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I am in the process of installing front and rear IPD replacement bushings on my 1975 Volvo 245 (original owner). The front went well but I have encountered several problems/questions on the rear.
1 - Track rod bushing on passenger side - This bushing has two slots and I need to know the proper orientation of the slots. This one was replaced previously (in 1989) and I was similarly confused at that time so I'm not sure it was installed correctly. My original Volvo workshop manual says "the bushing slots should point according to the figure below" but the figure shows no orientation indications that I can decipher. Can some one help with the proper alignment?
2 - Torque rod bushings - Similar orientation issue as the track rod bushing above. In this case the manual does say to align so that the "flat sides are parallel to the rod". Clear enough, but after installing them this way on the driver's side rod I'm almost certain that the old ones were rotated 90-degrees from this (never changed previously). I should have paid more attention prior to their removal but I will confirm this when I remove the passenger side rod. If it turns out that its flats are 90-degrees to the rod, what is correct - the manual or the original installation?
3 - Large rear trailing arm bushing - Last, but not least, the "monster". Even though the originals are not obviously shot, I hoped to change them anyway. I wanted to do this myself and if possible also avoid the cost of the special tool designed for this purpose. So, to brace the axle brackets I wedged four bolts between them and achieved a pretty tight fit. I then inserted a 12-inch length of 1/2" "all-thread" through some very heavy large washers on the "pushing" side and a 5" pipe nipple on the receiving side. The pipe nipple is just larger than the O.D of the bushing so that it can consume it. On the "pushing" side the washers would be too large to go through the bracket opening but I figured I would get the bushing to start moving the first 1/4" inch with them and then replace them with an appropriate sized socket as a drift when it came time to enter the bracket opening. The set-up looked good but after torquing down on the nut the all-thread snapped in two! And the bushing gave no hint that it had even begun to budge! Perhaps it's just a case that the all-thread I used wasn"t up to the task (purchased at a local auto store / 20-threads per inch / 1/2" diameter / marked "S.A.E." but no indication as to grade). Comments or hints from any one who has tried this? Should I try again or am I just wasting my time and should part with the $165 bucks for the tool?
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