On Sat, Apr 24, 2010 at 3:26 PM, Shawn Wright <vwdiesels@gmail.com> wrote:

> Hello all,
>
> Slowly getting around to my front shocks due to limited mobility for a few
> days... I've pulled the old KYB out, and the top metal sleeve/bushing is
> badly rusted, and looks to be slightly mushroomed, probably due to weak
> shocks hammering at the weakened rusty metal. I can either order a new
> bushing (rubber parts are fine), or make one. My questions are:
>
> 1. Is the OE bushing a tight fit where it goes through the hole in the
> upper shock mount on the body?
> 2. Van-cafe lists a kit with all the bits, but states "Please specify
> below if you would like the kit with or without the shock collar"
> (collar=bushing I am talking about). Under what circumstances would you not
> want the collar?
>
>
> http://www.van-cafe.com/home/van/page_1036_1354/front_shock_mounting_kit.html
>
> 3. Bentley states on 40.4 that two versions of the collar are used, but it
> sounds like this change occurred around '82-83, and only applies if
> installing a new bump stop on older van < VIN 25A 007 7959 (mine is 7JH 000
> 0000). So I assume I need the newer style, which is 28.5mm long according to
> Bentley. Anyone have one handy they can measure the OD of a new one?
>
> Thanks
> --
> Shawn Wright
> '88 TD Westy
>

After measuring all the pieces, here's what I've come up with:

hole in upper shock mount = 19mm
old rusted bushing OD = ~15mm
"tight" fit in upper rubber bushing = 16mm

So it appears that a 19mm OD steel collar/bushing would be a very tight fit
through the upper rubber donut. It also appears that the lower rubber bump
stop/dust shield is a tight fit into the shock mount area, effectively
keeping the shock centred in the mount hole, preventing the loose steel
collar/bushing from making contact with the shock mount hole (~2mm on each
side clearance). This, combined with the picture here:

http://www.van-cafe.com/home/van/page_906_1354/front_shock_collar.html

leads me to believe the original collar is closer to an OD of 15-16mm than a
19mm (the length is 28.5mm, and the pic shows the OD is about 1/2 the
length). Any idea why one end is knurled?

Also, on closer inspection, what I thought was "mushrooming" is more likely
just corrosion on the more exposed part of the bushing eating away at the
metal.

Still, I'd sure love for someone to confirm this... :-)

I'm going to leave it apart and move on to something else I think.

--
Shawn Wright