"Bad Bushing in Rear Suspension Bar" is a rough translation for why the Cruiser didn't pass the road safety test this month. Rats. Fortunately someone was headed down to Costa Rica and I managed to order some new bushings for them to bring. Sure, bushings are available here, but they are either cheap junk or original equipment ($$).

Got the new bushings installed on Tuesday. That was an experience in and of itself. Faithful followers of the Sandcruiser story (at least those with excellent memories) might remember many moons ago Soop, Teddy and I took Teddy's van to Santa Cruz to get his springs re-arched. That involved much sweat, a lot of patience, some chicken sandwiches, some inappropriate welding, and ended in three people sharing 1 bathroom for a long night of intense bowel distress. Ahhh, the memories. If you don't remember the story (and we won't fault you) you can re-live it here in an excerpt from Soop's excellent journal.

But I digress.

So I went back to the very same spring shop in Santa Cruz because I knew that they have a hydraulic press. A press is really awfully handy for getting 2" diameter bushings out of steel control arms. The other way involved all manner of burning, hacksawing, probably ruining a finger or two and almost certainly doing a half-assed job in the end. I opted for the press.

What I had not fully recalled was the squallor that characterized the press shop. Wow. I watched as two "professionals" spent the better part of on hour pressing out the old bushings and installing new. They found the right combination of random bits of what looked like old oil pipe to act as punches and supports for the bushings. Then put them down in the midst of the mess and had to re-invent the wheel for the next bushing. They did this four times. As they finished installing number three, I suggested "hey, maybe you should keep those pieces handy- you know, for installing number four?" They looked at me like I had just escaped the insane asylum and was drooling on my shirt while begging for candy or perhaps dried toads. Why on earth would we keep the parts when we are going to use them again in 10 minutes? Crazy Gringo.

It would be pointless to wonder about why they didn't just press out all four, then install all four, so as not to have to change any of the bits and parts. I imagine it would be easier to simply build my own press from scraps than to convince them to change their ways.

It is a little tough to complain too bitterly... while the project could have taken 1 hour instead of 3.5, it did only cost me $40 to have them remove/replace the arms and press out then press in four bushings.

And the old bushings were totally wiped out. Destroyed. So this was a past-due repair that has made a world of difference in the handling and comfort of the truck.  So the trip was a success.

And this time I didn't have the chicken, which was the best decision of all.

Labels: Costa Rica, land cruiser, repair