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I'm getting ready to reinstall my upper control ares. The original bushes as well as the replacements have steel "washers" that sit in a depression in the outer rubber. Hat washers fill that depression. Unfortunately I find I only seem to have four hat washers and from what I can tell I should have four on each arm. I can't imagine I managed to loose four washers, but anything is possible. First question: Can I "fill" the depression with a washer to create flat faces to meet the two ends of the pivot bolt? Second question: Does anyone know a source for the hat washers? I couldn't find them.
Thanks!
I'm getting ready to reinstall my upper control ares. The original bushes as well as the replacements have steel "washers" that sit in a depression in the outer rubber. Hat washers fill that depression. Unfortunately I find I only seem to have four hat washers and from what I can tell I should have four on each arm. I can't imagine I managed to loose four washers, but anything is possible. First question: Can I "fill" the depression with a washer to create flat faces to meet the two ends of the pivot bolt? Second question: Does anyone know a source for the hat washers? I couldn't find them.
Thanks!
When I was disassembling the control arms, I was so concentrated on capturing the spacers that I sort of blanked on the other washers. I think I am going to try it with no washers at the ends of the pivot bolts as the nuts and the bolt heads fit nicely within the bushings' outer rubber, which should act like a washer. I suspect that is the way they were originally, which I why I can't find them. Don't think that should make a difference alignment-wise. We'll see.
It's highly unlikely that you lost four washers, though a previous mechanic could have. My recollection is that each bushing has a hat washer on each of its ends, and the "shim" washers mount between the inner ends of the bushings and the subframe butress. If you have no fore-aft play when you get it reassembled, you may be fine, but it might be worth having the alignment checked.
If you have the dished washers on the inside of each bushing and the correct shims, you should be OK.
My take on these is that they are there to provide additional (although not entirely effective) protection against water ingress. Unfortunately, they can't stop water wicking along the pivot bolt shank and under the inner sleeve due to the lack of a seal at the crossmember.
Alternatively, SNG Barratt, although they show as 'special order only'
Either way, I'd pack some rubber grease between the rubber lip and the bushing's integral washer to aid getting a seal. Also, a good smearing of anti-seize on the bolt shank will help the next man in there (it could be you ).
You can source replacements via the dealer as they're available on the Heritage site, in a minimum pack of 5, strangely.
Mike,
That reminds me of a time I had to order something like fuel injector clips from Jaguar. They only came in a box of 5, which I found ludicrous for a company that, at the time, had only made 6- and 12-cylinder engines (and still hasn't made any 5- or 10-cylinder engines that I know of)!
LOL.
When I lifted a cam cover to check the secondaries a few years back, if I remember correctly, the isolator washers came in packs of 10. The car needed 14. Go figure....
How many hat washers?
).
