First time post on this forum! Been reading a lot on here, this place is a treasure trove of information!
I'm in the process of restoring a '59 Galaxie....3rd year now.... Replacing front end parts and discover I have a bad lower control arm bushing. No listing locally, so off the interweb I go. Found RockAuto had a listing and bought the Mevotech MS404119 (made in USA) but found the ID of the bushings to be 0.625" whereas I need bushings with 0.875". The OD is correct.
Anyone have any guidance?
Some pictures for interest:
Welcome, glad to see another guy building a 59!( I am doing a 59 Tudor sedan). According to my Dennis Carpenter catalog, Ford used the same lower control arm bushings from 1954 thru 59. I just replaced everything in my 59s front suspension, I don`t know if I still have any of the old bushings to measure, but they did have a pretty large hole for the pivot shaft, and no metal inner sleeve. The Carpenter catalog I have is a 2017 edition, and the lower control arm bushings are listed for $7.95 each.
Thank you!
My original ones have a metal sleeve. Your Dennis Carpenter replacement do not? Can you post the part number that you used from DC?
Quote from: Fabulous50s on 2020-05-01 18:27
Thank you!
My original ones have a metal sleeve. Your Dennis Carpenter replacement do not? Can you post the part number that you used from DC?
Maybe you misunderstood me, my original lower control arm bushings do have outer steel sleeves , where the bushing is pressed into the control arms, however, there is no inner steel sleeve, as the lower control arm pivot bolts have a smooth machined surface, which slides into the rubber bushing. Many other vehicles have bushings with steel sleeves on the outside and inside, and use much smaller diameter bolts that go thru the steel sleeves, the inner steel sleeve has serrated ends, so when the bolts are tightened , the sleeve is "locked, so the rubber bushing flexes around the inner sleeve. A bit different than our older Fords. Anyway, the part # for the lower control arm bushings in the Dennis Carpenter catalog is; B4A-3069. Good luck. PS, did you have any trouble removing the lower control arm pivot bolts and pins? On my 59, the rear pins came out fine, but the fronts were frozen into the crossmember, and required heating with a torch to release them. I guess 60+ years tends to do that!
Mine have both inner and outer steel sleeves.
I too had good luck getting the rear "pins" to slide out, and was able to get one front one to move, the other is still stuck. I was able to sneak the control arm out with it still in place due to the poor bushings.
The inner steel sleeve is definatly vulcanized as part of the bushing, which is what is confusing. I can machine new pins and make use of the bushings that I now have with a smaller inner steel sleeve.
Sorry guys but I don't think the listing for 54-59 is correct. 54-56 were different then 57-59. You bushings should have metal inner sleeves. If the inner sleeve is to small I think you got the wrong parts. There are lots of other errors that show up in Carpenters parts listings.
I THINK that later model Fords (63) in particular have larger inner bushings. I bought a pair to get half of a set, (long story) I may a couple left over, I will look and let you know.
my '57s had the inner sleeve.
Fabulous 50's: if you haven't found it yet, we have listings/contact info for parts suppliers like concourse, classic auto parts, etc.
I just measured one of mine and the inner sleeve ID should be about .875
Remember when installing the bushings with the inner sleeve do not tighten the nuts up until the car is settled on the ground and most all of the weight is on the suspension. Tightening them down with the car up on stands will cause them to fail prematurely. They need to be snugged up at ride height.