Wishbone Thrust Washers

[barreti]

Eyup,

I've bought new rear upper wishbones because the bushes were shot and TBH they were past their best (although I'll keep them as emergency spares and have a play at installing new bushes)
Anyway, I also bought new thrust washers.
These are dark grey nylon looking things and I didn't take anything similar off. I've only found one other post relating to where these fit and it says they go between the bush and the chassis - and I'd guess the steel washers I took off go against the bolt head and nut on the other side of the chassis.

Does this all sound correct?
I just want to check because the hole in the middle of these thrust washers is bigger than the hole in the bush and I would have expected it to be a much tighter fit to the bolt to stop it moving out of alignment with the bush.

Thanks chaps

[barreti]

Right, been and had a fumble in the garage. Then I had a look at the old wishbone setup
The things I'm talking about are actually called Wishbone Spacer on the receipt.

I've also noticed there are 2 different sizes of bush on the wishbone which may have been why I couldn't figure this out earlier!

These spacers press neatly onto the centre tube section which sticks through the bush.
Or at least they do on the one closest to the back of the car, and on the same bit of the bush on the hub upright - the triangular box section which the brakes and hub attach to.

Since I've got 8 spacers for an axle set I guess these 4 are all I need on this side.

This leaves just the bolt which goes through the wishbone and the top of the shock. Which is not only longer but thicker, and since none of these spacers fit I guess I've answered my own question. Except that shouldn't that bush have had something similar too? Maybe not.

I'm surprised I took none of these off the old setup, just the usual washers against the bolt head and the nut. Oh well, live and learn.

I'll leave all this waffly bollox up here just in case anyone else is looking for it in the future (that'll be me then!)

Edited by barreti on Saturday 24th March 10:35

[pupp]

Think the teflon type spacers were a later addition to help prevent lateral displacement of the wishbones in relation to the chassis lugs, thus preserving geometery and avoiding shearing forces on the rubber element of the OEM bush that would arise as the bones otherwiase shunt back and forth. No need for them on the damper mountings as there's enough leeway along their length for them to slightly deflect without trouble. Sounds like you're spot on

[2Munkys]

It's bizzarre isn't it. When I stripped down my wishbones these nylon washers seemed to have been fitted randomly. You'd expect them to act as thrust load bearers and not just packers wouldn't you for transferring drive and braking loads into the chassis. Anyway, that's what logic would suggest but where did that ever play a role where TVR are concerned? Anyway, thin washer under the bolt head and thick washer under the nut. I think you'll find that Steve Heath has assembled a fastener kit containing all you need should you do all four corners.

Bruce