Rear trailing arm bushings- premature failure

[Doug Scarrow]

    Last fall I replaced my rear yoke and trailing arm bushings . Now with 410 miles on them the large

  rear trailing arm bushings are done . I contacted Rare Parts the maker and they were defensive and

  wanted me to purchase new ones and if sent the old ones back they,  upon inspection would  reimburse the original seller  (Old Parts) a seller on ebay. Seemed like a lot of hoops to jump through so I inquired at all the

known Cadillac Suppliers and it seems the Rare Parts is the only maker of the RP15606 bushings . Further

 internet searches found this is a common problem. This has led to Dan McNarry and Russ Austin heading up making replacement arms with high tech bushings that do not distort and last. Rare Parts needs to retool and use rubber that will last .  In the mean time DO NOT  purchase trailing arm bushings from them with the

expectation they will last as I assure you they will fail quickly

[Tony and Ginny 429]

Jason

just called RTRW and found out there parts are the same Rare Parts bushings

Enjoy

[Jason Edge]

What did they say when you told them some were having quality issues with Rare Parts control link bushings and they fact they were coming apart after a few hundred miles? I looked a Rare Parts site last night and looks like they make some of their parts in house but source other parts. I wonder if they actually make the bushings or farm out to someone else?  I still may go through the process with RTRW. They proudly state their bushings are quality USA made. I will not mind being the guinea pig in this journey to see 1st hand what is going on and get involved with someone like RTRW to make it right.  

[Tony and Ginny 429]

I do know from my conversation with Rare Parts that they source the rubber bushing from someone else and put the bushing together

I left the person i spoke with at RTRW knowing that we have two fellows who only got a few hundred miles out of there new bushing and installing them correctly but i did not go beyond that once i was told there bushing is supplied from Rare Parts which was the purpoe of the call
RTRW did not in any was indicate he had any negative feed back regarding the bushings when i asked if he had
Something does not make sence with the feed back there either

I do have faith when you have the time to get involved that we will get closer to a solution
The fact this bushing is used from 1958 thru 1964 Cadillacs is going to make a lot of cadillac people very happy when this is resolved
A big contribution to a lot of the Cadillac community as i see it
Thats a lot of rear suspensions to be getting repaired correctly for a lot of our fellow Cadillac owners

I did try to find bushings from other year Cadillac TA from 58 to 64 but had no luck with that idea

Would it be of any value to ask fellow CLC members how they might have repaired the TA bushings on there cars while you have the chance
Some of those guys surlely must have done this task in the past with good results

Mostly enjoy the Grand National Event

Enjoy

[Jason Edge]

"Would it be of any value to ask fellow CLC members how they might have repaired the TA bushings on there cars while you have the chance 
Some of those guys surlely must have done this task in the past with good results". 
Excellent idea. You can go to the CLC Forum's at www.forums.cadillaclasalleclub.org and ask all the forum members. There are over 12,000 users.. over 90% are not CLC members so you should feel at home! :-)  Bring that conversation up and I can monitor it at the GN!

[Jason Edge]

So... everyone get's their bushings from Rare Parts but no one knows their source.  As Fielding Mellish once said (any Woody Allen fans here?)... "It's a travesty of a mockery of a sham of a mockery of a travesty of two mockeries of a sham"!

[Tony and Ginny 429]

Glen at Rare Partsc told me the suppliers name but i do not recall the name

I am a very very big fan of Woody Alan's work

My wifes ex father in law was Woody Alans accountant forever so she was at his home from time to time
Its a small world sometimes
Love the quote

Enjoy

[Jason Edge]

... I'm guessing it was not Steele Rubber...that would bring this full circle! LOL

[Jason Edge]

...talk about a lot of resellers. By the time you get the control link bushings they may be worn out just from shipping from company to company to company to our homes!

[Ronnie Lay]

Here are 2 pictures 1st with Rare Parts bushing, clearly showing bushing being compressed and elongated  and off center on my 64 Deville, 2nd picture is the Dan McNarry link (bolt installed facing opposite of factory) showing bushing nice and centered with the bolt on my 64 Fleetwood.

[Ronnie Lay]

Left negative feedback at Rare Parts, we'll see if they post it.

Personally, I will use the Dan McNarry  links on any Caddy of this era that need them, getting tired of inferior replacement parts for classic cars..........try to use NOS or keep using originals wherever possible.

New Moog tie rod ends on my 64 Deville 2 months ago ago and 2 of the grease boots are already split!

[Tony and Ginny 429]

Obvious that Dan was motivated by the same substandard parts to take the time to design the arms he is constructing for himself and others to solve the poor rubber bushing problem
Both Dan and Russ have to be admired for working on a resonable solution to the problem at hand

Ronnie
Lets see if they post your feedback
Best guess is you will not be seeing your feedback from my
--test feedback--- i posted with them

Like your pictures of the way both bushings are alligned with Dans holding the correct position

These bushing being directly responsible for keeping the rear end alligned to the driveshaft
Lord knows how many of our car owners have been working hard to be eliminating driveshaft vibration issues that could be a direct result of a set of bad trailing arm bushings needing replacement ( and other issues )

There was a very nice video that Dan posted of the the rear end on jack stands with the rear wheels turning showing the distortion the rear end housing was experiencing with bad bushings
I keep seeing that video in my head And think it would be good to post that on this tread
A picture is worth a thousand words --applies to that video

If you can do send you bushings back to Rare Parts ( or your original supplier ) for a refund that Glen at Rare Parts said he would be happy to do and apply that to the purchase of Dans arms

Working with steele rubber products to come up with the proper rubber bushing compound that will hold up for the long haul may show a light at the end of the tunnel for the stock bushings if they choose to take on the project

Enjoy

[Russ Austin]

I believe Dan is an engineer and owns his own company. Although these were made at home, they were not made on the garage floor while sipping on beers.

Everything is made in jigs and was measured to ensure the holes and parts are square and aligned.  Dan has a 62 and it was down for extensive maintenance. I sent him a trailing arm, as they are the same from 62-64. (64 was redesigned, but it is an inferior part, so a 62-63 will fit as it has the same dimensions.)

He sent me the first set to try out and it was a success.

The parts are covered by his companies liability policy, so these are a legit aftermarket part.