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New RE control arm bushings?

Mike L

NAXJA Forum User
Location
Anaheim, CA
I just got some new arms from Rubicon Express and it looks like they changed the design. My old arms are flat on the outside of the bushing sleeve and these look crimped in the center. The bushings don't look stock. I've uploaded some pics onto YAHOO so hopefully you guys can check them out. From this pic:
RE4020.jpg
you can see a difference. On RE's site it talks about some new design replaces factory bushings with a poly-bushing/plastic sleeve combo. Are these them? There's no pics of them on RE's site that I could find.

One of the bushings is offset more to one side should I worry about it and try to press it in further to center it? Whats the easiest way to do that? Anyone ever taken these bushings apart? Thanks.

-Mike
 
i noticed the same thing when installing a RE kit on my friends wrangler.
 
WobblesXJ said:
My lowers were also crimped in and I was wondering about how I would change the bushings too...

20050119190021_Picture%20006.jpg

Anyone? Bueller?

-Mike
 
BrettM said:
call them :dunno:

Well I got them this afternoon after they were closed and I thought maybe someone here would know. Otherwise I will call tomorrow. So there. :wave:

-Mike
 
Yup...RE has something new up it's sleeve. These bushings are what they call "Super-Ride" bushings and use a very unique design. I'll have to take a picture of one if I can remember Saturday...

You can order them as replacements for the old style arms or stock arms (check the bottom of the page):
http://www.rubiconexpress.com/dynamic/mainpage.asp?folderid=788

The idea of the bushing is that it uses a very large shoulder and instead of a piece of tubing that goes through the bushing (like conventional bushings) it has two halves each of which also have a large shoulder on the outside. What this does is allow the bushing to roll inside it's housing to allow for massive flex (well as massive as you can get).

The replacement setup uses a sleeve that gets pressed into a stock arm. The kits use a piece of tubing that's been smashed in a press to create an internal ring to retain the bushing. To my knowledge RE doesn't sell the Super-Ride bushing and the "crushed" sleeve together but they may at some point...

Again hard to imagine without seeing one. When it was explained to me I had no freakin' idea...until I had one in my hand.
 
I kinda figured that was what it is. I saw the part numbers RE3760 and RE3761 on the bottom of that page and was guessing that was it but there weren't any pics so I was unsure.

In THIS pic you can see how one of the bushings is offset more to one of the sides in the arm. Do I need to use a press to push it in further? I tried a socket and a BFH and it doesn't seem to budge. Any ideas?

-Mike
 
just for reference - here is a pic of my arms...



this is a thumbnail - click it for a fullsize...
 
Sterling90XJ said:
.
I was told that the RE3760 bushings were for the axle housing, not the Control arms. Was I mis-informed?

RE's catalog says the 3760 can be retrofitted to all their arms.
 
These bushing assemblies have been out for quite some time as a seperate unit with it's own sleeve, they were liek 30 bucks for the large assembly. I guess they are jsut now incorporating them in their arms. They were being sold at rubicon USA for probably about half a year now. They looks like a very nice design, but that's just by looks. I feel like they'll last.

OK, jsut checked rubicon USA and it looks liekthey were pulled from the line-up....who knows what the deal was with them. _nicko
 
OK guys, I took a ball joint press and pressed these bushings out to see what they look like. I took some more pics and added them to my Yahoo PHOTOS. These will sure make changing worn out bushings easier but I shouldn't have to worry about that for a long while.

I wonder if the small bushing can be used in the axle housing using the sleeve from RE. I think I will give them a call Monday and ask. Now that would be cool. Much easier to replace thoise bushings then too. I like this idea so it is easier and field repairable.

-Mike
 
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