Oh yeah, I really don't like the bfh method. I agree that it can likely cause problems in the future. I say, if a job's worth doing it's worth doing right!
IP: Logged
05:44 PM
Fierology Member
Posts: 1195 From: Eastern Tennessee Registered: Dec 2006
how do i cut them? i put everything in without them so i gotta tear it out of the car to do it
Here's what I just posted on my restoration thread. When I post the cutting pics I'll post the rest
quote
Originally posted by Fierology:
On Saturday I cut my thrust washers and I'm really happy w/ how they turned out. I ran out of time for mounting the arms and needed some new bolts, but it's progress. I'll post pics of what I did later. I don't have a lathe, so w/ my father I made a makeshift lathe from a radial arm saw. We took off the blade, (accessory shaft too short) and put the bushing on the shaft. We took measurements first to figure out how thick to make the washers. With the washer spinning on the shaft I held a utility knife (w/ a new blade) to the spinning washer and w/ moderate pressure cut through it in about 5 seconds. I'll post my measurements w/ my pics.
A drill in a vise or a drill press should work in place of a radial arm saw, a lathe being the idea.
-Michael
------------------ "A guy know's he's in love when he loses interest in his car for a few days." -Tim Allen
Understand, I'm of little experience being young and still in college. But maybe it could cause less-than idea handling because, as someone pointed out, the bolts would not be tightening against the inner sleeves but instead against the thrust washer. It doesn't look to me that the washer would flatten out enough for the brackets to squeeze against the inner bushing sleeves. If it did flatten out then I think it would look funny/bad. Simply, I don't see it helping my suspension and I see at least a possibility that it could hurt it.
My thought process: I consider how a thrust washer is intended to work.* I realized the piece wasn't even an ideal thrust washer, even if it were thin enough After find out that the kit was flawed I adjusted the washers as best I could to be proper thrust washers
*as I understand, thrust washers are designed to prevent sliding motion across a shaft or axle by any piece on the shaft or axle.
I hope you don't think I'm being rude. We're of a difference of opinion.
Regards, -Michael
IP: Logged
09:39 PM
m0sh_man Member
Posts: 8460 From: south charleston WV 25309 Registered: Feb 2002
*IF* anyone has some of these thrust washers extra, let me know, when i put my 87GT together, i didnt use them cause i figured they were just extra pieces for a "generic" kit, well thats been 2-3 years ago and i guess those being missing *COULD* be the reason all the shops think my front end is bent/damaged and wont align it properly
matthew
IP: Logged
10:30 PM
Jan 29th, 2008
Fierology Member
Posts: 1195 From: Eastern Tennessee Registered: Dec 2006
I have the rings I cut off of mine, but they prob. wouldn't work properly because they done have the end w/ the smaller inner diameter. I think they just wouldn't be substantial enough. Many people seem just not to be using them, though. Someone should have them, but if they don't you can have my leftover rings.
-Michael
IP: Logged
04:45 PM
CTFieroGT87 Member
Posts: 2520 From: Royal Oak, MI Registered: Oct 2002
I've put poly on an 87 and 88 and in both cases I just trimmed the ring to fit. Any extra assurance to keep the control arm solidly planted in position sounds like a good idea to me. Zero squeaks as well.
Cutting the washer: The thrust washer is fastened to the blade shaft after the blade is taken off. With a new utility knife blade I just put in up to the spinning thrust washer and got a nice, clean cut. The trick is to press kinda hard because the polyurethane will heat up, making the cut a bit rougher and sticking to the blade.
Job done! Ready to mount!
No, my shirt DEFINITELY does Not say "Sierra Club." If it did it'd of been a rag long ago.
-Michael
------------------ "A guy know's he's in love when he loses interest in his car for a few days." -Tim Allen
I had to trim mine to work. Im not going to hammer that metal over to make a thrust washer fit... I think its working well. I cant see it sliding much anyways.
IP: Logged
02:51 PM
cire36 Member
Posts: 674 From: Rio Rancho, NM Registered: Feb 2002
I didnt have to trim mine. I bent the metal out a little bit so there would be a "lead in" for them. I also placed my A-arms and thrust washers in the freezer before I installed them. And I used allot of silcon grease before installing. tehy went in real easy (easier than expected).
By the way, I have an 85 SE.
IP: Logged
06:04 PM
PFF
System Bot
Dave E Bouy Member
Posts: 1465 From: Kettle Point Ontario Canada Registered: Sep 2004
I switched to poly last year and I tried trimming and what not. I finally just chucked the darn things in the trash, It would seem to me that any serious thrust is going to be toward the flanged part of the bushing anyway. At any rate I looked at mine just a couple of weeks ago and the control arm is still right where it should be.
Dave
IP: Logged
07:26 PM
hookdonspeed Member
Posts: 7980 From: baltimore, md Registered: May 2008
i have one side on, one side we just couldnt get to fit on, been like that for 2months now, i report no problems from either side.... i did not trim the side that is `on`, just kinda forced them in...
