[DeTomaso] Rear Suspension

[MikeLDrew at aol.com]

In a message dated 5/6/08 10 28 8, trevor at fougere.com writes:


> My questions are three fold.
> 
> 1 - Aside from checking all the other parts for unusual wear, is it normal
> to just replace the two bushings?
> 
>>>That is normally a budgetary decision.   It also depends on how badly the 
various other bits are corroded.   On Tom Dupart's car, we were able to just 
replace the bearings and reuse the other components.   Aftermarket replacement 
shafts have provisions for lubrication in place, which eliminates the 
necessity (and it IS a necessity) to remove and lubricate the shafts every few years.
> 
> 2 - What is the procedure for getting the old ones out?
> 
>>>It is quite simple.   Support the car on jackstands with the suspension 
fully extended, and the hub carrier supported on a floor jack.   Remove one of 
the nuts from the shaft, and then using a hammer and a punch, carefully tap the 
shaft out (and pray that it's not so badly rusted in place that you have to 
slice it into several pieces!).

With the shaft removed, slide the floor jack outwards which will bring the 
bottom of the hub carrier with it (you may need to use a pry bar between the 
inner surface of the hub carrier and the A-arm to pry it from between the legs of 
the A-arm).   You now have access to the faulty bearings.

Using a jabsaw (a hand saw that supports a hacksaw blade on one end only), 
carefully saw a slice in the bottom of each bearing, without cutting into the 
hub carrier.   Once that's done, you can hammer a screwdriver between the 
outside of the bearing and the inside of the hub carrier, prying it upwards in the 
area of your cut, and thus reducing its overall outside diameter.   Then they 
can be withdrawn with a pair of needlenose pliers.

The new bearings are a press fit; grind a small chamfer on the end to get it 
started, then break out the BFH and whang them in there.   Lubrication can be 
your friend here. :>)
> 
> 3 - Is it normal to do both sides (no detectable movement on the left side)
> to ensure comparable "wear" to the bushings on both sides?
> 
>>>Yours ain't broke, no need to fix it on the other side....

Mike



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