Land Rover Series 2a 88 - Part 8: Installing Chassis Bushes

[@highdownmartin]

Always worth watching someone else doing what you’re going to do next. The thing that made it worthwhile was reminding me I’ve got a couple of coil spring compressors. That’s the studding that I was scratching my head over. Brilliant mate, all I have to do now is sort the spacers. No problem. Thanks

[@rovertasmania7033]

Awesome to hear it, they are a b!tch to do but any methods and tools to help make it easier is worth exploring. All the best.

[@NathanNostaw]

Good old simple setup. I love how easy it is when stripped down to just the chassis. You must be getting excited now it is being built back up. I used a similar setup, but found the threads of the rod started wearing too much. I ended up using the threaded shaft from a scissor jack as it had an ACME thread. works a treat now (well as much of a treat as a fiddly job under a car can be).

[@rovertasmania7033]

Simple is sometimes the best, especially since I tend to overthink things! Yes getting super excited now :). Thanks for posting.

[@kslinthesand]

This is my next challenge to over come, I'm effectively following in your footstep albeit a couple of months behind you. That's a great idea with the threaded rod, and sockets.

[@rovertasmania7033]

Theres many ways to skin this job. I found removing is harder as they are truly stuck. Putting in new ones after being in freezer is easy. like removing the relay, changing bushes is right of passage to series ownership 😂

[@kslinthesand]

ha ha ha you have to earn your series scars ....lol

[@aaronsmyth1332]

I’m looking forward for your next video as it really helps give me an idea of what I should do and in what order to do them. Im trying to work on my series 3 by following what you do in your videos.

[@rovertasmania7033]

Thanks, but just remember that I am not a professional mechanic and am doing things how I think its best done for me. I make mistakes (which I do) so just take that into consideration.

[@nickuk1978]

Coming back to this one (still love these vids) - can't find the bit where you take the old chassis bushes out though! Mine are being an absolute nightmare.

[@rovertasmania7033]

Yep, they are! With mine, they where already pretty much broken internally... the rubber bushes had gone. But once you take the guts out (if you can), I took a hacksaw blade through the centre and cut into the outer steel shell. Once it was deep enough (being carefull not to cut into the chassis) take a chisel or screw driver and slowly work up the edges of the cut, effectively collapsing the shell. Takes time and patience, but works.

[@ronalmeida2536]

Another fine video. Thanks for sharing!

[@rovertasmania7033]

Thanks Ron for your comment. Cheers,

[@greggferns3278]

I think some kind of light lube may be better,since copper grease is corrosive to rubber products and should be kept well away from them.Sorry if it seems negative but everything else made a lot of sense

[@rovertasmania7033]

Thanks for your comment and no need to apologise. I am always happy to hear others pass on their experience, so appreciate the post. Cheers,

[@rustandoil]

You'll soon have a rolling chassis 👍🏼

[@rovertasmania7033]

I cant wait rusty!!

[@scienceaddict77]

That's a good idea with the Jacks 👍 what are you doing to protect the inside of the chassis?

[@scienceaddict77]

I thought you were supposed to put them in dry to prevent the possibility of them slipping in the sleeve. I'm going to polyurethane next time I do them, had a hell of a time with my rears don't even want to deal with the fronts.

[@rovertasmania7033]

Looking at spraying rustoleum or fish oil, something that will coat the inside well. Trying to figure out best way to do this...

[@rovertasmania7033]

Science - copper stuff is just an anti-sieze and most squeezed out. It was still a tight fit so wont slip or fall out, thats for sure. Plus i also put them in with the bushes frozen, how much that makes a difference i dont know but i certainly didnt break knuckles or bleed out doing them lol

[@scienceaddict77]

Rover Tasmania I froze mine too, got halfway in and stopped dead. Several stripped and snapped pieces of threaded rod later I gave up, going poly when I redo them.

[@kesevada]

@@rovertasmania7033 like you suggested I used fish oil and works great :D what you opted in the end?

[@restomodgarage6999]

Loving the rebuild! What camera do you use to video? I noticed a GoPro in one of your earlier videos?

[@rovertasmania7033]

Thanks! I just use my mobile Moto G4 phone, its more convenient and has better low light capacity.

[@murantrupja393]

Tazmania very interesting

[@strangelysane7387]

I'm not sure lubing the housing is a good idea. Isolastic bushes work by the outside being held rigid whilst the inside bonded rubber to inner tube is able to flex slightly under load. If the housing is lubed there's a risk the whole assembly will rotate under load.

[@rovertasmania7033]

I recon 99% of the copper slip came out, this will be ok i think and prevent rusting in place, i hope. Given they where also frozen, the rest will purge as it came back to temp. But ill see if there is any movement anyway. Cheers,

[@strangelysane7387]

@@rovertasmania7033 Here's hoping. It's a doddle to fit the bushes when rebuilding from the ground up. The pain in the arse is when the road going vehicle has to be jacked up for replacement. The chassis has to be jacked up and rested on stands. Also the front axle has to be supported on stands (both supported independently). The latter is easy. It's finding a place to support the front of the chassis (safely) that's the bugger. Steering rods etc all get in the way of where you would ideally want to place the stands. I had to make a wooden bridge out of 3 x 3 so I could place the stands to support the weight without blocking access to the U bolts for removal etc. Also - for anyone reading this and about to do the job themselves .... leave fully tightening up the bush bolts until the whole plot is lowered to the ground - you need to load it up with enough weight to deflect the springs to half their deflection point to preload the bushes. Otherwise they will tear themselves apart in use. There is a fiddly way to do this with chains and trolley jacks - but it's hard on the finish of the rails of the chassis. Simpler to just keep putting scrap on the flatbed until the deflection is achieved.

[@highdownmartin]

Highly unlikely I feel