Metal sleeves in place of rubber bushings on under side of body mounts?

DaveC

DaveC

TJ Addict
Supporting Member
Joined
Jan 3, 2019
Messages
1,775
Location
Gilbert, Arizona
I installed these step/rails when I first got my TJ. When I did I reinstalled the rubber bushings on the underside of the body mounts per instructions from the manufacturer (blue arrow). They're mounted to the body mount channels.
20220710_172152.jpg

I'm replacing with tub mounted sliders, and after removing, I see the rubber mounts are gone and have been replaced with the metal sleeves shown here.
20220712_213207.jpg

I had a body lift and tummy tuck done by a local shop last year and they must have replaced the rubber bushings underneath with the metal sleeves.

My question is, is it acceptable to leave these sleeves in place in absence of the rubber bushings?

Haven't found any pics or videos online showing anything other than the rubber bushings, so any help/ advice would be greatly appreciated. 🙂
 
Last edited:
  • Wow
  • Haha
Reactions: Irun, rasband, jjvw and 1 other person
DaveC said:
I installed these step/rails when I first got my TJ. When I did I reinstalled the rubber bushings on the underside of the body mounts per instructions from the manufacturer (blue arrow). They're mounted to the body mount channels.
View attachment 342645
I'm replacing with tub mounted sliders, and after removing, I see the rubber mounts are gone and have been replaced with the metal sleeves shown here.
View attachment 342646
I had a body lift and tummy tuck done by a local shop last year and they must have replaced the rubber bushings underneath with the metal sleeves.

My question is, is it acceptable to leave these sleeves in place in absence of the rubber bushings?

Haven't found any pics or videos online showing anything other than the rubber bushings, so any help/ advice would be greatly appreciated. 🙂
Click to expand...

The purpose of the rubber bushings on both sides of the frame body mounts is to isolate driveline and frame vibrations from the body. Your setup transmits those vibrations directly to the body.

No, that’s a bad setup and does need rubber bushings on both sides of the mounts to work correctly. The shop that did that had no idea what they were doing.
 
  • Like
Reactions: starkey480, Irun, Vtx531 and 2 others
GPK03X said:
Are all the mounts like that or just the ones on the sliders?
Click to expand...

The sliders/rails I'm removing mount to the 3 body mount channels between the fender flares (behind the front flare, under the door and in front of the rear flare - I believe these are technically positions 3, 4 and 5). The rest of the body mounts all have the rubber lower bushing.
 
NashvilleTJ said:
The purpose of the rubber bushings on both sides of the frame body mounts is to isolate driveline and frame vibrations from the body. Your setup transmits those vibrations directly to the body.

No, that’s a bad setup and does need rubber bushings on both sides of the mounts to work correctly. The shop that did that had no idea what they were doing.
Click to expand...

While I'm a super novice mechanically and still learning on all this stuff, that was my thought as well.
 
  • Like
Reactions: starkey480, TRE3TOP and jjvw
DaveC said:
The sliders/rails I'm removing mount to the 3 body mount channels between the fender flares (behind the front flare, under the door and in front of the rear flare - I believe these are technically positions 3, 4 and 5). The rest of the body mounts all have the rubber lower bushing.
Click to expand...

I really just asked so your thread would get bumped up to the top so someone that knew better than me would respond. It worked!
 
  • Like
Reactions: DaveC
clean off the upper piece and take a good pic or get a pic of a better example. i think those might be Daystar body lift parts and those do have a bushing/sleeve that goes in them. take a pic of a whole 1 in another location i wanna see the bottom rubber.

if they are i may have some pieces layin around.
 
someguysjeep said:
clean off the upper piece and take a good pic or get a pic of a better example. i think those might be Daystar body lift parts and those do have a bushing/sleeve that goes in them. take a pic of a whole 1 in another location i wanna see the bottom rubber.

if they are i may have some pieces layin around.
Click to expand...

That'd be awesome; truly appreciated! They are, in fact, Daystar, as it's a Daystar 1" body lift kit. I'll try to grab some pics tonight, worst case tomorrow and post. (y)
 
  • Like
Reactions: someguysjeep
The stock bushings make it so the body is only connected to the frame through rubber. Not only rubber on top, rubber on bottom but also rubber around the metal sleeve in the hole. That setup they did is completely moronic and they have no idea what they are doing x2.
 
I would assume they 'messed' up the body mounts to accommadate the sliders.
No harm, no foul; if you can get the replacement parts.
Call Daystar.
 
Pics of the rear corners, done properly with lower bushings.
20220713_185146.jpg


20220713_185130.jpg


And pics peeking into the mounting channels on the passenger side confirm they took the same FUBAR approach on both sides.
20220713_185235.jpg

Called Dorman directly and while they initially said they only sell as an entire kit, after explaining how we got here, they said to email with pics and that they may be able to send out the 6 lower bushings under warranty. Fingers crossed! 🤞
 
DaveC said:
Pics of the rear corners, done properly with lower bushings.
View attachment 342852

View attachment 342853

And pics peeking into the mounting channels on the passenger side confirm they took the same FUBAR approach on both sides.
View attachment 342854
Called Dorman directly and while they initially said they only sell as an entire kit, after explaining how we got here, they said to email with pics and that they may be able to send out the 6 lower bushings under warranty. Fingers crossed! 🤞
Click to expand...

You may want to consider going back to OEM with a rigid body lift puck eventually. I only say that because you can see where those are starting to mushroom a little. FWIW the passenger top bolt in your bumper is a little loose.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Farmergreg
rasband said:
You may want to consider going back to OEM with a rigid body lift puck eventually. I only say that because you can see where those are starting to mushroom a little. FWIW the passenger top bolt in your bumper is a little loose.
Click to expand...

Learning all the time; thanks! And great eye on the bolt🔎
 
  • Like
Reactions: rasband
rasband said:
You may want to consider going back to OEM with a rigid body lift puck eventually. I only say that because you can see where those are starting to mushroom a little. FWIW the passenger top bolt in your bumper is a little loose.
Click to expand...

It always amazes me how some of you can pick out the details in these pictures. 👍🏻
 
  • Like
Reactions: starkey480 and rasband
rasband said:
starting to mushroom a little.
Click to expand...

IDK, those things are rigid.
rasband said:
passenger top bolt in your bumper is a little loose.
Click to expand...

almost looks like both sides, the top bolts need a few turns.
DaveC said:
they may be able to send out the 6 lower bushings under warranty.
Click to expand...

take the new parts if they'll give them, if not i think i have some of those pieces, let me know if they decide not to help and i'll dig um out.
 
Last edited:
  • Like
Reactions: MichaelGH
someguysjeep said:
IDK, those things are rigid.


almost looks like both sides, the top bolts need a few turns.


take the new parts if they'll give them, if not i think i have some of those pieces, let me know if they decide not to help and i'll dig um out.
Click to expand...

Awesome, and thank you! Will let you know once I hear back. 👍
 
  • Like
Reactions: someguysjeep
NashvilleTJ said:
The purpose of the rubber bushings on both sides of the frame body mounts is to isolate driveline and frame vibrations from the body. Your setup transmits those vibrations directly to the body.

No, that’s a bad setup and does need rubber bushings on both sides of the mounts to work correctly. The shop that did that had no idea what they were doing.
Click to expand...

You may want to look a tad bit closer. He actually has more isolation because the body is just sitting on the frame mount with no retention so at least half of the vibes from the original rubber mounts capturing the frame mount top and bottom are not able to be transmitted. ;)
 
  • Wow
Reactions: Apparition
mrblaine said:
You may want to look a tad bit closer. He actually has more isolation because the body is just sitting on the frame mount with no retention so at least half of the vibes from the original rubber mounts capturing the frame mount top and bottom are not able to be transmitted. ;)
Click to expand...

My assumption was that in his second picture that strange looking piece of metal being used as a spacer under the mount was solid. Since the bolt head was set directly against that, well whatever it is, vibration would be transmitted to the bolt, and then into the body where the bolt joins the retained nut.

Is that thing really a bushing of some sort? Someguy said he recognized it, but to me it looked like a couple of solid pieces of aluminum they used because the bolt was too long…

But, I’ve been wrong before…
 
Top Bottom
Back