1970 Brake Reaction Bar Bushings

[BrianM]

Or commonly known as strut bar bushings. Mine were bad and needed to be replaced. The first set I ordered were NOS TRW branded and looked completely different with different washers included. The cross references I found said they would work so I installed them. They completely fell apart in about 500 miles. Next I found the correct original NOS GM 1378682 inner and 1378681 outer bushings at a reasonable price. Installed them with the original washers and they lasted about 5k miles and one inner is split and the other is completely gone.

 

I need help....

First question: What other parts would cause excessive wear on the strut rod bushings? Basically are these failing as a symptom of a different faulty part or are old rubber parts just old? 

 

Does anyone make a poly set? The only NOS GM bushings I can currently find are close to $40-60 each for inner and $30-50 each for outer. Got the last complete set for $60 from buick farm but they are out of inners.

 

If I buy the GM NOS original parts can I get someone to turn down some poly bushings on a lathe or something to match for a reasonable price? 

 

Thanks 

[BrianM]

Pic stolen from Ckerch's 1st Gen thread, What I need look like the pair on the left and what I got NOS TRW looked like the set on the right.

[BrianM]

I was able to find a full set on CARS by using the catalog, man has that site gone down hill. It was never the easiest site to use but it is horrible now. 

There is no info at all about material or pics but I guess I can give it a shot. 

[EmTee]

Agreed - the CARS website has been practically useless since they "improved" it a year or so ago...  I usually wind-up hunting through the online catalog. 

 

I'm guessing the issue with your replacement bushings is that, like the originals, they're ~50 years old.  Better to find new ones - understanding that they may not be identical to the originals and may require some 'tweaking' for proper fit.

 

Late '60s/early '70's full-size Fords also used similar reaction rods.  If the ones from CARS don't work out you could try looking at any the local NAPA has available for comparison.

 

Edited December 19, 2023 by EmTee (see edit history)

[Matt56]

One possibility...  The washers are intended to be installed with the concave sides facing away from the bush - kind of counter intuitive to what you might think at first glance.  This allows the rod to move without the washer edge digging into the bush.

Edited December 19, 2023 by Matt56 (see edit history)

[1965rivgs]

Performance Suspension Technology for poly strut rod bushings.

[RivNut]

I found this in an old thread here on the Riviera forum.

CARS with a part number. Maybe it’s still a good number.

 

[BrianM]

14 hours ago, 1965rivgs said:

Performance Suspension Technology for poly strut rod bushings.

I have been looking at their site for 20 min and can't find them for 70 Riv

[BrianM]

15 hours ago, Matt56 said:

One possibility...  The washers are intended to be installed with the concave sides facing away from the bush - kind of counter intuitive to what you might think at first glance.  This allows the rod to move without the washer edge digging into the bush.

I will double check but I used the FSM for looking up torque specs and I am pretty sure I had them in the correct orientation. The NOS TRW ones had me change the direction of the new washers from the original when I installed those. But a good thing to check before I slap another set on.

[BrianM]

This is what I was able to find on the CARS site:

[1965rivgs]

1 hour ago, BrianM said:

I have been looking at their site for 20 min and can't find them for 70 Riv

  I found them in minutes by plugging in the year, make and model and going to "suspension" parts...not the best catalog but the pic looked like thay are correct...not like OEM but a substitute

Tom

[BrianM]

17 minutes ago, 1965rivgs said:

  I found them in minutes by plugging in the year, make and model and going to "suspension" parts...not the best catalog but the pic looked like thay are correct...not like OEM but a substitute

Tom

I must be blind or something, I am not finding them on their site. https://p-s-t.com/ is the site I was using.

[1965rivgs]

37 minutes ago, BrianM said:

I must be blind or something, I am not finding them on their site. https://p-s-t.com/ is the site I was using.

https://p-s-t.com/c-1176331-suspension-suspension-components-polygraphite-bushings-strut-rod-bushings.html#!year%3D1970||make%3DBUICK||model%3DRIVIERA

 

  They are updating their website so if you call they will offer the strut rod bushing set to you for $35

 

Tom

Edited December 20, 2023 by 1965rivgs (see edit history)

[1965rivgs]

  Sometimes one has to be creative and navigate between the lines re on line catalogs...if I substitute 1965 Riviera for 1970 Riviera the strut rod bushings at PST appear here:

 

https://p-s-t.com/i-23159956-polygraphite-front-strut-rod-bushing-set.html#!year%3D1965||make%3DBUICK||model%3DRIVIERA||submodel%3DBASE

 

Tom

 

[telriv]

BrianM,

 

I have Poly strut rod/brake reaction rod bushings in stock. 

 

I modify the inner bushing to give a little more positive caster along with advanced alignment specs.

 

Washers are installed as original just clean off any heavy rust & paint.

 

Haven't had ANY failures as of date.

 

 $50.00 plus shipping.

 

Tom T.

[BrianM]

2 hours ago, 1965rivgs said:

https://p-s-t.com/c-1176331-suspension-suspension-components-polygraphite-bushings-strut-rod-bushings.html#!year%3D1970||make%3DBUICK||model%3DRIVIERA

 

  They are updating their website so if you call they will offer the strut rod bushing set to you for $35

 

Tom

Thanks, Tom. That's what the TRW ones looked like and they did not work well. The frame tore the outer to bits in just a few miles. My frame has a conical hole in it that the cone shaped bushings fit into. Best I can tell this style is 68-70 only from what I have found. I don't know if I am describing this well but the frame hole for the bushing isn't flat/flush it cones out of the frame to the front of the car about .5-.75 inch 

[BrianM]

17 minutes ago, telriv said:

BrianM,

 

I have Poly strut rod/brake reaction rod bushings in stock. 

 

I modify the inner bushing to give a little more positive caster along with advanced alignment specs.

 

Washers are installed as original just clean off any heavy rust & paint.

 

Haven't had ANY failures as of date.

 

 $50.00 plus shipping.

 

Tom T.

I saw you had some for the 1st Gen cars do you have some for 2nd Gen cars? Can you post up or PM me a pic of what you have. 

Would totally rather spend $$ with a member than random ebay dude. 

[1965rivgs]

3 hours ago, BrianM said:

Thanks, Tom. That's what the TRW ones looked like and they did not work well. The frame tore the outer to bits in just a few miles. My frame has a conical hole in it that the cone shaped bushings fit into. Best I can tell this style is 68-70 only from what I have found. I don't know if I am describing this well but the frame hole for the bushing isn't flat/flush it cones out of the frame to the front of the car about .5-.75 inch 

Here is the front bushing:

 

https://www.ebay.com/itm/163271400976?hash=item2603bbde10:g:dHQAAOSwwxJZcImK&amdata=enc%3AAQAIAAAAwLJVgW2Dezv75cujmGum%2BCXUhrRO1ZEVgaObpuG3vgQjSt%2FGAS8eGhfAwAxCmN5KXY%2Bq%2BPA9q47252JiQGgTAxPeZcZaJi1M4mH3fTmJNn2pOLX9ey9RKlPcv%2B55OYtDGvFcoMmN%2Bvr%2FR441v0R6aInyz4Emy19C0MjQYIOv3jw%2FQ%2BycRFImgL1opwhYMhAuigPlfKH0Qhl95%2Bzkya7IK2tIgHnCa%2FRqKQZkeuBpYERb83PX2a89U3gjJSLkGq%2Fh6A%3D%3D|tkp%3ABk9SR8DVhZSRYw

 

Here is the rear bushing:

 

https://www.ebay.com/itm/265988125887?hash=item3dee20b4bf:g:3Y0AAOSwLlVjcTjK&amdata=enc%3AAQAIAAAA4HNkjhwOhINHFA1v0g2YqrQqjmFbgQsRINoV%2FFTFNiODOPIxbCYECoa42nEJjWzx3QiMX76oMRae0t3JEHaLSw%2FGp3MhsDkckhsCb71Xfz0aPFia8mh9x1wsg3Kx0dX6QdQXH1RyvRHVDr736NkVkgWQJ2kF7Br5e%2FTtrfyJSgvlZ8yxhAy4vKI%2BmtQxlFWPF9JMjytY89%2B%2FFf5suw%2F2BZZPBb5%2FFqeBeEzqTVq6pxACf7EgImjtZ3b%2FfMPJRfl3EVh1JrP4mDQ82PJtZip1WPHM1tOf3XE%2Bc6Bfdoyd52Fy|tkp%3ABk9SR874kZSRYw

 

Now you have the original part numbers. They are listed in the Buick parts book as `69-`70. Do some shopping and I`m sure you will come up with a full set.

 

Tom

 

[BrianM]

I am going to give a set from telriv a shot and hopefully don't have to do this dance again. 

Thanks 1965RivGS for finding some links for me. 

[EmTee]

Please let us know how they work out...

[Lee H]

Don’t be surprised if you find that you hear more transmitted noise and vibration with poly. Lincoln has the same basic strut geometry, and I could tell the difference. I eventually went back to the original softer elastomer (butyl rubber?)

[telriv]

BrianM,

 

I don't think you will be able to tell ANY differences.

I have NEVER had any complaints about such or experienced any notable differences.

I've had them in the front of my Riv. for about 40 years now.

Definitely tightens up the back & forth motion of the lower control arm.

With the stock rubber bushings have someone drive the car backwards & step on the brakes kinda hard & then forward to actually see how much the tire moves.

I would be interested IF you have ANY complaints or problems I could pass onto others.

 

Tom T.