When I pressed out the bushings there was a sleeve on the forward bushing. Drivers side only. O JY cars I have looked at there is no sleeve. In my Chiltons manual there is a sleeve on the picture just like what was on mine. What does this sleeve do? It's steel and goes over the bushing on the inside of the A-arm. I cannot see a good reason for it and I don't have one for the passenger side. Could be a spacer to prevent the UCA from fore/aft movement but I can't see how the UCA could move anyways.

Thanks

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Sweet Emotion

I think it is part of the bushing. Mine had that on both sides of the upper and lower control arms. There is a metal bushing that is inside the rubber, then the rubber, then a metal bushing over the rubber. Is that what you are seeing or did I misunderstand you? BTW I loved Tucson...did a consulting project there last year for about 6 months.

Mike

The UCA that I am tearing down right now has that sleeve. One bushing
has about a 3/8" sleeve and the other has a much wider one near 1"
or so. I thought they were there to give the bushing more surface to
ride on - so it would not work loose when it got jarred and twisted
by the front tire running through pot holes. The other function seems
to be a stop when installing the bushing.

One unintended side effect is that the sleeve rusted to the bushing
makes it almost impossible to get it apart again.
Even soaking in PBblaster for 3 days has not loosened the bushing
in that long sleeve.

I looked again at the UCA last night and I can't see any reason for the sleeve. If the front was jolted it would really do nothing to prevent movement of the bushing fore/aft. The sleeve would just move on the bushing as it's only pressed on. But the bushings internal metal sleeve is tight in the bracket and bolted in with the cam bolts. If there is no objection the sleeves aren't going in on this car. Maybe it was something to make it easier to install the bushing at the factory. Pretty wierd.

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Sweet Emotion

I think those sleeves are pressed on and are for keeping the bushing from pulling out of the UCA bore if the bore is worn. You might just cut the bushing and/or sleeve in half to get it out.

Lou

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Home of Slant6-powered fun machines since 1988

I called the dealer and they actually have a part number for it but it's been discontinued. The part number is 1857840.

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Sweet Emotion