Transmission Crossmember bushings

[Yarb]

Replacing the bushings 280z crossmember. Replacing with the poly bushing. Prepping the crossmember while I wait on the parts to arrive. Before I press the sleeves out I want to make sure the bushings aren’t sized to fit with the sleeves in tact. First time I’ve used poly everything else was OE. Thanks in advance for the help.

[siteunseen]

Google "blues tech tips" click on suspension then poly bushings or something like that. Maybe Hyper-Tech kit?

[crayZlair]

7:10 mark shows the trans mount. Don't take the metal sleeves out!

Edited March 29, 2020 by crayZlair

[Zed Head]

Overkill on the grease.  It's just the transmission mount.  Doesn't move much.  He talks about pressing out the bushing but he's really tearing out the rubber, tearing the bushing apart.  Leaving the outer sleeve behind.  If he torched it he could probably pull it out with pair of pliers.  Like he did with the mustache bar at 7:00.

Good video though.

Oops.  Apologies if that is you.  Just my opinion.  Better too much grease than not enough.

Edited March 29, 2020 by Zed Head

[crayZlair]

Apology accepted. ?

Made this series of videos about 8-9 years ago. Some day I'll finish them.?

[adivin]

Are the OEM bushings available anywhere?

[zKars]

On 8/16/2021 at 2:42 PM, adivin said:

Are the OEM bushings available anywhere?

No findy no-where.   11345-N3000  USA or overseas that I can find.

Did a bit of measuring this morning. Front control arm bushings are the right diameter, 35mm OD. and could be pressed into service (sorry). Not exactly the right dimensions but....

They have a 14mm hole rather than the required 10mm hole. The stick out of the two ends of the center tube is too much on on side and not enough on the other, but since you'd have to have a 10/14 bushing made anyway, you could make it the right length, just has to spot welded in place.  Over all body length is a bit short, but depending on where you position it in the body of the mount tube, you could put

Anyway, there is a way to make these work and get stock rubber in the trans mount. Actually a bit stiffer perhaps, the stock bushing doesn't fill the entire volume with rubber (looks about half), there are some voids, where as the front control arm bushing has solid rubber. 

And Rockauto shows an aftermarket source from ACDelco for $6.72 CAD!!! A small fortune. About 17 cents USD

 

Edited August 29, 2021 by zKars

[Yarb]

@adivin I recently ran into the same issue you are having. One solution is to send your existing bushings to a company in Australia that will refurbish  the rubber and send them back. Here is the information I received  from @EuroDat. I have not sent mine out. I was able to find another used cross member. I may go ahead and send my originals out just to have a spare set for the future. The shipping pricing is the unknown variable at this point. 

 

In australia they have a bushing service. A$ 90 is about US$65.

And then you have shipping to Aust and back to the US.

https://www.oldera.com.au/datsun-260z-gear-box-mount-bushes-re-rubbering-service/

Glouster is in the Hunter valley in NSW. The guys father used to make a lot of land drover rubber parts. Probably why he ha a lot of Austin and Morris parts.

@eurodat Thanks again for the vital information you continue to provide to fellow Z enthusiasts. 

 

[Mark Maras]

It's possible that Columbia Rubber Mills in Clackamas, Or (just south of Portland) could refurbish the bushings. I've not inquired about that type of bushing but over the years I've used them on other projects with great success.

[adivin]

I'll just go with Poly.  Can't be that bad.

[Yarb]

If you go with Poly, Do not remove the bushing sleeve. They are designed to fit in the inner portion where it’s deteriorating. Ask me how I know!!!

[adivin]

1 hour ago, Yarb said:

If you go with Poly, Do not remove the bushing sleeve. They are designed to fit in the inner portion where it’s deteriorating. Ask me how I know!!!

I was just researching this.  I didn't trust the info from MSA because they were completely wrong when they said the inner sleeve stays in on the rear control arm.  Was the fit very loose when you tried the bushing with the sleeve removed?