[Lokki]

I'm in the middle of rebuilding my rear suspension and am now approaching the trunnion bushings.

Papajam - If I understand him correctly in an old post I researched, says generally speaking (95% of the time in his experience?) there's no need to replace the body to trunnion arm big bushings... but still true even on my 71 Spider where they've been in place since Ferrari was a mechanic's apprentice at Alfa?

It would be great if all I have to do is split poly washers and put them in and I could leave the big bushings alone without pulling them.

I have the rear trailing arms and springs off now; I've replaced the bushings in the arms (one looked a little 'tired' but not really damaged) and the diff and axles are sitting on jack stands with the drive shaft and the trunnion arm still attached.

I'd been thinking of installing the new travel limiter straps so as to hang the rear axle and allow the lateral movement by which to install the new poly washers by slitting them.

I've also planned to replace the conical bushings attaching the trunnion arm to the diff. This doesn't seem too difficult since everything will be loose but supported.

I DO have new body to trunnion arm bushings from IAP, but I don't really want to do the drill/burn/saw on the old ones if it's (for practical purposes) unnecessary.

As ya'all know by now, this rebuild is a pilgrim's progress for me, and between replacing all the front suspension bushings,all the rear suspension bushings, the new springs, shocks, and adding the chassis stiffener, it seems like there's a lot going on right now.

My concern is more the proper replacement alignment of the new body to trunnion arm bushings than the drill/burn/saw removal of the old ones. This seems to be where the problems would lie.

So I'd appreciate any advice or comments that anyone might have.

Thanks!


Lokki

 

[cabikefreak]

I'd like to hear the answer to this also. I just replaced everything else "soft" in the rear of my car but when I had the trunnion arm out everything looked great so I just cleaned things up, painted and put it back in. I know you sometimes can't see any cracks until the rubber is under load though but we didn't have any more rear end shimmy like before so it seems like all is good.

 

[Lokki]

Cabikefreak - I dropped the front of my trunion arm today and, like yours, the big bushings look fine. So, looks like they're staying where they are. The lack of comment seems to match up with Papajam's statement ; Nobody changes them because nobody needs to.


Right now I AM having a heck of a time getting the cone bushing off the pumpkin. The nut came off easily but the arm isn't coming loose nor is the 'cap' over the bushing.

Any suggestions for me?

thanks,

Lokki

 

[Alfajay]

Cabikefreak - I dropped the front of my trunion arm today and, like yours, the big bushings look fine. ...Nobody changes them because nobody needs to.

I wouldn't go quite that far - those bushings can go bad. And, when they do, your differential will move side-to-side. Not good. But replacing them is a hassle, so unless your's are bad, they certainly aren't worth replacing "while you're in there".

Right now I AM having a heck of a time getting the cone bushing off the pumpkin. The nut came off easily but the arm isn't coming loose nor is the 'cap' over the bushing. Any suggestions for me?

Just to apply brute force. Corrosion on the steel parts causes the rubber to bond after years of contact. Fortunately nothing is fragile here so hammering, pressing, oil, foul language all are appropriate.

 

[Jbutler]

When I replaced my cone, I had to drop the diff.
The stud the cone rests on is a few centimeters long, so the whole diff needs to move to the right by that much. It's not too bad if you're replacing stuff back there anyway. I also changed all the bushes back there except the big bushes.
HTH
Jim

 

[Alfajay]

When I replaced my cone, I had to drop the diff. The stud the cone rests on is a few centimeters long, so the whole diff needs to move to the right by that much.

Oh yea. I'm assuming that the trunion arm + differential is lying in the driveway, behind the car. Agreed it would be difficult to do in situ. Maybe with the diff supported on a furniture dolly so it could roll sideways. But if the bushings are bonded to that stud on the diff, working on it from underneath the car doesn't sound like my idea of fun.

 

[101/105guy]

I've changed the cone bushes with the axil hanging from the limit straps. springs and shocks removed. The diff will move to the side enough to get the stud away from the arm.
A big pry bar helps here....
On the body to t-bar bushes, there is a factory tool for removing them from the t-bar.
Other methods will just break something.
On my GTV, I found a t-bar from a late Spider and the bushese were like new. Then add the poly washers between the bush and the bar and you are good to go. I cut a diagonal slit on the washers and forced them on. This will keep the bar centered properly.
Randy

 

[Roadster78]

Im Glad to read that your trunion to body bushes are all good. Unfortunately mine are not. So I am replacing the bushes. I would not split the trunion washer. that would compromise the integrity of that washer. that washer takes the side load while cornering. I am getting ready to replace these same parts on my 78 Spider. I have the new parts on the bench. The installation instructions say that the side load clearance tolerance is 004. They also say to add shim washers if necessary. I got my parts from Center line.

 

[65Sprint]

This is an old thread but I am curious as to why you think splitting the trunion washer compromises its integrity since its only purpose is to handle compression loads?

 

[101/105guy]

Also curious how he "knows" the end bushes are bad. Old does not equal bad in this case.
Does he have the factory tool to remove the bushes and housings from the T-bar with out breaking or distorting parts ?
Please post lots of pics and descriptions so we can see how it goes.