Just swapped to urethane body mounts. Very impressed

[INSIDIOUS '86]

I just put in some new urethane body mounts on my swb fleetside. I have to say I was apprehensive about whether or not they would make my already stiff shopping cart truck worse. Glad to find they may have helped that a little actually. The install was fairly easy. With no problems you should be able to get them done in an hour and a half. I had problems with my rear passenger body mount spinning the retaining nut so I fixed that real quick by cutting a whole in the rear of the cab behind the seat. A few quick welds and it came off like butter. My truck is an 86 and the original bushings are in great shape. I took one side loose and jacked up the cab and slid them out and lowered the cab again with the bolts on but a lil loose for some wiggle for jacking up the other side. Once all four was in I tightened them all down. Core support was the same way.

As for my truck. I have a huge 1-1/4 one ton sway bar up front itch urethane middle and rubber outer bushings and an after market 1-1/8ths sway bar in back that's urethane mounted as well. Front has a performance alignment with 7.5* castor and -1* camber and 1/16th per side toe out with bilsteins in all four corners assisting in getting the 6-8 drop to handle like a small car. My setup definitely will find any improvement or not with changes in susp.

My initial drive I found the steering more responsive to input and cornering was real flat. Reaaaalllly flat haha. The sway bar can do it's job more effectively without the frame flexing like laffy taffy. I went down a bumpy horribly paved road and a extensively cracked and tar repaired road expecting the change in my glove box to come shooting out...it didn't. A little rattle and you can feel the bumps still but they were more controlled and feedback through the steering was much improved. My guess is without the frame flexing the rubber body bushings acting like a beer belly getting slapped with shock waves going back and forth back and forth like an aftershock that the urethane ones get rid of that effect and allows the suspension to do it's job properly.

On the highway here we have huge ruts in the center lanes from retarded big rig drivers. My steering box is loose as a plastic bag in the wind at center. Usually these ruts make my truck dart around. Well not as much anymore. Once again I suspect the lack if frame flex is keeping the alignment closer to spec.

All in all I never expected the bushings to effect the handling feel and behavior of the truck so much. I drive my truck pretty damn hard and have all the supporting modifications so others may not have quite the same effect on your truck. But for less than $100 it was a great investment in my eyes.

[KQQL IT]

Really?

On the highway here we have huge ruts in the center lanes from retarded big rig drivers.

May want to rethink that. Some retarded big rig driver delivered your parts...

[lha1992]

I gotta say we do have those ruts on I5 in the far right lanes going north or south between south Everett an lynnwood an can get pretty hairy in an old truck.

But back to the bushings...I've always heard urethane body bushings make the truck quite stiff an rough while driving? Where did you buy yours?

[INSIDIOUS '86]

Originally Posted by KQQL IT

Really?

On the highway here we have huge ruts in the center lanes from retarded big rig drivers.

May want to rethink that. Some retarded big rig driver delivered your parts...

It's where the ruts are. The middle and left lane from truckers improperly driving between the cities. They have been cracking down on it a lot lately. Nobody in the left lane and an extra fine for big rigs speeding and using the left lane.

[INSIDIOUS '86]

Originally Posted by lha1992

I gotta say we do have those ruts on I5 in the far right lanes going north or south between south Everett an lynnwood an can get pretty hairy in an old truck.

But back to the bushings...I've always heard urethane body bushings make the truck quite stiff an rough while driving? Where did you buy yours?

It's not any rougher than it was and if anything that rebounding shock you get when going over a bump is gone. I think the shocks are reacting better since they are controlling more of the suspension and not so much the truck and suspension together. Mine are energy suspension from summit.

I also replaced my core support with stainless bolts. All the others were like new except the core support which is typical I'm sure.
My Freind has a long bed that's closer to stock with only 2" drop springs but it will be a while before that's back on the road.