NY FS: SC3/SC4 Diff Bushings - hot off the presses
#34
Here's my half attempt on a DIY...sorry about the lack of detail. We had to get it done by 7 PM and I had a late start at 5:30 PM.
1) Raise the car, obviously...I recommend doing this one on a lift, or on a set of jack stands (all four in this case, it'll make it easier).
2) Remove the rear part of the exhaust (optional, but you'll see why it's easier later, and for me it was three sets of bolts/nuts so it was easier to pop down).
3) Mark everything in the rear with a paint pen. Rubber isolator, axles, etc.
4) Remove all the drive shaft isolator/flange bolts making note which has washers (balance crucial when replacing the bolts/nuts).
5) Brace the bottom side of the diff, depending on your lift situation (ground, lift, etc).
6) Remove the axle allen head bolts
7) Remove the rear diff allen head bolts, three total
8) Remove the front two bolts that thread all the way into the body - very long with the washer on the bottom that looks like a cup (what you'll be replacing is above this and the "ears").
9) Remove diff slowly lowering it while pulling the rubber isolator and drive shaft away from the diff.
10) Take your air chisel, and hammer the "sleeves" of the bottom side of the bushing inwards - think about these like a mushroom - the more circle you get inwards, the easier it'll be to get them out.
11) Once you get it to the point that it looks visually ok, try to knock it out with a hammer, if it doesn't give then you'll need to keep chiseling inwards.
12) Take the freshly popped out mushroom head bushing/sleeve and light it on fire, while it's burning you can try and pull the sleeve out of the bushing but be careful, it's very hot. We used a welder set, because it was available to us. A plumbers torch would work too.
13) Smooth down the sleeves, get ready to install.
14) Grease everything, then do the reverse to install. Put the flat part up top, and the mushroom shape from the bottom. Reinstall everything, line your paint marks up before calling it finished (on the isolator, etc - you want to make sure it lines up like you pulled it off).
Again, I apologize for the lack of pictures. I had to wear glasses for the first time today, we were in a rush on top of that so grabbing the phone to snap quick pictures was very hard.
-------------------
1) No more THUNK when going into gear!
2) The rear end feels more connected, less slop.
3) Going over the panels on the interstate I noticed less play/thunk.
4) I actually had LESS vibration at 80 MPH then I had stock.
1) Raise the car, obviously...I recommend doing this one on a lift, or on a set of jack stands (all four in this case, it'll make it easier).
2) Remove the rear part of the exhaust (optional, but you'll see why it's easier later, and for me it was three sets of bolts/nuts so it was easier to pop down).
3) Mark everything in the rear with a paint pen. Rubber isolator, axles, etc.
4) Remove all the drive shaft isolator/flange bolts making note which has washers (balance crucial when replacing the bolts/nuts).
5) Brace the bottom side of the diff, depending on your lift situation (ground, lift, etc).
6) Remove the axle allen head bolts
7) Remove the rear diff allen head bolts, three total
8) Remove the front two bolts that thread all the way into the body - very long with the washer on the bottom that looks like a cup (what you'll be replacing is above this and the "ears").
9) Remove diff slowly lowering it while pulling the rubber isolator and drive shaft away from the diff.
10) Take your air chisel, and hammer the "sleeves" of the bottom side of the bushing inwards - think about these like a mushroom - the more circle you get inwards, the easier it'll be to get them out.
11) Once you get it to the point that it looks visually ok, try to knock it out with a hammer, if it doesn't give then you'll need to keep chiseling inwards.
12) Take the freshly popped out mushroom head bushing/sleeve and light it on fire, while it's burning you can try and pull the sleeve out of the bushing but be careful, it's very hot. We used a welder set, because it was available to us. A plumbers torch would work too.
13) Smooth down the sleeves, get ready to install.
14) Grease everything, then do the reverse to install. Put the flat part up top, and the mushroom shape from the bottom. Reinstall everything, line your paint marks up before calling it finished (on the isolator, etc - you want to make sure it lines up like you pulled it off).
Again, I apologize for the lack of pictures. I had to wear glasses for the first time today, we were in a rush on top of that so grabbing the phone to snap quick pictures was very hard.
-------------------
1) No more THUNK when going into gear!
2) The rear end feels more connected, less slop.
3) Going over the panels on the interstate I noticed less play/thunk.
4) I actually had LESS vibration at 80 MPH then I had stock.
#37
Good write up! I noticed the exact same things however I really wanted to hear feedback from other people that have installed them.
Stainless washers have been added as the people who live in areas where they use salt in the winter would suffer from rust if it were made from mild steel.
Stainless washers have been added as the people who live in areas where they use salt in the winter would suffer from rust if it were made from mild steel.
#38
My recommendations:
1) New Sleeves - Optional for extra cost, just like the Daizen/Prothane Control Arm Kits. It wasn't THAT big of a deal for me to burn out the old ones, but if this were a DIY in the driveway I could see it taking a bit more of time.
2) Grease - I just plastered white grease in there to make sure water doesn't creep it's way into it. Being they are red, I assumed they were not impregnated with grease already like black poly. It would be easier to give someone a tiny packet (similar to other bushing kits).
I guess having a premium version might be beneficial and a standard for those with the extra means to burn out the old ones, etc.
1) New Sleeves - Optional for extra cost, just like the Daizen/Prothane Control Arm Kits. It wasn't THAT big of a deal for me to burn out the old ones, but if this were a DIY in the driveway I could see it taking a bit more of time.
2) Grease - I just plastered white grease in there to make sure water doesn't creep it's way into it. Being they are red, I assumed they were not impregnated with grease already like black poly. It would be easier to give someone a tiny packet (similar to other bushing kits).
I guess having a premium version might be beneficial and a standard for those with the extra means to burn out the old ones, etc.
#39
My recommendations:
1) New Sleeves - Optional for extra cost, just like the Daizen/Prothane Control Arm Kits. It wasn't THAT big of a deal for me to burn out the old ones, but if this were a DIY in the driveway I could see it taking a bit more of time.
2) Grease - I just plastered white grease in there to make sure water doesn't creep it's way into it. Being they are red, I assumed they were not impregnated with grease already like black poly. It would be easier to give someone a tiny packet (similar to other bushing kits).
I guess having a premium version might be beneficial and a standard for those with the extra means to burn out the old ones, etc.
1) New Sleeves - Optional for extra cost, just like the Daizen/Prothane Control Arm Kits. It wasn't THAT big of a deal for me to burn out the old ones, but if this were a DIY in the driveway I could see it taking a bit more of time.
2) Grease - I just plastered white grease in there to make sure water doesn't creep it's way into it. Being they are red, I assumed they were not impregnated with grease already like black poly. It would be easier to give someone a tiny packet (similar to other bushing kits).
I guess having a premium version might be beneficial and a standard for those with the extra means to burn out the old ones, etc.
My main focus was to keep these at a super reasonable cost and get the job done effectively as these were born out of my personal frustration of not being able to find any on the market as only the solids were avl for 3x the cost
V2 may be in the works as more feedback rolls in.
Last edited by xspsi6; 03-05-12 at 08:35 PM.
#40
Oh yeah, it would have to be a separate kit but overall it's fantastic. When I put in reverse and it didn't thunk I giggled.
Then I launched the car with the new stall to "test" them out, hehehe.
Then I launched the car with the new stall to "test" them out, hehehe.
#41
Day two. 1500 RPM cold start. Drive to reverse, no clunks. Reverse back to drive no clunks.
Plus I went on the ultimate test. On the way in down town Shreveport there are a few panes of concrete that literally ramp off the ends creating a falling off the earth feeling. Today she felt tight going off the end of each pane. I was impressed to say the least.
Have you thought about doing transmission mounts? I don't want to buy the Meagan set as I don't need the motor mounts (supra mounts already in)
Plus I went on the ultimate test. On the way in down town Shreveport there are a few panes of concrete that literally ramp off the ends creating a falling off the earth feeling. Today she felt tight going off the end of each pane. I was impressed to say the least.
Have you thought about doing transmission mounts? I don't want to buy the Meagan set as I don't need the motor mounts (supra mounts already in)
#42
Day two. 1500 RPM cold start. Drive to reverse, no clunks. Reverse back to drive no clunks.
Plus I went on the ultimate test. On the way in down town Shreveport there are a few panes of concrete that literally ramp off the ends creating a falling off the earth feeling. Today she felt tight going off the end of each pane. I was impressed to say the least.
Have you thought about doing transmission mounts? I don't want to buy the Meagan set as I don't need the motor mounts (supra mounts already in)
Plus I went on the ultimate test. On the way in down town Shreveport there are a few panes of concrete that literally ramp off the ends creating a falling off the earth feeling. Today she felt tight going off the end of each pane. I was impressed to say the least.
Have you thought about doing transmission mounts? I don't want to buy the Meagan set as I don't need the motor mounts (supra mounts already in)
It transforms how the car performs and feels but I have a some what bias opinion But the feed back so far has been good and they are holding up to gobs of power and single digit passes in the 1/4 mile.
I am kind of slowly working on a trans mount insert that would just be a press in deal to take up the space in the mount and not allow so much flex which would be dirt cheap to make and offer and I could make a whole mount but it would be so costly that nobody would want it as they are vulcanized to the steel so any time the rubber is fused to the steel that adds so much cost to them unless I buy in mega bulk as thousands at a time which sucks.
I was at my wits end chasing the diff clunk issue and everytime I jump in now I can just drop it in gear with no worries which makes me happy just as it does for you
#43
I was thinking just keep the metal and then bolt in a new poly equivalent (at least on the automatic). It looks like they glued it on and screw it in for a just in case moment.
I can't get over how smooth it is on the higher mph range. My bushings didn't really look shot but you could tell on the ears of the diff where they had been rubbing really bad.
I can't get over how smooth it is on the higher mph range. My bushings didn't really look shot but you could tell on the ears of the diff where they had been rubbing really bad.