Disturbing details...65 Riv trailing arm bushings

Not sure if this applies to all first gen Riv's. I have a 65 Riv non Gran Sport and have been trying hard to find trailing arm bushings. Other than Rare Parts & Cars who charge $75 each no one else seems to carry them (I know I know…you guys already knew that right). So I've succumbed to the reaming and forked out the money for said bushings.

Here are the disturbing details. Rare Parts claims that these bushings are custom made to fit our application. To make a Riviera bushing I found that they use a shorter $10-25 Cadillac bushings (found out its a Cadillac bushing by the distinct part number on the rubber of the bushing) & simply add a 3/8" spacer to the flange end. I can't tell how this spacer is affixed, no signs of tack welds or adhesive. Looking into the center I can see a 1/16" gap between the center shaft & the spacer which makes me think it might be glued. Nevertheless, it's on there pretty good without any type of movement. I'm not 100% sure on this next part but when checked with a measuring caliper it looks like they may have machined/turned the steel body of the bushing down a hair to match the width of the stock bushing.

3 reasons for this post:

1. Wondering if anyone had any issues (fitment, durability or having that spacer come loose and rattling) at all with these "custom" bushings from Rare Parts or Cars (they sell the same product)?

2. This info may give you machinist savvy gents the ability to do the same thing they did in the future to save yourselves or your buddies some cash for garage beers.

3. Finally…I just needed to vent. Spending $325 for four bushings hurt! I am reusing the two bushings in the rear upper control arm. They are in great condition and not in need of another $150

Days like this makes me wish this damn car was a Nova haha

Bushings part number on the rubber shows:

Harris Silentbloc FG62496

Rare Parts package shows RP16684

Local shop cross referenced number is FB669

Last couple pics are of the Cadillac bushing next to Rare Parts custom bushing

Great work David. Once you tighten up the bolts I think you will be fine. The added bushing just acts as a spacer. But I am curious as to how you determined, from the part number on the bushing, that the application is Cadillac?? I tried Googling the number and had hits for a bushing supplier but no applications? Thanks for sharing,

Tom Mooney

Yep, I bit the bullet and bought the 6 rear bushings from Rare Parts. I still seem to be walking crocked from that reaming, Oh well, what's that signature Jason has on his posts.

Rare parts should include a jar of Vaseline with an order of rear control arm bushings for a first Gen Riv. :eek:

David.

Great information you've gathered here. I've got a couple of questions.

1) If you know it, what is the year/make/model of the Cadillac this bushing fits? That info might make it easier to find at the local jobber.

2) You mentioned that you weren't aware of what Rare Parts did to secure the steel spacer to the bushing. What would happen if you tack welded a 3/8" spacer to the frame then used the bushing "as is?"

Ed

Vaseline would be an awesome bonus when buying these bushings lol

My local jobber (Dale @ Freed Sales, Reseda Ca. great resource) has tons of parts manuals stacked neatly across his desk like some of u gents. He was the one who worked his magic & crossed reference the numbers to find its was a Cadillac bushing. So he pulled on off the shelf to compare & wha-lah…it sure looks similar. The last 2 pics in the post is the Cadi bushing next to the Rare Parts one. I also posted the Cadi part number of FB669 which shows it fits 1965-75 Sedan Deville rear control arms. There were other models too but that was only one I got.

I think tack welding the spacer to the frame would work very well too. Like Mr Mooney said once the bolt is tightened up it seems all will be fine. It does look like it will work either way.

You guys are awesome. Thanks for what u do. I've had great direction from this forum & I am glad to find this bushing info. Hopefully it'll help someone. I've been meaning to post pics of the steps I have taken in my build in order to help others & "pass it forward". I will do that soon…

This looks like the same bushing but with the spacer painted black. It's offered by Car Parts Discount for $60. Thanks to Rivit. http://www.carpartsdiscount.com/auto/parts/catalog/65/buick/riviera/control_arm_bushing.html?3593=35905

Yea that's the same bushing from Rare Parts. U can see their name in the bottom left hand corner of the pic. 15 bucks cheaper is awesome. Wish I would've found them at that price.

Has any one used the info I posted to try and make some of their own? That would be awesome to hear someone started producing them here & selling them to us at an even better savings.

Regards,

David

I found thisun on Rock Auto listed for '65 Riviera. It states that it's 2.4" in length. Would that be the right size? Listed at $15.25

I found thisun on Rock Auto listed for '65 Riviera. It states that it's 2.4" in length. Would that be the right size? Listed at $15.25

I wish those were the ones lol. That is an awesome price but NOT the right length they are too short. Do a search on this forum for the write up on those. Someone did an awesome job detailing out the difference in the ones we need vs the shorter ones.

Regards,

David

Has any one used the info I posted to try and make some of their own? David

Yes I have. And talk about 'disturbing details'! I went to Rock Auto and used your supplied part # to find the Cad bushings. They are the same 'Harris Silent Bloc' FC #62496 and came in a box of 2 for $21.79. That's not a typo! $43.58 for all 4. They are Raybestos part # 5701006.

So then I measured the difference in length between the old & new bushings and came up with .325". Went to my local metal yard to see what I could find and they had this 'tubing'(?!) that is 1/2 ID & 1/2 wall thickness. This took awhile with the first one but I got out my coarsest file and the last one only took a couple minutes. They were still a tight, solid fit when I pressed them in. I didn't attach my spacers; just slid them in while running the bolt through the control arm/bushing.

Steve

Steve,

I sent u a PM

I am very happy to hear you were able to benefited from the info I gathered. Sounds like u did a great job too. Can't wait for the pix

Hopefully others will follow so that we aren't driven to spend a small fortune on this bushings from Rare Parts anymore.

I hope someone with the proper tooling could whip these up for cheap & market them for half the price of the Rare Parts bushings & still make a profit.

David

has anyone checked w/energy suspension? I got 2 trackbar bushings that were a perfect fit for $20 delivered.......

has anyone checked w/energy suspension? I got 2 trackbar bushings that were a perfect fit for $20 delivered.......

Yes, I got those also and they fit very well. The hard part was getting the old ones out.

Steve

The track bar bushings are easy to find. Many sources for those.

The trailing arm bushings Energy Suspension offers are the wrong lengths. Beware, most places that say they have the bushings u need are the wrong length.

David

The track bar bushings are easy to find. Many sources for those.

The trailing arm bushings Energy Suspension offers are the wrong lengths. Beware, most places that say they have the bushings u need are the wrong length.

David

thanks for the heads up.....is the inner sleeve too long or the inserts or both?

I have found that you can usually knock the center of the old bushing out with a punch(or air hammer) then carefully relieve it with a sawzall or chisel then they come right out....

You can compare the two pix slosteve posted earlier in this thread. He posted the length was 2.4" which is too short. I cant remember the right length of the bushings we need but they are def longer. Someone in a diff post mentioned the 2.4" were for 2nd gen Riv's but parts books show they fit the 1st gen too…wrong.

I pulled half of my old bushings using the air chisel method u mentioned. But I skipped a step & left the center shaft in place. The rubber gives enough to smash the outer sleeve in enough for the whole thing to fall out.

David

Two different animals here. Track bar bushings can be found most anywhere for a range of prices. The trailing arm bushing is the one that's either wrong or way too expensive.

Ed

David

Because of your experience and detailed research on the first gen trailing arm bushings and Slosteve's fabrication/modification of his bushings, I also attempted the fab/mod of my bushings for my 64. With the info gathered by you two I saved a lot of $$ and learned a lot. Some details of my experience is posted on the following thread...http://forums.aaca.org/showthread.php?t=377717

I have a couple of questions. 1) any concern about the metal to metal contact with the spacer and mount on the frame ? Concerns being wear on the frame mount from the rotary movement of the fabricated spacer. I don't know for sure but judging from the pictures it looks like the factory bushing was made to have a rubber to metal contact. 2) will the arm still mount in the same location? It looks like it will shift to one side away from the factory location. Not sure if it will make much of a difference if it is shifted as a result of the spacer. Just wondering, not trying to be critical or bad mouth the work.

Gracias,

arnulfo

Actually it was pointed out by one of our more knowledgeable members (60Flatop I believe) that the metal inner sleeve of the rubber bushing, which has serrations or 'teeth', is supposed to 'bite' into the control arm so that the rubber itself does all of the movement. So there's not supposed to be any actual rubber contact.

The arm will still mount in the original location as the spacer is only making up for the lack of length that the original bushing had. Clear as mud?!

Steve

What Steve said….

Thanks Steve

Also, bushing (in my pic of control arm with bushing and spacer) is not pressed in completely in control arm. I understand NEW bushing needs to be pressed in completely to flange which is at same point as the step or ridge on the old/stock bushing (as noted in David's first pic in this post). The inner metal spacer/sleeve in stock and new bushing protrudes slightly past rubber on either end which cause metal to metal/inner sleeve to frame contact.

Makes sense . Thanks men

arnulfo

you hit right on ed! will do as suggested next time.

arnulfo

You can still go back and delete the errant post. It's never too late.

done, thanks

arnulfo

I just checked Rock Auto for the Raybestos part 570-1006 and it appears that it's no longer available. The AC Delco part is even though it's a little more expensive.

Ed

Anyone have the complete list of dimensions on these bushings?

OD:

ID:

Length:

Flange position:

Thanks,

Wow! Opening a really old post here.  I’ve searched for all/any of the part number for the Cadillac rear control arm bushings listed in this old post.  I cannot find anything using the part numbers given.  Does anyone know the year and model of the Cadillac for which these bushings were original equipment?  Or any subsequent part numbers that can be used to modify to fit the 1st generation Rivieras?
 

Thanks,

Ed

How friendly are you with your local auto parts store counter guy?

I remember a different post that went into greater detail using early 1990s Cadillac bushes.

Found it:

James at best offer took supply of those..

https://bestoffercounts.com/product/1963-1964-1965-buick-riviera-rear-control-arm-bushings-track-bar-63-64-65-new/ 

Yeah, but we’re talking about adding a 3/8” spacer to a $15 OE part. I’m looking for the OE part to modify.  Rare Parts, CARS, JEGS, Summit, et all have them for the same price as James as well. For the inflated price. 

Here's the Cadillac cross-reference information from the thread Bernie posted above:

The ones James has are as the original bushings where and are from our friends in Australia. I had looked for the Cadillac ones several years ago, before the Aussy ones were available, and they weren’t available back then. The Aussy’s aren’t cheap but they are a direct replacement.

Good luck with the search.

Ray

Stop penny pinching Ed & step up to the PROPER parts that were made & designed particularly for OUR cars. 

By the time you buy the WRONG bushings & buy/make/have made the proper spacers it would probably end up costing MORE $$$$ & you will end up with something that may/may not last as long or properly OR give the proper ride & handling.

Just my thoughts.

Tom T.

I haven’t visited this site in a long time. I got an email that this thread started back up again. 
 

Let me get this straight, are the Aussie bushings that James is selling at the inflated price the same bushing that the Aussies said would be cheaper than any bushing offered by current supplies??

6 hours ago, RockinRiviDad said:

I haven’t visited this site in a long time. I got an email that this thread started back up again. 
 

Let me get this straight, are the Aussie bushings that James is selling at the inflated price the same bushing that the Aussies said would be cheaper than any bushing offered by current supplies??

Could hit up James on that one as ‘best offer counts’….

8 hours ago, telriv said:

Stop penny pinching Ed & step up to the PROPER parts that were made & designed particularly for OUR cars. 

By the time you buy the WRONG bushings & buy/make/have made the proper spacers it would probably end up costing MORE $$$$ & you will end up with something that may/may not last as long or properly OR give the proper ride & handling.

Just my thoughts.

 

Tom T.

👏Exactly Tom! This is why making quality today isn’t rewarded as the consumer doesn’t want to spend a lot of money. They would rather buy another one if it breaks and I am sure you would understand what went into making something like that as a small batch. 
they look good to me I just hope I don’t need to get a set and pay the shipping to bring them back to Australia….👇

The three Australians first sold the bushings to mostly fellow Australians as we found it difficult to sell to the USA. So we approached all the major vendors in the USA selling bushings if they would be interested to take our entire stock, but not

one vendor was interested in this product except James!

We did not enter this project to make money over our costs. We were very disappointed on what the after market vendors were offering. We just wanted to replace like for like (we all own 1965 Rivs) and cover our costs so that other Riv owners had the option to purchase a quality exact reproduction part. 

James has the correct bushings in stock.

I bought new bushes from The Buick Farm back in the early 1990s. The package had a bold logo as the return address. Our mailman handed me the package and said "They grow Buick parts? I didn't know that."

GM bean counters must not have allowed for heirloom seed.

That's life in a small town. I once got mail with only "Bernie" for an address. The mailman said he could tell it was car stuff.

I did not realize that the bushings that James is selling are new products built to OE specs.  I thought that they were some of the modified Cadillac bushings. Hence my search for the Cadillac bushings.  I'll abandon my search and proceed.

Ed