Body mount bushings.....how hard to replace?

[MMMM_ERT]

Howdy folks....I was tinkering around under my 68 last weekend and noticed all my bushings are in pretty bad shape (body mount)

How hard are these to replace?   Any reason to go with original style rubber or use poly?    Which kit is best...I've checked multiple outlets and they all seem to have the same thing.

Thanks.

 

[GaryL]

Easy to replace as long as the bolts come out and the mating nuts and body are not rusted. Just remove the bolts from one side and jack the body under the rocker with a 2x4 and replace. The trick is one side at a time. If the captured nuts are gone it take some surgery to replace them. they are available.

[MMMM_ERT]

Thanks!   There is some surface rust on the bolts, I can't tell on the nut.  Will have to look closer.  It is a Cali car so hopefully theres no real problems.  Not sure why I didn't do these when the car was all torn apart and in the body shop.     Oh well. 

[rich69rs]

When I replaced my mine a couple of years ago, I was in the process of removing the entire sub frame and stripping the car back to the firewall.  I was very fortunate that mine all came out withouth any real difficulty at all.  Just had to lean on them with a breaker bar.  (As I recall the torque spec on these bolts is about 80 ft-lb, so you hae to exert a little effort to overcome the torque, rust, etc.)

In my case, the engine was already out of the car.  Consequently, I was able to get to the front body mounts at the firewall and liberally spray penetrating fluid on the bolt/nut and let it set for a day before trying to break it loose.  The rear two are a different story, you can't directly access the nut, so I wasn't able to get any penetrating fluid on them, but they did come on out without spinning the captured nuts.

I was fortunate.  Once those bolts were out so I could inspect them, I could see how bad they were.  They were pitted, corroded, an in pretty sad shape.  Definitely time to change them.  I was lucky - bolts didn't break and nuts didn't spin.

Good luck with yours.

Richard

[MMMM_ERT]

Thanks for posting your experience Rich...   I'm sorta worried about tackling this due to the car being "finished" and running.  I kick myself for not doing these when it was gutted back in  93.   

[hotrod68]

If by some chance it gets out of line, you can use 2 pieces of 5/8" rebar to align it again with the factory holes, but all the body bolts will have to be loose. Use a 1/2" pull handle with a pipe to break 'em loose!  I'd go urethane all the way on the bushings. They won't crack and shrink and urethane won't hurt your ride at all on the subframe bushings. When I did my '68 the bolts came out okay with no stripped blind nuts, but the waved washers were shot, as were a couple of the big washers. You can still get the big washers from GM, but not the waved ones. I used stainless washers instead. Have a couple of long pry bars onhand and a 3rd arm and a buddy.  lol. Like Gary said, do it one side at a time and you shouldn't have any problems other than wedging the subframe away from the floor to get clearance to get the old bushings out. 1x4 scraps of wood help a lot. My 2 cents and good luck!

[bbd564]

I would soak them well with penetrating oil for a couple of days prior to trying to break them loose.

[MMMM_ERT]

I would soak them well with penetrating oil for a couple of days prior to trying to break them loose.

An old trick....but a good trick.

Thanks again for everyones input.

[click]

 I did my bushings last year and took a bunch of pics  http://www.carsbyjim.com/storage/Frame%20Bushings/
  Soaking them helped alot but I was lucky my cage nuts were not messed up to bad either.

[rich69rs]

Boy do those pics bring back memories.  Same problem that I saw on the bolts.  Erosion and "necking down" of the body of the bolt between the threads and the head of the bolt.  Also, the radiator core support bushings up front.  Mine were just as bad.  Definitely time to change them.

[MMMM_ERT]

Holy crap....those pictures scare me....