Greetings all!
After a long and unwanted absence due to illness I'm back and wanting to get on the road.
Sadly during state inspection torsion bushings relating to the rear axle torsion bar went bad.
Does any body have a line on replacements?
TIA.
Moby
Moderator Jeff Edited title for higher engagement.
Moby,
Do you have a picture so we know exactly what part(s)you need?
If not, PM me your e-mail and I can send you the B.F. Goodrich Torsilastic manual where you can identify the part you need.
If you are unable to find the correct parts you might try asking around the 18 wheeler repair shops and see if they can manufacture the parts. I had front sway bar problems and when I contacted the factory in Texas they demanded part numbers which I could not provide. I was lucky enough to find a great 18 wheeler pair shop who also had the same problem acquiring the parts so they just manufactured them, themselves. Best of luck to you.
If this IS B.F. Goodrich Torsilastic parts, there are on crosses to trucks.
Will be on the road the next week, but will continue to check in as I can.
Yes, I am very familiar with the suspension and worked with the engineers at B.F. Goodrich on some upgrades.
PM me if you like.
Sorry for the lack of response.
I have exchange people coming soon for two weeks and have been getting ready.
Pics as soon as i can crawl under her.
Ebay used to have the whole spring,look under Foretravel.
Just to be sure, I'm talking torsion bar here.
If they are the round bushings I have about 8 of them left over from our 225.post a pic.
Johnh
Like these?
Scroll to the bottom of the page for the rubber mounted shackles.
Sulastic Rubber Springs. ONE TORSILASTIC SPRING 4" x 4" X 36 3/4" (https://www.sulastic.com/en/torsilastic-spring-4-x-4-large)
John Haygarth seems to be offering you the bushings for the locating arms and maybe the Panhard rod. Those are truck parts.
I am not aware of any "bushings" in the torsilastic suspension itself. Sway bars, yes.
Very unusual for the metal center piece of the torsilastic beam to "wear" the rubber between it and the outer box/shell. Common for both outer ends of the exposed rubber to look gnarly, but the rubber goes the full length of the torsilastic beam.
The shackles are much more likely to wear. And, can be replaced without major issue (have done it with hand tools and bottle jack).
Yes these are for sway bars. Not sure if a 225 had torselastic as ours were springs and hydraulic brakes.
Brett is this correct?
Johnh
To my knowledge, all U225's were torsilastic and air brakes. Same for U240.
But the Torsilatic suspension does have a rear sway bar. I thought there were also radius rods of a sort and a panhard rod but it looks like the torsion bars and shackles do all the heavy lifting.
Probably better to hold off speculating on exactly what part the OP needs until we know what it is and better, a picture showing the damage/degradation.
I'm betting on the inspector not knowing what he's looking at and the OP not prepared to ask "Show me the movement." I'm down to my last shim, and the ends of the torsion bar rubber look gnarly but ride height is correct and nothing moves the way it shouldn't. It sure is a brutally simple system though.
The bushings I have are for that torsion bar as mine was the same. But springs not torselastic.
Thinking back mine was Oskosh 022
Johnh
John,
The picture old tool maker posted looks like my setup.
Been busy with overseas guests and rain makes it difficult (unpleasant) to crawl under Alice for pictures.
I'll get the tarp out this morning and do it.
If his picture is what you are talking about that is a sway bar,not a torsion bar,if your going to post a picture of the same thing
why bother,I would remove those rubber pieces and look for a part number and/or brand name,if it is a Lord brand they usually
have the part number somewhere,if not take the old parts to a store and try and match up.If you mean the bushings that hold the bar in place,do the same,a common swaybar brand is
Hellwig,try searching that way,they catagorize them by the bar diameter.
Again, sorry for the picture delay.
Heres the three pics I have.
One shows the general layout and two show the bushings in question.
You can very clearly see a gap between the top bushings and the bar below. Somehow, I don't think a gap is supposed to be there.
Hoping this clears things up.
This was the same as our older FT. I am sure that the ones I have should be the ones you need. If you measure the diameter of the pin and post it I will check mine just to be sure then can mail them to you
John
What part of the assembly are you calling the "pin"?
Moby: I'll allow John to define pin. What I want to say is that what you sent us a picture of is the sway bar and yes, it's a torsion spring, sometimes referred to as a torsion bar. What lends itself to the confusion is our U225s and the 240s have Torsilatic suspension, which is a torsion style spring with rubber being the elastic component.
The pin I refer to is what looks like a bolt as it has a nut on the end holding parts in place. I need the diameter of this too make sure the inside diameter of bushings fit it.
John
Got it.
Just using the terminology that the shop used not thinking of the confusion it would cause.
Sorry for the confusion.
John- sun is in the wrong part of the sky right now, will measure in the AM.
Lord, I want to be back on the road again.
I deserve it.
We all deserve it.
Ok 6 bushings on their way. I drove down thru the Border this am to mail them to you so expect them in 3 days. I did this as our mail would take a couple of weeks maybe and the cost was over $30 cndn but taking them into Washington state it was $7us. I filled up the L Rover with gas but it was only 3c less than ours a litre. Nice drive thru mountains and along the river except I had to sit for 20mins while they were paving hwy. Hotel for night was reasonable $150 so all good.
I have 6 more left if anyone needs them
John
Hotel was bs,,,,,we live 40mins north of border.
John,
You are indeed a good man and karma will treat you well.
Many thanks does not come close!
Rich
John
I THINK I know the answer...
But if you want any compensation please let me know.
Compensation is that they will work for you. I just mentioned the info for reason to take a nice drive.
Enjoy.
John
John,
Again,
Thank you.
Proof once again that sailors of the interstate are the best.
John,
The Eagle has landed.
I say again;
The Eagle has landed.
Good news they made it safe. Hope they work for you.
John
Well, the saga continues.
Alice is in the shop for other repairs along with the torson bar end bushings and NOW they tell me that the other end, the bushings that wrap around the bar where it attaches to the axle housing need to be replaced.
Anybody have ANY idea where to get them, or the mfgr and part number?
She won't pass inspection and I can't believe she'll become useless for $20 worth of parts.
I'm stressing like heck over this.
I want on the road again!
Thanks for the picture.
REALLY hard to believe that it will not pass inspection because of SWAY BAR BUSHINGS! REALLY??? If that is what they told you, I would sure take the coach to another inspection station.
There is nothing unique about the sway bar bushings on your coach and is NOT a torsilastic suspension component.
Be sure to check the same things on your front sway bar-- probably need replacing as well.
Replacement is an easy DYI job. Pair of vice grips to hold the end link and wrenches is all it takes.
Check with Roadmaster or others who handle sway bars and bushings. You will also want to replace the 8 end link bushings. All you need are the dimensions. Go with polyurethane bushings for better sway control.
BTW, I e-mailed you a couple of pages out of the Torsilastic Shop manual so we can all use the proper terms for what is needed.
Those have been taken care of, thanks.
If there is any clearance/space between the end link bushing and the bar or chassis, the sway bar can not function as designed. If bushings are new, tighten up the end link bolt/nut to remove clearance. From your photo, doesn't look like the end link bushings are new or polyurethane.
Again this applies to any vehicle with a sway bar, be it a pickup truck or motorhome. Torsilastic or air suspension. Gas or diesel.
Again, this part has been taken care of
Its the section where it attaches to the axle housing (as shown in pictures) that is the issue.
Completely understand.
Just do a google search for "Polyurethane sway bar bushings"
Told you on reply number 17 about those parts a month ago,can't help you more than that.
If I had the unit in my driveway, I could do that.
See if the shop can measure the bar diameter,it's just hard for us to tell you what you need one reason being that could be an aftermarket bar,it looks like 1 inch,but could be more or less,another option would be to find a parts store that has 7/8ths to 1 1/4
inch bushings that would let you bring the ones that don't fit back.Agree with Brett,if the shop can tell you the bushings are no
good but can't find new ones try and find another shop and/or inspection place.Don't let it stress you,it will get repaired.
Need ID and OD of the two main bushings to get replacements.
Need ID and "nipple" dimensions for end link replacements.
Again, polyurethane is by far the preferred material.
Whew!
What an experience!
First thanks for all the assistance. Got the call today that "the bushings are not bad enough to fail". Gee, Brett kinda sounds like "REALLY hard to believe that it will not pass inspection because of SWAY BAR BUSHINGS! REALLY???".
Whatever.
Axle seal replaced, shock absorber welded back tomorrow and I pick her up Monday.
Now that I know she's gonna be road worthy I'll start the smaller projects I have planned. New batteries first.