Poly Bushing Kit - Worth it?

Asolo3j

Well-known member
Nov 8, 2004
1,267
1
Annapolis
Is is a wise idea to also replace the ball joint on the rear link at the same time as doing all of this? Does it make it easier to replace at this time when doing all the bushings or is it unrelated? I would guess so and if that is the case then here is what I've found:

Rovers North
Rear ball joint top link RNS072 $75.89
Ball joint top link bolt and washer 5/16" x 1" RNS059 $.75

DAP
Adjustable rear ball joint NRC7661S $35.00
Genuine replacement rear ball joint NRC7661 $24.95

Atlantic British
Rear ball joint top link with crown nut and pin ANR1799 $42.95
 

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Asolo3j

Well-known member
Nov 8, 2004
1,267
1
Annapolis
Got my D1 back from the shop. WOW... what a difference. All the poping, crunching and slop is gone. The truck drives and feel so much tighter.

The bad part is that I am a bit lighter in the wallet. I was planning on this repair to be a $500-$600 total job for parts, hardware, labor, etc... I was off by a couple hundred.

I chose the DAP Inc. OEM bushings kit $99.95. It is a complete kit with front and rear bushings, including both f&r sway bar bushings. I chose NOT to buy the kit that included the hardware. This could be considered a mistake by some, and not by others. It took me a bit to source out the hardware. The only "local" place that carries large size Std Grade-8 or Metric Class 8.8 (or class 10) is Tractor Supply... and they have a limited selection. I paid $3.88 per pound for the Grade-8 hardware and I could only find the large 5/8" x 4" and 3/4" x 4" bolts and nylocks for the 5/8". I also used four 3/4" Grade-8 washers for the ends of the radius arm and trailing arm that back up to the M20 nylock nuts. While there, I also picked up some Grade-8 hardware for the rear trailing arm bushings that mount to the frame with washers, lock washers and nylocks to match. My total bill at Tractor Supply Company was $12.75

I still had to source out all of the large Metric stuff and the other hardware pieces. After searching around at Fastenall, various other marine and hardware stores, I fanally ended up ordering from www.mcmaster.com. I may have changed my plan and ordered everything from McMaster had I known it was going to be as difficult to source the hardware locally. The downside to ordering with McMaster is that they only sell in quantity. Here is my order.

Metric 8.8 Zinc-pltd Steel Hex Head Cap Screw, M16 Size 100mm Length,2mm Pitch
Metric 8.8 Zinc-pltd Steel Hex Head Cap Screw, M14 Size, 80mm Length, 2mm Pitch
Grade 8 Hex Nylon-insert Locknut, Znc-yellow Pltd, 3/4"-10 Screw Sz, 1-1/16"w, 7/8"h
Metric Zinc-plated Steel Nylon-insert Locknut, M20 Screw Sz, 2.5mm Pitch
Metric Zinc-plated Steel Nylon-insert Locknut, M16 Screw Size, 2mm Pitch
Metric Zinc-plated Steel Nylon-insert Locknut, M14 Screw Size, 2mm Pitch

I have a few leftovers as most packages came with 10-20 of each of the above. Only 5 in a pack for the M20 nylocks. Total bill from McMaster with shipping was $42.65. Giving me a total for hardware of $55.40. The kit from DAP that included the hardware was a total of $169.95. Granted I "saved" $14.60 by doing it myself, but I did have to go thru a bit of a hassle with finding/ordering it up myself. I do however have extras for when/if I have to do it again (trail spares) or on another vehicle.

I have all the parts, I have all the hardware... time to get it installed. I took it to a small shop in Annapolis that I confirmed has a 20-ton press. I dropped the Disco off on Tuesday morning and expected it to be a few days as they would work it in when possible. I got the D1 back on Wednesday afternoon and they billed me for a total of 8 hrs. I figured that was reasonably fair and had no problems with that. I was also charged a misc shop fee of $45.00. That was for antiseize, lube, and a cutoff wheel they chewed up cutting off 2 stubborn bolts. Ok... that was fair too. What got me was their labor rate. I should have researched that a bit more carefully too. The 8 hr job set me back $780.00 ($97.50/hr labor rate). Ouch!

Lesson learned: I should have considered doing more of the actual install myself. For the almost $800 I could have purchased a Harbor Freight 20-ton press for $200, extra tall jack stands for $40 and the misc tools for $100 to do this myself. Granted it could have taken me a lot longer and if I ran into problems, the backup would have been to take the individual rad arm or whatever to the shop as needed. I then could have sold the press for $100 and still been a few hundered bucks ahead. Well... next time I will know what to do.

*If you do it yourself it's a $500 job if you also need to buy the tooling... it's $300-$400 job if you sell off some of the tools to recoup part of the expense.
*If you source out the parts and pay someone for install, it's a $900-$1000 job.
*If you have someone do it for you completely and use their sourced parts, I would estimate that it's a $1200 job.

I am happy with the end result and replacing the bushings was a solution to my clunk, bang, crunch in the suspension. I learned that this would have been a project that I could have completed and saved a bunch of $$. Thanks to those who gave their input, thanks to PT for his advice and I hope this helps others who are getting their bushings replaced.


Here is the post in the General section http://www.discoweb.org/forums/showthread.php?t=49153

I am also going to post this info in that thread to link the two so that all of the info can be reached by those searching about bushings and bushings replacement.
 

Asolo3j

Well-known member
Nov 8, 2004
1,267
1
Annapolis
I did chose to have the rear ball joint replaced and at this time. I ordered it from DAP along with the bushings kit. So that would add a bit more $$ to my total.

I also wanted to link this video of what worn bushings will do to your drive line. I saw it in another thread, but I figured this would be a good place to link it in.

http://youtube.com/watch?v=OwkGl3wXEcM

I have a 5-speed and I could feel this every time I would ease off the clutch and give power in. It would also cluck and cruch with the rest of the worn bushings. Things are SOOOO much smoother, quieter, I learned a lot and I am happy with the end result.
 

terryjm1

Well-known member
Jan 23, 2011
1,486
375
Thank you for all the detail you put into this post. I purchased a D1 project and took it out on the road for the first time getting it up 50 mph and the death wobble kicked in with a vengeance. It also was missing the steering dampener so I am sure that made it worse.

I just ordered all the OEM bushings using the part numbers posted. (Note - NTC is posted as NCT, but that was easy to figure out.) I didn’t get new fasteners as the truck is remarkably almost corrosion free and every other bolt so far has come out in excellent condition. However, I am sure I will be back to reference the fasteners list you provided for my much more corrosion filled other D1.
 

Tugela

Well-known member
May 21, 2007
4,754
562
Seattle
That will be a welcome refresh for your D1, especially if the bushings you're replacing are original. If that doesn't fix your death wobble then you might contemplate a swivel rebuild. There's plenty of good info here on that topic. Parts are not expensive and the job is not hard. It made a considerable difference on my last truck.
 

Knightspirit

Well-known member
Sep 22, 2019
251
84
Mount Shasta, CA
Bringing back an old thread:

I am comparing the resources for OEM/Genuine RUBBER suspension bushings for D1 and this is what I have found so far.

Rovers North
Rear Genuine Bushings Kit with Hardware. RNK5915 $199.45
Front Genuine Bushings Kit with Hardware. RNK5918 $146.95
Total for Front & Rear Bushings with Hardware = $346.40
Proline Orange Poly Bushings Kit for Front and Rear NO Hardware PBS1115 $139.95 <--- NO!!!

British Pacific
Panhard Rod Bushing ANR3410 $6 each x2 = $12
Radius Arm to Axle NCT6860 $8.75 each x 4 = $35
Radius Arm to Frame NRC4514 $4.25 each x 4 = $17
Trailing Arm Bushing NCT9027/STC618 set of 2 = $31.50
Shock Bushings Front 552818 $1.25 each x 8 = $10
Shock Bushings Rear NRC5593 $3.50 x 4 = $14
Total for Front and Rear Bushings NO Hardware = $119.50

DAP
Suspension Bushings Kit with NO Hardware. PK090 $99.95
Suspension Bushings Kit with Hardware PK091 $169.95
Kit includes Front and Rear Bushings: Panhard Rod Bushing, Top Link A-arm Bushing, Radius Arm to Axle Bushings, Radius Arm to Chassis Bushings
Would still need to order shock bushings to make complete set $24 from British Pacific or 22.50 from AB.
Total for Front and Rear Bushings NO Hardware = $123.95
Poly Bushings Kit BLUE with NO Hardware RRA027A $145 <--- NO!!!

Atlantic British
Suspension Bushings Kit with NO Hardware 9721 $149.95
Kit includes Radius Arm Bushings, Bottom Link Bushings, Top Link Bushings, Pan Hard Rod Bushings, Pan Hard rod bolt and nut, A-frame bushings
Shock Bushings Front 552818 $2.19 each x 8 = $17.52
Shock Bushings Rear 552819 $2.49 each x 2 = $4.98
Total Front and Rear Bushings NO Hardware = $172.45
Poly Bushings Kit BLUE for Soft Ride Front and Rear NO Hardware 9783= $269.95 <--- NO!!!
Poly Bushings Kit RED for Firm Ride Front and Rear NO Hardware 9780= $269.95 <--- NO!!!

I would anticipate replacing with Grade-8 hardware to be approx $15-$25 for those kits that do not include hardware. I am pretty sure of my info, but please correct me if I have forgotten any bushings.


Based on previous information and posts it seems that the Poly Bushings Kits are junk and have received bad reviews from dweb members. Any comments on which kit is better? Seems that it's pretty much a toss up for DAP, BP or AB. (BP will be more for shipping to the East Coast, where DAP and AB should be less for shipping). Not sure if the AB set is worth the extra $50.

Is this a job that a weekend wrencher shady-tree mechanic like myself can do? I do not have a press or torch to burn bushings out. Or is this a job for a shop that has the proper/right tools? Any idea on what a shop would charge for this if I brought them the bushings?

Thanks!
I bought the kit from Atlantic British - and they have been good so far. I replaced everything front and rear - including ball joints - and wow, what an amazing experience to be bouncing down a rough dirt track with no banging, clunking, or squeaking! Get the rubber ones.
 

Knightspirit

Well-known member
Sep 22, 2019
251
84
Mount Shasta, CA
Thank you for all the detail you put into this post. I purchased a D1 project and took it out on the road for the first time getting it up 50 mph and the death wobble kicked in with a vengeance. It also was missing the steering dampener so I am sure that made it worse.

I just ordered all the OEM bushings using the part numbers posted. (Note - NTC is posted as NCT, but that was easy to figure out.) I didn’t get new fasteners as the truck is remarkably almost corrosion free and every other bolt so far has come out in excellent condition. However, I am sure I will be back to reference the fasteners list you provided for my much more corrosion filled other D1.
Double check your pan hard bar - that's the most likely cause of the Death Wobble. That's the one place you might use poly bushing, as stiffer is better, but they will wear out sooner I think. I have poly on mine since I bought the new adjustable bar from Terrafirma and it came with them - so far they have been great. Wobble stopped after installing it.
 
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