[DeTomaso] Front Shock Question

[JDeRyke at aol.com]

In a message dated 3/21/10 12:33:33 PM, rob at dumoulins.net writes:

> While I've got it apart, should I go ahead and change the bushings too?  
> Like everything thus far on this car, I'm sure they are the originals.
> 
Depending on where your car lived its previous life and how it was driven, 
stock rubber bushings may still be OK. Look very closely at the bushing 
edges once the bolts are out. If they're still sort-of black and mostly 
uncracked, ozone and sulfites haven't yet degraded them too much. The insides are 
likely quite healthy. If on the other hand they are cracked and pieces have 
fallen away, or one side of the rubber around the steel tube core is obviously 
thicker than the other (bushing collapse), replace at least the badly 
damaged ones. Incidently ,the same goes for all 16 a-arm bushings. Shock bushings 
easily press out in a big vise using 1/2" drive sockets as pushers. A-arm 
bushing replacement is a true PIA. One of the better illustrated write-ups on 
removing a-arm bushings was done some time ago in the POCA Newsletter- 
'Bushing-Pushing' by Fred Terry, Good luck- J Deryke