Differential carrier crossmember bushings

[Michael G.]

I've attached two pictures of bushing from the differential crossmember attachment for a 63. Can someone please tell me if the bushings are original or repro?

Thanks,

[Rich P.]

Re: Differential carrier crossmember bushings

Michael,

couple things I noticed.
1 GM pt #
2 mold release marks on the top
3 and most imprtantly these are original 63 bushings. Later cars and repro bushings have more tha 4 retaining tabs that get bent over to retain the bushing. I don't know when they changed the # of tabs but these are what I know of as 63'S.

Rich

[Wayne M.]

Re: Differential carrier crossmember bushings

.....
1 GM pt #
2 mold release marks on the top
3 and most imprtantly these are original 63 bushings. Later cars and repro bushings have more tha 4 retaining tabs that get bent over to retain the bushing. I don't know when they changed the # of tabs but these are what I know of as 63'S. ....

Here's the recall notice [2 pages] for replacement of 4-tab bushings with the 8-tabs. In production, happened in '65 starting with VIN 16516.

Also include a pic of my late '65 original 8-tab., for comparison.

[Michael G.]

Re: Differential carrier crossmember bushings

Well, if they haven't "pulled out" under 48 yeas of "all" conditions, maybe I'll spit shine 'em and put 'em back in....

[Joe L.]

Re: Differential carrier crossmember bushings

Well, if they haven't "pulled out" under 48 yeas of "all" conditions, maybe I'll spit shine 'em and put 'em back in....

Mike------


I wouldn't. I don't like the apparent condition of the bushing you pictured. I'd say it's "living on borrowed time".

[Michael G.]

Re: Differential carrier crossmember bushings

Thanks Joe, I've already got some repops. Just out of curiosity, what's the typical result if one of those bushings fail?

[John H.]

Re: Differential carrier crossmember bushings

I've already got some repops. Just out of curiosity, what's the typical result if one of those bushings fail?

Mike -

The load on those bushings is always UP (from the weight of the car on the diff crossmember pushing down on them); the only time the load on the bushing is DOWN is when the car is on a 2-post lift (or when you're "getting air").

I had an original bushing fail on my '67 about five years ago while driving down the road - a very loud "BANG" right behind my seat. The flange around the top end of the bushing outer shell (where it seats on the top surface of the diff crossmember) failed and sheared off due to corrosion of the flange, and the crossmember then moved upward about 1/2" and grounded against the frame. No drama, just the one loud noise (see photo below before I changed both bushings).

[Michael G.]

Re: Differential carrier crossmember bushings

Thanks John,

The parts look ugly, but it doesn't sound like a big deal....

I'll have to sacrifice the originality points for condition points, unless I decide that I can handle loud unexpected noises while drinking a latte and texting on I-96 at 85 or so...

[John H.]

Re: Differential carrier crossmember bushings

I'll have to sacrifice the originality points for condition points..

Mike -

Actually, those bushings and the crossmember aren't mentioned at all in any of the line items on the Chassis scoring sheet; since none of the rear suspension line items are assigned more than five originality points to begin with, I can't imagine more than a one-point deduction for "configuration" of the bushings. Hardly worth agonizing over.

[Michael G.]

Re: Differential carrier crossmember bushings

Thanks, John, I might as well change 'em, Its probably a lot easier now with the cross-member already off the car. I was really surprised that it didn't even need to be pried off; I was already figuring I needed a BIG pry bar for that.

[John H.]

Re: Differential carrier crossmember bushings

Thanks, John, I might as well change 'em, Its probably a lot easier now with the cross-member already off the car. I was really surprised that it didn't even need to be pried off; I was already figuring I needed a BIG pry bar for that.

Mike -

Here's an article on changing the bushings you may find useful:

http://www.lbfun.com/warehouse/tech_info/body_&_frame/SombreroDance.pdf