Replaced torque arm bushings on Threepwood C900 8V

[jskrebs]

When changing brake pads last I noticed the torque arm bushings and in particular the front bushing were far beyond their useful service life. In fact they were ripped apart. So this morning I decided to change them. Did the drivers side first and it was not to bad. Pulled the bolts dropped the torque arm and replace the bushings. Replacing the bushings was perhaps the hardest part of the job. Since the metal tube was ribbed out of the front bushing I slid in a hacksaw blade re attached the handle and slit the metal sleeve, once slit the old rotten bushing pushed right out. Be careful not the cut through the torque arm itself!

Now the passenger side was another story. The stupid fuel tank was clearly designed to block the back side of the rear bushing fixing nut making it necessary to partially drop the tank to get a wrench on it. I swore quite a bit through this phase, but once I got the nut off the rest went as easy as the drivers side.

Test Ride. Clearly a major improvement in rear end performance. The back end is much more sure footed which amplifies the necessity to change out the front suspension bushings. Have a spare set of aluminum housings and new bushings, just need to press and assemble.

I would rate this job as a minor PITA but a major improvement in driving enjoyment. Well worth doing.

[euromobile900]

I just did this as well! I pressed the bearings out with a bottle jack inside of an old trailer-ramp frame and a few sockets. Mine were clunking quite a bit, but it turned out that the bolts were just loose! The front bushings were pretty cracked but still solid-ish, and when I finally got at the rears, they were absolutely fine! Oh well...

But I did not drop the tank. I found a wrench that would block against the trunk subfloor, while I turned the bolt from the outside. Getting it out was easy, but getting it IN was a different story. The wrench, which fit so well and jammed against bodywork for loosening, would jam toward the tank when I tightened the bolt, and I knew the tank would not take that force. I got quite scared as it started to get dark and I still hadn't figured out how to put it back together.

So I made a Sam Special Tool.

I took a piece of 3/8" bar stock, stuck it through a 3/8" drain plug wrench, and then through a crowfoot that fit on the bolt. I mushroomed the ends of the bar stock out using a hammer to make the whole thing hold itself together. I was able to stick it behind the tank, kind of at an angle on the nut (I used new nuts so that I knew it wouldn't round itself off!) and got it to jam against the trunk subfloor aft of the tank. ... ...Because everybody has those weirdass tools lying around!!!

[jskrebs]

I almost did that, but figured dropping the tank would be easier. Wish I had a longer deep well socket or ratchet wrenches.

Just pressed the bushings into the housings for my 85 for the front. They are a bit harder to get in.