February 7, 200818 yr So check this out, pretty bent huh? Its the mustache bar off my 87 EA81 Hatch. Im not 100% sure but i think that this has been causing my car to pull to the left while driving. So the plan is to bend the bar back straight, and Fab up some tube to reinforce the original mustache bar. I think its gonna come out pretty clean, i got an idea of how its gonna look. More pics to follow when its done. Any suggestions?
February 7, 200818 yr Author So i got the bar all straightened out as good as i can. And now im on to removing the bushings and finding replacements. Does anyone know where i can pick some up? I dont think there gonna have them at Kragens or Autozone, do i need to go to a dealer? And do the bushings just press out?
February 7, 200818 yr So check this out, pretty bent huh? Its the mustache bar off my 87 EA81 Hatch. Im not 100% sure but i think that this has been causing my car to pull to the left while driving. you think? hehehehe yes i would reinforce it, as i dont know if it has been weakened by it being bent. Bushings can be safely purchased from anyone. nipper
February 7, 200818 yr Author you think? hehehehe yes i would reinforce it, as i dont know if it has been weakened by it being bent. Bushings can be safely purchased from anyone. nipper If they can be purchased, where? And how do they come out? I used a press and they still wouldnt move.
February 7, 200818 yr Its been ages, so i dont remeber if they come out. I have a theory, that all busings are replaceable. When they have had a happy home for (in car years) eons, they dont want to come out in one peice. I usually get the metal sleeve out any way i can, then ungracefully rip out the bushings. Once you get the sleeve out, you can cut the bushing. YOu can try using a penetrating oil to allow the rust to release its hold from the rubber. I have also used a torch. nipper
February 8, 200818 yr these bushings are set in.they are not replaceable as far as the local subaru dealership states.i've tried before.i just went to the yard and got a different one that looked good. get ahold of jamie at genuinesubaruparts.com.she could tell you for sure.cheers, brian
February 8, 200818 yr these bushings are set in.they are not replaceable as far as the local subaru dealership states.i've tried before.i just went to the yard and got a different one that looked good. get ahold of jamie at genuinesubaruparts.com.she could tell you for sure.cheers, brian There is absolutly no replacement for them? Damn that sucks. nipper
February 8, 200818 yr There is absolutly no replacement for them? Of course there is . You burn the old one's out with a torch and either bake new one's in with urethane, or you find some bushings that are similar and make them work. Last resort would be to redesign the entire bar using something more "off the shelf". Reinforcing the bar is easy - you run a 1" wide x 1/4" thick peice of mild-steel flat bar along the bar - bent to the shape of the bar. Welded in place it makes the bar into a half-I beam, and will be easily stronger than the mounts that hold the bar to the rails. I know because I've had mine supporting the whole rig - slammed it down onto a fallen tree stump once. Didn't flex a mm. GD
February 8, 200818 yr Author Of course there is . You burn the old one's out with a torch and either bake new one's in with urethane, or you find some bushings that are similar and make them work. Last resort would be to redesign the entire bar using something more "off the shelf". Reinforcing the bar is easy - you run a 1" wide x 1/4" thick peice of mild-steel flat bar along the bar - bent to the shape of the bar. Welded in place it makes the bar into a half-I beam, and will be easily stronger than the mounts that hold the bar to the rails. I know because I've had mine supporting the whole rig - slammed it down onto a fallen tree stump once. Didn't flex a mm. GD What do u think about a solid mount instead of bushings?
February 8, 200818 yr Author So check this out, not done yet but its really close. My little creation! Today it will get heat treated and a coat of paint. I'll post up some more pics when its done.
February 9, 200818 yr Well - that's heavier bar than it needs to be... or if that's tubing then it's not nearly heavy enough. All the joints are failure points that will allow it to flex. And the gusseting you did isn't needed as the bar is not weak in the vertical plane. Only the horizontal plane. I'm just saying I wouldn't have done it that way is all. This is what I did (as described above): Others have done it before I did, and the results are awesome. And no - I would not hard mount it. GD
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