OD Center Diff crossmember bushing question

[Deleted member 7876]

Hey everyone. So I'm installing the OD bushings for the diff and while doing the center diff bushing I noticed a space between the top of the bushing and the inner metal sleeve. I ground down the welds so it sits flush but am wondering if I'm missing something else?

 

[Gpcalero]

Hey everyone. So I'm installing the OD bushings for the diff and while doing the center diff bushing I noticed a space between the top of the bushing and the inner metal sleeve. I ground down the welds so it sits flush but am wondering if I'm missing something else?
View attachment 27192View attachment 27193

Hmmm... I'm thinking that the bushing might compress and fill the gap once tightened but I'm not very sure. The durometer on those bushings are for sure more stiff than OEM. Would be a good question for @atvspeed4 if he is able to chime in on this.

 

[Deleted member 7876]

Yea, I figured it wouldn't really compress, at least enough to fill the gap. I emailed the company yesterday along with this post here. I haven't received a response from the company yet. Unfortunately I had to put it on last night, I was out of time. It definitely is a major improvement over my blown cross member bushing but I'm curious long term if it'll cause a problem.

 

[scoreh3]

I forget what mine looked like , but they are really nice.

 

[JPaul]

The Outfitter Design bushings are Delrin which is a pretty solid plastic. If you're managing to compress them you're doing something really, really, really wrong and using either a massive impact wrench or a reeeeally long pipe on a breaker bar. I wouldn't worry too much about the spacer too much with these bushings. Like you mentioned, sometimes you have to grind the welds that are standing proud down to get the bushing to seat fully. Once you do that much if there still happens to be a gap just leave it and check the torque every now any then, but I doubt it will move much.

 

[atvspeed4]

The Outfitter Design bushings are Delrin which is a pretty solid plastic. If you're managing to compress them you're doing something really, really, really wrong and using either a massive impact wrench or a reeeeally long pipe on a breaker bar. I wouldn't worry too much about the spacer too much with these bushings. Like you mentioned, sometimes you have to grind the welds that are standing proud down to get the bushing to seat fully. Once you do that much if there still happens to be a gap just leave it and check the torque every now any then, but I doubt it will move much.

The bushings are NOT delrin. Years ago when we prototyped the first kit we tried delrin and it was too hard. Delrin would not compress to contour with imperfections on the crossmember. Our bushings are a special ordered UHMW that has a few additives that makes it better for our application and is UV stabilized. UHMW is very forgiving and does not crack like delrin. That bushing assembly above will compress when assembled and torqued. You should be all set.

 

[Deleted member 7876]

That bushing assembly above will compress when assembled and torqued. You should be all set.

Thanks atvspeed4, that's all the confirmation I need to sleep better at night!
I appreciate it everyone!

 

[JPaul]

Ah well, I stand corrected. Still a heck of a lot harder than the soft rubber OEM used.

 

[jakesz28]

I should have ordered these. I bought the poly dif bushing off of ebay. It was 5/8" longer than the crossmember. I had to cut it down and shorten the sleeve too.