MGB & GT Forum

As part of the rehab of my front suspension I purchased a set of the V8 bushings.

As is well documented here in the extensive searchable archive, these operate like “silentblocs” used on Porsches and other suspension of the period— they do not rotate in the arm, rather, the rubber flexes to facilitate suspension movement. As such, they are pressed into the arms tight and the center sleeve is held captive by the washers on either end.

I actually own a press, it’s up in the top of the barn, somewhere between the Davos sled, a set of mismatched golf clubs and the papers from my Uncle’s estate, which is to say, I have no earthly idea where exactly it is. And it’s heavy, and I’m too lazy to climb up, find it, then climb down the rickety ladder holding the frame and the hydraulic cylinder which probably weigh 50 pounds.

But I am not too lazy to stop by Home Depot and buy:

3/8” x 8” bolt, partially threaded
3/8” x 1-1/2” fender washer (qty 2)
3/8” regular washer (qty 3- the reason for the multiple washers is that they are thin and I didn’t trust them not to bend)
3/8” nut
1-1/4” x 3” conduit nipple
5/8” Grade 8 Fender washer

All for the low, low price of about $10, which I would gladly spend rather than make four trips on the rickety ladder holding the press.

The pieces are assembled as illustrated.

The ID of the control arm is approximately 30mm, the OD is 40mm, its depth is 32mm and the ID of the bushing is 16mm.

So the 1-1/4” piece of conduit was used because it is rigid enough not to bend under load, while resting nicely on the rim of the arm, allowing the bushing to pass inside of it. When completed, the bushing protrudes out of the arm about 1/8” on either side, so it has to be able to pass inside the conduit or it will end up lopsided. The 5/8 “Grade 8” washer is about 1/8” thick and is sufficiently rigid to not pull into the end of the conduit, and the other washers are there because the bolt head would try to pass through the hole in the 5/8” washer if they weren’t— they size the hole down and provide a bearing surface. The 3/8” bolt was used because it has to be narrow enough to fit through the bushing but strong enough to carry the load.

Using this simple tool (Moss’ instructions say you can also use a socket, but a single deep socket costs several multiples of the BOM of this tool) the bushings were installed in about 90 seconds apiece. I lubricated them with liquid hand soap per the instructions, I wish all MGB tasks were self-cleaning.

These will be fitted with the washers and nuts but not torqued until the car is resting on its wheels and bounced a few times. The nuts are then torqued and split pins fitted and we move on to the next item.

Enjoy

Well done!

When I did mine I was able to drive them in with a mallet. Surprised how easy they went in. Great suspension improvement without the noise. Definitely get more road transmitted into the car compared to the solid rubber ones. They all should have come this way. Enjoy

Thanks, I am looking forward to it. Given the cracked spring pan I determined to replace everything on both sides including the drop links. Of course all this will have to come apart again but I dry fit everything to make sure parts weren’t missing.

I looked at my vise bolted to my work bench & said to myself, that will work. I press the bushing into the A arm, get a big socket bigger than the bush, to center the bushing in the arm, has worked fine for me the last 50 years.

Exactly the approach I took a couple of weeks ago….had all four centered and done in about 20 mins.

Yep, that's the easy way. And it's free.

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Si Vis pacem, para bellum

Especially if you dip them in silicone brake fluid first.

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T. Keith Vezina
British Motoring Club New Orleans
1976 MGB, 1976 MGB Trailer & 1978 MGB V8

Bonus features: Upper trunnion bushing installer and shock arm spreader.