I want to replace the cushions on the trailing arms on my 69. As you can see in the photo that the (rubber) cushion on the left has split. Installed new only a couple of years ago with almost no miles. Other than being a defective cushion, why might have caused it to split? I took care not to over tighten the castle nut. Didn't split immediately.

I decided to replace all four cushions at both TAs, again using rubber cushions. I can't make enough space between the spring bolt head and TA "channel" to allow the sway bar link nut plate to fit. Can't see it in the photo on the right, but there's not enough space to force the nut plate to squeeze in. The nut plate is about 0.237" thick, but I can achieve only about 0.17". I don't remember having this issue when I installed the previous cushions. They were also rubber just like the new ones, but different vendor. I tried heating the cushions hoping I could compress them a bit - didn't help. Photos I've seen of cushions on other cars show those cushions much "flatter" than mine.

I'm waiting to get the differential from the repair shop, so I won't be reinstalling the leaf spring for a while. Just hoping to get the sway bar reconnected to get one task off the list.

Any tips?
Mike

 

You can put a steel tube over the long bolt with washers on it and tighten it down just enough to get the plate in

 

That thought entered my mind, but couldn't quickly find a proper sized tube. I'll look more closely tomorrow.
Thanks.

 

About a dozen or so years ago. I purchased from a reputable Corvette vendor and installed new rubber cushions.
in about 5 years they looked worse than the ones they replaced. New rubber parts just are not what they once were.
I then went with prothane bushings from Summit. The prothane doesn't compress like rubber so the rear of my car sat really high. Took them back out and spun them on the lathe and took about 5/16ths off the top of all 4 of them. Car sits fine.
been 7 or 8 years now. They are fine.

 

Following the tip by foman I cut a piece of 1/2” emt conduit and it slipped nicely over the bolt. Using a washer at each end the castle nut tightened the tube and compressed the cushion just fine. The nut bar slipped into place. One minor task off the list on my way to reinstall the diff when it’s done.