fbekholden.com

Bump... I'm in trouble with this upgrade, and will keep this post alive until I get it finished.

I've had a "clunk" in the rear right suspension for longer than I should have - and decided with these new wheels that I'd fix the clunk before running up to Hervey Bay.

Today, I bought the Nolathane kits for both ends of the rear springs.

The kit for the rear shackle (#47006) is a perfect fit - no issues.

The kit for the front pin mount (#47007) is not - it has two different length c/tubes - the o/d is a perfect fit for the new bushes - but neither of them will go over the original pin - and the original pin is a terribly sloppy fit in the new bushes.....

Nolathane do not provide any fitting information with the kits - other than not to lubricate the bush/eye mating surfaces or the pin/bush surfaces...
LM grease (molybdenum disulphide) can be used on the sides where the ends of the bushes make contact with the shackles and front eye mount plates - but not on the working surfaces.

They also forbid the use of rubber grease with Nolathane bushes.

I went to their website - and it would appear that there isn't a pdf or data sheet with fitting instructions.

So - has anyone fitted this rear spring front eye kit using these crush tubes?... any information greatly appreciated.

frats,
Rosco

Rosco don't use the tube. Most of the kits now are universal and from memory the tube is used in HD HR arrangements.
Simply use the same bushes as used in the rear spring hanger. I think I ordered extra rear hanger bushes to use for the front. Annoying that they don't elude to this when you buy them.
You might want to rethink using Nolathane. It will make the suspension really rigid as there is no amount of twist afforded in the bush as opposed to the original rubber bush.

Just put up a big reply in the "replacing rear springs" thread, Craig.

I'm surprised/shocked that Nolathane don't know about this issue with FB/EK's... and probalby FE/FC's (I haven't been into my FE/C manual yet).

The crush tubes are too narrow in I.D and too long... the shorter one is 4 mm too long. The crush tubes need to be reamed out to 13.25 mm - supplied, they are 12.8 mm.

Anyone following this - jump to the above thread - I'll post up on that... and hopefully have some pix tonight.

frats,
Rosco

Standard response from any company these days....sadly
Problem is that the distributors don't send any feedback from their customers to them I guess. A sale is a sale.

The chap at Moparts looked a bit "vague" when I asked for them... told me that I could no longer get original parts...
I know an awful lot more about them now... and will pass this info on (you doubt?). next time I'm down there - they are usually excellent with finding me parts for my old cars...

Ok - again, anyone following this - do NOT get this front eye kit.. it's pretty much a waste of time and money...
As Craig suggests - just get two rear shackle bushes.. the hole sizes of the rear bushes are exact for the front pins.... grrrrrr

On the very off-chance that someone is as stubborn and pig-headed as me - and has purchased the front eye kit.... you will need to both ream out the crush tubes to 13.25 mm and also shorten them to 63 mm.... the shorter supplied ones are 67 mm... but why you would do this is now beyond me... .just go get the rear shackle bushes and fit them to the front pins..... derrrrrr!

That front kit is definitely NOT for out old buses.... I'm guessing the shorter tubes might be for EJ/EH and the longer ones HD/HR.
They both have a totally different arrangement to that of our long pin with a slotted head on the inside mount face.

frats,
Rosco

Ok - those wishing to do this job... I might suggest you copy and paste the following....

The front pin kit supplied by Nolathane and Whiteline is not needed if you are using your original front pins - they "should" be 13.2 mm in diameter and will accept standard rear shackle bushes.

For those who need to replace the front pin - you'll need the kit.

The Rare's replacement pin kit (part # SP 1001) will cost you $33.90 with club discount - it comes with rubber bushes which are a sloppy fit.
The shaft diameter of this pin is 12.65 mm as opposed to the original at 13.2 mm.

The thread diameter size of the Rare's pin is 10.93 mm - original is 11.01 mm
The head diameter of the Rare's pin is 28.50 mm - exactly the same size as the original.

The step length (from end of pin shaft to start of thread) on the Rare's is just 1.35 mm original is 3.5 mm
The length of the Rare's shaft from inner side of head to end of shaft is 81.6 mm - original 85.14 mm.
The length of the shaft on the Rare's pin from the inner head to the start of thread is 65.13 mm - original 67.0 mm.

The crush tube in the Nolathane kit has an I.D of 12.8 mm and IS a smooth fit over the Rare's replacement pin.
The larger hole bushes in the Nolathane kit are needed if using the crush tube.

The short crush tube has to be shortened by 3 mm to fit between the body mount frame for the front spring - it needs to be 64 mm long.

The outer surfaces of the bushes are fitted absolutely dry - no grease.
The inner surfaces of the bushes are lubricated with the supplied LM grease (molybdenum di-sulphide - NOT RUBBER GREASE!).
The outer surface of the crush tube is lubricated with LM grease.
The end faces of the bushes and their mating surfaces of the body frame are lubricated with LM grease.

I painted fishoilene to the inner crush tube and Rare's pin to prevent rust.

The entire assembly went together perfectly once aligned - the nut with spring washer wound up tight with the end of the nut flush with the pin end using the crush tube shortened to 64 mm.

Rear shackle were lubricated as above - dry to the eyes of the springs - lubricated on the shackle pins and internal bushes plus ends of bushes and shackle plate mating faces.

Shackle nuts were only tightened to the point of removing gaps in assembly plus one turn of the nut.

No noises, squeaks or grumbling noted when "bouncing" the vehicle up and down prior to re-fitting of shock absorbers.

frats,
Rosco

Why the hell don't Rares make the front pin to original spec? It'd be a whole lot easier.

I simply don't know, Craig.
My suspicions are that they have bowed to the incorrect assumption that a crush tube is required.
If they went ahead with manufacture of a 13.2 mm shaft - as it should have been, there would be absolutely no need for anything other than a stock standard set of bushes all of the same size for the rear shackle and front pins.... end of issue.

But, they didn't - and I suspect that "someone" decided off their own bat that crush tubes were needed.... hence the need to spend an additional $49 on the crush tube kit.... and, I'm sorry to say - renders the bushes which come with the Rares kit obsolete...

I'd like to have a chat with Les McVeigh out at Rare's and suggest to him that the kit he offers is not appropriate - yes, it will fit.. but the bushes are a shonky fit on the 12.6 mm pins he supplies.

If he wishes to continue to use these pins, he needs to add the crush tubes from Nolathane or Whiteline and suitable bushes to fit tightly on the crush tubes.

I've just come in now from finishing my old bus's rear end... the suspension is now very tight because of the over-riders and an additional metal block shim I fitted between the front bearing of the over-rider and the vehicle spring.. it hasn't given me any more lift - but it certainly will stop the vehicle dipping.. might have to back off the adjustment if it's too rigid... yet to be road-tested.

frats,
Rosco

Ok, now that job is finished - I will post up some pix.

This is what instigated the rear suspension refurb. I had a "clunk" in the rear end when going from forward to reverse.. couldn't find it in anything around the axle - but when I lifted it up on stands to do the wheels, I found this.... the front bush/pin rubbing against the frame - and the outer end could be moved using a lever....

pic -



This shows the original pin from the left side with the crush tubes and nolathane bushes provided in the kit.
These bushes are a good fit over the crush tube - they have a much larger hole to fit over the crush tube than the originals and one end has a smaller diameter of the outer end - this goes on the inner end of the pin - but I used the full diameter one on both ends of the right hand side.

The longer tube is not used, the shorter one has to be shortened by 4 mm - you can see all three in this pic.
Along with shortening the tube, I had to ream out 0.5 mm with a round file so that it would slide over the original pin.

pic -

Ok - so the offending bits on the right hand side have been removed. The new pin, crush tube and bushes are fitted.
The Rare's pin is a nice sliding fit inside the crush tube (no filing required) and the bushes, of course - are a snug fit over the crush tube.

pic -

So, to end my input into this thread off...

A few pix of the result...





and this is what I ended up when the vehicle was lowered back on the deck - didn't gain one bit of clearance, but I now have a very firm rear end and I'm hoping it will no longer dip so far as to scrub the walls of the tyres.



frats,
Rosco