HURRAY!!!!  Dennis is back!!!

DM&FS

At 09:41 PM 4/27/2009, Dennis Haynes wrote:
>These bushings are simply a bad design. I have found the Meyle are usually
>the smoothest and quietest. The Febi tends to bind and squeak. On the
>stamped metal control arms, (non Syncro) a hammer and flat plate will knock
>them out and push the new ones in. The spot weld should be done with a MIG
>and just a small spot will do.
>
>Dennis
>
>-----Original Message-----
>From: Vanagon Mailing List [mailto:vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com] On Behalf Of
>pickle vanagon
>Sent: Saturday, April 25, 2009 6:48 PM
>To: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM
>Subject: sick of replacing Control Arm Bushings every year
>
>My drivers side upper control arm bushings are screaming like crazy.  These
>are new Meyle bushings, installed a little over a year ago.  The Meyle
>bushings I had installed on the passenger side at the same time went bad
>almost right away.   I replaced those last summer with Febi bushings which
>have held up so far (fingers crossed).
>
>I am careful when installing them (and know not to tighten them all the way
>before lowering the van for example) and think a lot of the parts are just
>bad.  I have seen other people post similar frustrating experiences with
>these bushings (including some who had problems with the Febi bushings).
>
>Does anyone know where to get a decent bushing?  I've had bushings from
>different list vendors that all went bad (they were all Meyle bushings, the
>Febi bushings I had just picked up from a Flaps in a hurry).  Is there a
>chance I'll get better quality if I cough up the money to get them from the
>dealer?  (Presumably then there would at least be a warranty I could collect
>on without too much hassle.)
>
>The worst part about changing these so often is that I can't even do it all
>myself.  Once I remove the control arm, I have to take it somewhere and pay
>someone to press the new bushings in.
>
>Sorry for the griping!  I just can't believe how problematic these bushings
>seem to be!
>
>-Wes
>'83 1.9l manual westy ("pickle")