Just got my car back from servicing at the dealer, and he told me my tension rod bushings were cracked. Wanted $300 (US) to fix it. I just wondered if this was a simple job I might be able to do myself. Anyone know if it requires special tools, alignment, or what? I have the FSM, but it doesn't say much about it.
THanks Ron
The T/C rod bushings split, and all the goop comes out of them. It's a common problem. If you're remotely handy and have basic tools, you can replace them yourself for a lot less than $300.
Thanks for the reply. I will probably order from the web site you mentioned. Now I need to decide between the OEM silicon filled bushings or the neoprene bushings. I'm not a racer, so I might not appreciate any advantages to the neoprene except that they might last longer. Would they make the ride harsher? THanks again. Ron.
Ronald Wade,
I'm trying to diagnose a steering problem with my 1991 240sx.
Did your car have any handling problems with the cracked bushing?
While turning right and moderate speed, my car would turn a little sharper at a certain suspension load. Reducing speed returns the turn radius to original rate.
Thanks!
pshrink
PDM is good food. I've bought a bunch of stuff from them, I have yet to be disappointed.
I can't speak from personal experience, as my set is still sitting in a box inder my desk. My understanding is that they're make the steering more responsive.
As for the durability, the OEM ones lasted 14 years. Do you think you'll still have this car in 2017?
Perhaps, but it won't be so pronounced an effect as you'd see when switching many of the other bushings to poly.
P,
My symptoms were the infamous "clunk" coming from somewhere up front every now and then, and a minor "squirley" feeling in the steering. I really don't drive hard enough to put the suspension under the kind of load you are talking about, so didn't experience what you described. Good luck. Ron
would these symptoms that you mention be the same if it were the stabilizer bar bushings? I have a 90 240SX with those problems and I thought it was the stabilizer bar bushings that were shot....not the tension rod bushings...maybe its both :-)
Steve
"Ronald Wade" wrote in news:w3M5b.7$ snipped-for-privacy@news.abs.net:
Well, I just replaced the rods and bushings with OEM parts. It was an easy fix since the bushings are already installed in the new rods. The old busings weren't obviously damaged, just some slight weather cracking, no obvious oozing of goop from inside. Anyway its done, and the car rides fine, maybe little tighter in steering, can't tell for sure. Haven't heard the "clunk" yet, so may have cured that too. Got the parts from PDM website, no problem. Thanks everyone. Ron
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