Polyurethane steering rack bushing question.

[texadelphia]

I replaced my steering rack bushings with a Whiteline poly set today. I couldn't get the driver side bushing bolt to torque to 141 ft lbs...it just kept turning. The edges of the bushing were also bulging out from behind the washers. It seemed kind of strange how much it was bulging. Anyone notice this bulging with other poly sets?

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[T4topher]

I replaced my steering rack bushings with a Whiteline poly set today. I couldn't get the driver side bushing bolt to torque to 141 ft lbs...it just kept turning. The edges of the bushing were also bulging out from behind the washers. It seemed kind of strange how much it was bulging. Anyone notice this bulging with other poly sets?

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Dang man that doesn’t look right for sure. Did it have a metal sleeve inside? That’s what the nut/bolt should be bottoming out on, not the bushing itself.

 

[texadelphia]

Definitely had a sleeve. Seems like the sleeve is too short.

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[T4topher]

Definitely had a sleeve. Seems like the sleeve is too short.

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That’s what I would guess, even the bolt has way too many threads poking out the back. You sure you didn’t put the drivers side sleeve in the center bushing? I have about 4-5 threads showing past the nut for the driver side bolt.

 

[texadelphia]

That’s what I would guess, even the bolt has way too many threads poking out the back. You sure you didn’t put the drivers side sleeve in the center bushing? I have about 4-5 threads showing past the nut for the driver side bolt.

Definitely didn't do that. The center bushing sleeve is noticably shorter.

The nut did get very tight, I just got freaked out towards the end that my torque wrench wasn't working and I was tightening it too much. I'm guessing I was just shy of hitting 141.

In the moment I thought that I was just smashing the bushing between the washer and the subframe. But in retrospect I had to be up against the sleeve because the bushing material that squeezed out would have sheared of given how tight I had it. My guess is Whiteline just made the sleeve slightly shorter than it should have been so the gap for the flange of the bushing was smaller and caused it to squeeze out.

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[photoleif]

Definitely didn't do that. The center bushing sleeve is noticably shorter.

The nut did get very tight, I just got freaked out towards the end that my torque wrench wasn't working and I was tightening it too much. I'm guessing I was just shy of hitting 141.

In the moment I thought that I was just smashing the bushing between the washer and the subframe. But in retrospect I had to be up against the sleeve because the bushing material that squeezed out would have sheared of given how tight I had it. My guess is Whiteline just made the sleeve slightly shorter than it should have been so the gap for the flange of the bushing was smaller and caused it to squeeze out.

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in the photo, it looks like it's on the outside. isn't it supposed to be on the inside?

 

[T4topher]

Definitely didn't do that. The center bushing sleeve is noticably shorter.

The nut did get very tight, I just got freaked out towards the end that my torque wrench wasn't working and I was tightening it too much. I'm guessing I was just shy of hitting 141.

In the moment I thought that I was just smashing the bushing between the washer and the subframe. But in retrospect I had to be up against the sleeve because the bushing material that squeezed out would have sheared of given how tight I had it. My guess is Whiteline just made the sleeve slightly shorter than it should have been so the gap for the flange of the bushing was smaller and caused it to squeeze out.

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Hmm well something is definitely off, I’d be tempted to contact whiteline. Did you compare the size of the sleeve to the one you pulled out with the old bushing? Also were all the other bolts already in place when you did this one?

 

[texadelphia]

Hmm well something is definitely off, I’d be tempted to contact whiteline. Did you compare the size of the sleeve to the one you pulled out with the old bushing? Also were all the other bolts already in place when you did this one?

Unfortunately I didn't think to compare them. Yes all the other bolts were in and torqued before I attempted to torque this down completely.

 

[Skulking]

You can always figure out where you are at torquewise by setting your torque wrench low (For this maybe start at 80ft-lbf), and tighten the bolt. If your wrench immediately clicks, you are at least that high. Increase your torque setting by a reasonable amount (Maybe 5 or 10ft-lbf in this case), and try again. Work your way up until it stops clicking, and you know the window your torque is within.

 

[texadelphia]

in the photo, it looks like it's on the outside. isn't it supposed to be on the inside?

I don't follow what you mean.

 

[texadelphia]

You can always figure out where you are at torquewise by setting your torque wrench low (For this maybe start at 80ft-lbf), and tighten the bolt. If your wrench immediately clicks, you are at least that high. Increase your torque setting by a reasonable amount (Maybe 5 or 10ft-lbf in this case), and try again. Work your way up until it stops clicking, and you know the window your torque is within.

Makes sense. In hindsight, I should have done this.

 

[photoleif]

I don't follow what you mean.

sorry i wasn't super-clear there. in the bushing kit i used, the large thick washer was to be positioned immediately next to the bushing sleeve on the forward side of the vehicle. i'm not sure here, but it could be that the image you posted showed that washer on the aft side of the bushing. i could be looking at it wrong. see [MENTION=120071]mtbtim[/MENTION] 's vid:

Steering Rack and Front Sway Bar Bushing Replacement Tutorial - YouTube

i set the time to a couple seconds before he positions the washer. again, i could just be looking at your photo wrong, so ignore me if you did this.

 

[T4topher]

For reference this is what my energy suspension kit looks like.

 

[texadelphia]

sorry i wasn't super-clear there. in the bushing kit i used, the large thick washer was to be positioned immediately next to the bushing sleeve on the forward side of the vehicle. i'm not sure here, but it could be that the image you posted showed that washer on the aft side of the bushing. i could be looking at it wrong. see [MENTION=120071]mtbtim[/MENTION] 's vid:

Steering Rack and Front Sway Bar Bushing Replacement Tutorial - YouTube

i set the time to a couple seconds before he positions the washer. again, i could just be looking at your photo wrong, so ignore me if you did this.

The Whiteline kit came with 2 washers so there's one on the fwd side between the bushing and the cross-member, and one on the aft side between the bushing and the nut.

 

[texadelphia]

For reference this is what my energy suspension kit looks like.

That's what I expected mine to look like when it was done.

I've been in contact with Whiteline and they initially said that I torqued the bolt down too much. I responded back with how that shouldn't be possible if the sleeve is the right length and they haven't replied yet.

 

[texadelphia]

Well....Whilteline is sending me a new bushing kit. The support person said that the bushing may have been cured incorrectly and said I should use a bigger washer when I install. I don't see how either of these things are affecting my situation but I'm planning on checking the length of the sleeve on the new kit and comparing it to a parts store kit just to see. Or maybe if someone has a stock rack sitting around and can measure the length of the bushing for me I can use that as a baseline.

 

[T4topher]

Well....Whilteline is sending me a new bushing kit. The support person said that the bushing may have been cured incorrectly and said I should use a bigger washer when I install. I don't see how either of these things are affecting my situation but I'm planning on checking the length of the sleeve on the new kit and comparing it to a parts store kit just to see. Or maybe if someone has a stock rack sitting around and can measure the length of the bushing for me I can use that as a baseline.

Bout to go home for lunch, I’ll measure between the front and back washer and that should give you a baseline of how long the sleeve should be since the washers are resting against the sleeve.

 

[T4topher]

Well....Whilteline is sending me a new bushing kit. The support person said that the bushing may have been cured incorrectly and said I should use a bigger washer when I install. I don't see how either of these things are affecting my situation but I'm planning on checking the length of the sleeve on the new kit and comparing it to a parts store kit just to see. Or maybe if someone has a stock rack sitting around and can measure the length of the bushing for me I can use that as a baseline.

Sleeve should be 2.5”. I got 2.5375 on my digital calipers.

 

[texadelphia]

Sleeve should be 2.5”. I got 2.5375 on my digital calipers.

Awesome thanks. According to the info the rep sent me the sleeve is supposed to be 68.5 mm which is 2.69 in. We'll see if that's the actual dimension when it shows up.

 

[texadelphia]

And the hits just keep on coming....got under the truck to take another look at the bushings and noticed fluid pooled on the skid plate under the rack. Looked closer and there's fluid seeping out of the driver side tie rod boot. Guess I'll be replacing the whole rack. Ugh. I'll probably just leave the stock bushings in there instead of pressing out perfectly good bushings to replace them with dubious poly ones.

Oh and the replacement bushings showed up today and that sleeve in the new kit is about 70mm long...so at least I got that going for me. haha