arm bushings with MSA urethane bushings because the outer passenger side pivit was clunking when shifting and going over bumps. The clunking went away with the new urethane bushings.

 

Now the rear passenger control arm is clunking again when shifting. At least I think that I have narrowed it down to the control arm bushings.

 

Last weekend I installed a tight 3.54 R200 with urethane mustache bushings, checked the U-joints and tightened all of the suspension bolts during re-assembly. And still I get a loud clunk from the passenger side. I also checked the stub axle flange and it is tight. The stub axles are new Nissan parts installed two years ago.

 

What would cause new urethane bushings to act like the old stock worn out rubber bushings? Could the metal sleeves be defective? Could the sleeve ID too big allowing movement about the pivit pin?

 

From searching the forum I know that the sleeves become locked in place once they are tightened down and the the bushing rotates around the sleeve, but it seems that if there was slop between the sleeve and the pivit pin the sleeve could move.

 

Thanks

 

Miles

[gretchen/jason]

I had the same problem on my 78 when i got my bushings from MSA . The passanger side rear controll gave me a hell of a time what it was is the large bolt that goes in from the front kept coming loose the one threaded into the controll arm itself " so i used a little bit of loktite" and i had to put a washer behind it to take up some slack and the clunk went away .

 

Jason

[Miles]

Jason

 

I'll try the Locktight.

 

Thanks

 

Miles

[Pop N Wood]

Maybe you have already done it, but torque the bolts that hold the pumpkin to the mustache bar.

 

I got bit by those once.

[big-phil]

I had the same problem on my 78 when i got my bushings from MSA . The passanger side rear controll gave me a hell of a time what it was is the large bolt that goes in from the front kept coming loose the one threaded into the controll arm itself " so i used a little bit of loktite" and i had to put a washer behind it to take up some slack and the clunk went away .

 

Jason

mine is doing that same thing. It comes loose. I'm going to give the washer lock tight thing a try. Thanks!!

[blueovalz]

When you replace the bushings, did you check to see if the inner sleeve was a tight fit over the pin? My personal experience on this was that the ID of the steel sleeve was about .010" larger than the OD of the pin. If the end bolts are not TIGHT (which binds the sleeve against the strut boss), then this sleeve may move in relationship to the strut, causing not only the clunking sound, but an issue with rear toe movign around for that wheel. This has been an issue for several of us who've purchased this kit. Some get a sleeve that's a tight fit, others (like me) get a sloppy fit.

[Miles]

Terry

 

I bought three sets of rear bushings one from VB, another one from Summit and finally a set from MSA. I had new strut pins from Nissan so I measured each set and also test fitted the sleeves over the strut pin. Thet were all very loose. I also complained to ES and they said that the sleeve ID was too big and that it was a known problem to them so they sent me a new set of sleeves. The ID of the new sleeves was also too large and they were sloppy on the strut pin as well. All of the sleeve IDs were too large so I eneded up picking the tightest sleeves from my expanding bag of rear urethene bushings. I am now considering finding another manufacturer of urethane bushings and just replace all of the rear bushings again.

 

Vendors: Prothane, Energy Suspension any others that make bushings for 240Zs?

 

 

I want to get this finalized so I can move on to rear disk brake swap and, finally, move on to my next V8 swap.

 

Thanks

 

Miles