Strut Rod Bushings: An Interesting Discovery

[Run-AMC]

My strut rod bushings are looking a little rough. The driver's side bushings are particularly chewed up. So like any conscious driver, I opted to purchase a new set. Well, three sets actually as it would turn out, and fortunately so. The first set I purchased was from the MAS brand, model BRK801000 from Rockauto. Boy, did they look sweet. The moment I got them and took them out of the package, however, I felt a rather uncomfortable sensation that expectation was not living up to reality. My current (dare I say original) bushings are a comfy, pliable rubber. These felt like plastic. Cheap, offensive plastic. Rockauto lists them as rubber. I bet they're simply relaying manufacturer claims. Nothing against Rockauto, of course. So, I opted to get a second opinion.

O'Reilly's, which is one minute from my house as the Eagle flies, lists more choices. Two of which, one Masterpro K3090 and one Rare Parts 15696 picture identical parts to the MAS knockoff. A picture is worth a thousand words, of course. Moving on, I saw on Rare Parts 22026. The price was not inviting, but only the best for the Eagle. The picture only showed one set of bushings and not a complete two. So I bought two. Am I glad I did that!

I picked them up today and saw that each set was indeed a complete set. So I had eight individual bushings and four sleeves. But wait a minute... these bushings are not even close to similar. The part numbers are identical. Yep. Both are 22026. But as you can see from the photos below, they are markedly different.

A word of warning to anyone considering purchasing the MAS or any similar set: From what I have gathered, they are illegitimate insults against the entire Eagle community. The final straw was the realization that the MAS sleeve and combined bushing length are the same. Yes, they will have a mounting bracket to separate them and provide them a fraction of an inch of whatever flexion they may have, but I don't believe that is enough. Additionally, there is no isolating material to separate the internal sleeve from the bracket hole if the strut rod happens to feel particularly playful one day.

Plenty of pictures below.

[Run-AMC]

Both versions of Rare Parts 22026. And the invalid, MAS. And a distracting key. Sorry not.

[Run-AMC]

1. Here, we can see the 22026 variant, "Gould" I shall call it due to its present markings. I believe these are the ones already on my Eagle.

2. A comparison of sleeves and bracket contact faces.

3. As well as a closeup lineup.

[Run-AMC]

1. Overview of bushings. From left to right: MAS, "Gould" variant, and Rare Parts "B" variant. Note that "Gould" is the only one that has an asymmetric design (front to rear). It has a definite male and definite female bushing. The male bushing is the sleeve isolator. The "B" variant constructs a sleeve isolator with the shoulders of the symmetric design as they are clamped together under 65 ft/lbs of torque. The MAS has no sleeve isolator at all.

2. Sleeve length in relation to bushing assembly length. Note the near identical length of the MAS sleeve and bushing stack. The "Gould" and "B" variants are nearly the same height. All sleeves are the same length. Thicknesses vary.

[Canoe]

Looks like quite the pain.

While you've got them off the rod, check these
http://amceaglesden.com/guide/Strut_Rod_Bushings
http://amceaglesden.com/guide/Strut_Rod_Bushings_Re_%26_RE

[Run-AMC]

It’s just the cost to find the truth, I suppose. Unfortunately, they are not off the Eagle yet. Might be a few days before I get to to them.

Those are very useful and insightful articles. Thank you.

[AMC of Houston]

If you can find the good old Moog K-3090 (the earlier style with the imbedded outer metal sleeve); grab them!!   They are the best ever.  I bought a couple extra sets back when everyone was closing them out.

And regarding Rare Parts; they just buy others parts and retag them, and then raise the price exponentially.   They may have a "deal" with AutoZone.  Whenever I try AZone for a part for an old car; they always quote the expensive Rare Parts part first; even when their database shows other cheaper brands!

[Run-AMC]

If you can find the good old Moog K-3090 (the earlier style with the imbedded outer metal sleeve); grab them!! 

I was actually looking at a set of those today! It looks like Summit Racing has at least one set. I’ll add those to my bushing collection. Thank you!

Edit: Big oops. I looked and thought wrong. I need to do more research to understand where I went wrong.

[Taylor]

Might check these too, I plan to order a set soon. I have a very ambitious work schedule planned for my Eagle this winter.
https://www.partsgeek.com/catalog/1985/american_motors/eagle/suspension/strut_rod_bushing.html

[AMC of Houston]

I just looked at Summit.  Yep; those are the good ones; but show "not available"!   I hope you got the last one!!

[Run-AMC]

Might check these too, I plan to order a set soon. I have a very ambitious work schedule planned for my Eagle this winter.
https://www.partsgeek.com/catalog/1985/american_motors/eagle/suspension/strut_rod_bushing.html

I think I have a set of those. All of the parts look the same. Those are similar to the ones I am unsure about, but if the community does not disagree with using them, then they must be okay.

[AMC of Houston]

Those Geek bushings at least have an outer "centering sleeve".  That's better than no centering device of any kind - even if the rubber is crap!  Moog actually made a K-3090 set like that for a while (same part number; different style).  I had that style on my waggie for a long time (about 20 years) until the rubber dried out big time.

[amarshall]

A small contribution if I may:  About 4 years ago now I bought a set of ACDelco 45G25022 from Rockauto.  They visually looked like the Rare Parts version (not the “Gould” variant).  They fit fine and appeared to be the right replacements for my original 1988 bushings.

They would likely have been fine for many years on a street car.  But I drove on dirt roads from NC to Oregon, and they ate themselves up somewhere in Mississippi.  After a particularly rough impact in a “puddle” that turned out to be a pit, the bushings popped and tore.

I replaced them with some poly bushings.  In particular, the Prothane 6-1205-BL which were about $20 as I recall.  They are still holding up well, even after 5000 miles of crazy dirt road adventure.  I couldn’t really detect any difference in ride quality, so I’d have no problem recommending them.

[Run-AMC]

A small contribution if I may...

amarshall, I’ve read a considerable amount about your mechanical work and subsequent off-roading cross-country adventures, and I must say that I appreciate you making an appearance here and  presenting us with this knowledge.

In the interest of durability and the preservation of ride comfort, per se, I may just elect to try out a set of Prothanes after my Goulds explode. I have made the replacement on both sides. My strut rods are in rough shape, however,  particularly the driver’s side.  I’ll seek replacements before too long. I was surprised to discover that the brackets are in fine shape. Holes are still circular, the male bushing fitting snugly.

[TheBirdman]

Sorry if this thread is a bit old, but if appears I too have fallen for the MAS trap. I just found this thread while researching why my strut rod bushings looked like they werent going to fit for . Welp, I guess Im not going to have her back on the ground this weekend after all.

Im going to give those oreilley auto masterpro K3090s a shot, since theyre cheap and they look awfully similar to the now impossible to find moog K3090s everyone speaks so highly of. Ill update when I get them. In the meantime, Ill be welding a washer or two onto my left strut rod bracket, because it is W A S T E D.