Torsion bushing replacement

[Fredward]

I've got the itch to do some inexpensive preventive maintenance on my MC-5 this winter. I thought i would start by replacing shocks and torsion bushings. I know the bushings on the top of the rear axle are nearly impossible to get. The rest look pretty straight forward. After reading the manual a few times, it looks fairly straightforward.

Do you guys have any tricks to share? I can borrow a tool. Obviously i will jack and block the body and then jack and block the axle. But what else? Are there other things I should do while I'm there?

Fred

[John Z]

I am getting my bus ready to head to TX in a week or so, and had the rear bushings changed a few days ago. I had them done at a shop here. It only took a few hours to do all of the rears and i have to say from the short drive home, "Git r done." I cannot believe how nice and smooth the shifts are now, and it should certainly go down the road a lot better.

BTW Fred, i have 8 new bushings that i believe are the same ones that fit your bus if you are interested in them.

Good luck with your project!

[johns4104s]

You will need a half inch imact, Also I just hammerd mine in the arms with a little grease. I used the rubbers, I dont have any eperience but I am told that the neoprean rides a little rough.

John

[jjrbus]

I replaced all bushings on my 795C last year with the new hi tech split ones,  SLOT CAR !!!!  Ride is stiffer and they transmit more road noise but not horrible. I can see where the split bushings would be much easier to install.

Tips, in the manual there are some dimensions for the suspension which should be maintained during assemble, the best way to do this is to do one arm at a time. The use of jacks, come alongs and pry bars makes this easy to do.

I as usual used an angle grinder and carfully cut the nuts off the studs, it is much faster and easier than replaceing a stud!!  I started the center rear with an impact because it looked eaiser, I of course broke the first stud I tried    Fortunately the shaft comes out and I could work on it in the shop, 2 minutes with a grinder verse 4 hours in the shop..

                                                             HTH Jim

[Len Silva]

I'm not sure it still applies but my 4104 manual explicitly said not to use any lubricant, not even water, for the rubber bushings.

[johns4104s]

Lin You are probably correct. But without the tiny sliver of grease it was nearly impossible to drive the bushing home.

John

[Old4103]

You don't need to work so hard at installing the bushings....

The easiest way is to put the new bushing in the freezer overnight and the next morning borrow a buddies propane weed burner.
Cut out or drive out the old bushing, heat the housing with the weed burner until it's around 250° - 270°F. Grab the cold bushing with a pair of suitable gloves and using a couple of good heavy duty C-clamps along with a couple of metal plates to clamp them on for stability, it will slide right in. But you gotta be quick and accurate... If you get it crooked or are too slow one side will cool and the other will warm, leaving you in the original situation.

Think about how the ring gear is installed on an old Chevy flywheel.. same principle, just a different application.

Good Luck,

Dallas

[OneLapper]

I did all of them on my 4106.  The tough part was removing the solidified rust on the inside of the arm.  It was a 1/4" thick and prevented the new bushings from sliding into the arm.  I ended up removing each arm from the suspension, putting it in a vise, using an air hammer to chisel the rust away, then a small sanding drum to smooth out the inside.  I did that for both ends for all four links in the rear suspension.  Ugh.  However, what a difference in ride quality when there isn't metal to metal contact in those parts!!!!!

[Fredward]

John,
I'm interested in them if they are truly the same bushings becasuse I'll need quite a few and have not checked on price. You have a 4104? Also interested in why you would be going to Texas during the nicest season of the year: the month after we've had NOTHING BUT BELOW FREEZING TEMPERATURES FOR $#!##%%^ 31 !@@#$%DAYS!!!!. What a wimp. Anyways, maybe you'd like to stop by on your way south.
(i'd keep on going if i were you, but you're welcome to use us as your first stop on your way) We're straight south of Monticello 15 miles with 65 acres.
Fred

[jjrbus]

I notice you are saying an MCI 5, I replaced the bushings on my 5C, I do not know if the A's and B's are the same. MCI sells a split polyureathane bushing, I bought mine from International Bus Parts but cannot locate thier website?? International Bus & Parts in Apopka, FL 1-800-468-5287.


12-1-206CG Radius Rod Bushing - Hourglass Style - Unique 2-piece design for easy installation (1 set will replace two standard bushings)

http://www.mcicoach.com/Parts-Service-Support/coachGuard/polyurethaneSuspension.htm

double check part number befor ordering!!

Much eaiser to install than the OEM ones. No freezeing just install. Put 1/2 of the bushing on each mount, put on radius arm add other half, a plate and locking strip a nut and repete on other end These also come with a lubricant which must be used. The lubricant is really tenacious, I used disposable gloves when handeling it.

  Only removeing one arm at a time will make life eaiser for you. On the rear center mount there are two bolts which hold the  cylinder in place, loosen the bolts and drive the shaft from side to side to replace bushings. It is difficult but not impossible to do, much eaiser on a 5 than the 40 footers. Actually if I had a 40 footer I would have skipped replaceing those.

The radius rods will take lots of effort to remove, I recall useing a porta power, drilling holes in old bushings, soaking with lubricants, cutting out little pieces of old bushings, pry bars and brute force.  Mark use to say there is no job so difficult that it cannot be overcome with brute force and stupidity, this is one of those tasks!!

The holes in the radius rods will likely be very rusty and need to be cleaned up befor reinstalling new bushings.

                                                                                HTH Jim.

[Lin]

This is something I did not know about at all.  Another thing to worry about!

[Len Silva]

If your rear radius rod bushings are worn, it will make an incredible difference in how the steering feels.  I would never have believed it until I did it a few years ago.

[Tom Y]

John, What type of bushing did you have installed? I replaced all of mine, front and rear with the polyureathane. I wonder if I should have used rubber? Someone told me they had problems with the studs breaking with the plastic, and I had 1 broken stud on mine and saw a MCI 9 with one. Both had a plastic bushing.  Tom Y

[Lin]

I am trying to understand the parts we are talking about.  I checked out my book.  Is the torsion bar referred to the same as the radius arm, the big dog bone shaped bar behind each of the rear wheels?  How do you tell if the bushings are bad aside from them falling apart or not being there?

[Tom Y]

Lin, Yes thats the parts. The rods that hold the axles in place and let them move up and down with the air bags. If they are off center you may want to look farther. Some have run them till there is steel on steel and they will wear out of round. Hope this helps.  Tom Y