Toyota MR2 MK2 TRD bush (rubber) install.
What are they: Uprated rubber bushes, designed to be a direct replacement for original MK2 turbo suspension bushes.
trdparts.jp/english/parts_bush-sw20.html
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Why stick with rubber instead of polyurethane?
In my case I want to try and retain good shock dampening as my car is strictly a road car. I do like a performance upgrade though and I really like how TRD products are an easy and direct fit. Having said that, this writeup would work with stock Toyota bushes, and also polyurethane bushes - I've heard that the poly style bushes are easier to fit in to the arms.
When do you need these
If your suspension bushes are getting a bit sloppy or starting to look like marshmallow, that's normally a good time :)
Where do you get them:
Any TRD authorised reseller can supply these. I got mine from RHDJapan, but you can also get them from Fensport, Lithia Toyota, Nengun, NewEra and a host of other TRD resellers
http://www.rhdjapan.com/trd-suspension-bushing-set-mr2-sw20-60002
Who makes them: TRD -duh! :)
How do you fit them:
With Coffee at hand, I am ready for action
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I had done some bushes last weekend so this time round I only had four more bushes to remove, took about 15-20 minutes to melt them all out of there. You can make the job quicker by lining them up (thanks for the tip Snulty!)
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The only ones that are really tricky are these front anti dive rods that have a steel sleeve insert that is part of the bush itself.
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First I tried the lazy way of just whack it with a wedge, but that didn't work.
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Next I tried a hacksaw, like they described in the IMOC writeup, however I only had a junior hacksaw (and no vice)and it took a lot of time to do not very much. So I dug out an old friend - DREMEL :cheer:
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After a minute or two on each side, I had cut through the insert
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Then using a screwdriver it was possible to beat in and prise out the insert to free it up some:
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Even though it's looking like it's not connected, don't be fooled. After 20 odd years it just doesn't want to leave home.
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So using a large socket as a drift, it was time for a few short and sharp shocks
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And hey presto, we're too cool for school and ready to head to the powdercoaters:
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Well I dropped by the powdercoater and picked up my suspension components
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Looking good
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I tried to tape off any area where there is thread or a hole, because the powdercoat is so thick it just won't work for surfaces that are supposed to mate. Here's an example, this suspension washer for the rear arms would not slide over the thread, by running it back and forward a bit it goes on ok as the inside powdercoat wheres down. That would not be so easy if the whole thread was coated though..
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In the past I've found it better to 'over tape' and then spray a light coat of similar coloured paint on to the part, if it's not being viewed in close up, no one even notices.
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Unfortunately though my powdercoater got a little overzealous with and must have lost some of my tape.. So for these guys I need to strip off the area where the two surfaces will mate
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Still looks good on the part you can see ;)
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so I figured I would have a go at the bushings. Old on the left, new on the right
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The TRD bushings have the same part number as the Toyota ones, they're only really identifiable by the white paint on the edge (that rubs off easilly...)
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These ones went easily enough
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But as for the others, they're super tight in the holes...
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Step1: apply some Lithium grease to the bush on the end that will be pushed in first. Also lube up the inside of the corresponding socket.
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Step2: sit it in place with the corresponding arm in the vice being careful to get it as straight as possible. Start winding in the vice to push the rubber inside. At this point if you don't have it straight enough the bush can fly out at an angle and get dirty from the ground. Dirt/grass brushes straight off rubber, but if it is greased it is a full cleanup job. That's why I recommend only greasing the first bit.
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Step3: Now that the bush is being held in place and won't fly out you can put grease all around the rest of it. At around about this point it becomes necessary to use the pole extension and have someone stand on the vice (if it's not bolted to a heavy bench).
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Step4: These little rubber suckers are hard super tight also! So you might like to have two handy helpers in place to hold the vice from various angles. Around about this time you want to also put a second arm behind the first socket to ensure that you can get the bush pushed all the way through
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Eventually they push in there and when you take the arm out of the vice the rubber pops out each side to sit properly. Really I was wondering if I would break the vice, break my arm, break the bush, break the rod etc etc, it takes a shedload of pressure to get these things in there so be prepared to fit them to what seems like destruction!
This weekend I am going to try using a stainless steel clamp in the vice as the spacer. I don't know if it will be deep enough or if it will hold under the intense force, however if it does then it will be a handy solution as you can see in this picture it can easily be adjusted for size.
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