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General TR Pressing in the Lower Control Arm Bushing

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KVH

KVH

Obi Wan
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Is it OK to "sand" down the lower-inner control arm bushings, just a bit? I installed mine using grease and a press and they're in there alright, but awfully tight and a bit elongated/squashed. Should I have sanded them down more? I ran them in a drill for maybe 20 seconds and just didn't want to take more rubber off. Thoughts?
 
The two piece (metal and plastic) units on my 3 didn't even pretend to fit. I had to scrape the plastic parts with a razor blade. It took hours. You might want to go back to the rubber.
Bob
 
I could be wrong, but I believe the rubber ones (4A and onwards, different than TR2-4) are supposed to be a tight fit in the arms. The rubber deflects with suspension movement, rather than turning as the nylon ones do.
 
The lower inner bushings are usually provided as nylon with steel inserts. Are you really installing rubber ones? If you are using a standard kit, I think you may be installing the inner upper rubber bushings in the wrong place?
 
Not sure what model Triumph you are working on - if memory serves me, a 4A? Anyhow, for my 4A, I did not need to sand any bushings (magic kit, poly, from TRF). I think I may have had to press in some bushings with a vice (low force), but definitely did not modify any of the parts.
 
Sorry for the late response. My car is a 4A. Those rubber/neoprene lower, inner bushings are deadly tight, and I do need to press them in but the fit is so tight that I did lightly sand the rubber down a bit. They are really stout and heavy with steel tube inserts where the bolt slides in.
 
I just looked at my photos and remember those bushings. I believe I pressed them in with a vice and appropriate sockets. The one "trouble" spot I had was the lower outer bushings; I could not get the bolt to go through the metal sleeves. I put "trouble" in quotes, as it was a non-issue, just some gentle persuasion and the bolt slipped in.
 
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