Rear Upper Knuckle Bushing Replacement

[traingeek2000]

There are no service parts for the rear knuckle. GM service procedure is to swap out the entire knuckle assembly, which is NLA. I had some lateral slop in my rear knuckle bushing, so I began searching for a solution. Someone on Facebook suggested I try a bushing specified for a Jeep, which was a remarkably close match. I pressed it in to the knuckle without issue.

The bushing I used is MOOG K201552, cross-reference to MOPAR 5105272AA and others, used in Jeep Liberty.




The major dimensions of the Jeep bushing match the OE GM bushing exactly. The only difference of note is the lack of flange on the Jeep bushing, but the only appreciable difference that causes is more care is required when pressing in the bushing to not overdo it.




I used a tool rental ball joint press from my local Autozone to press in the new bushing. No issues.




I then sent the car sideways. Bushing is holding up fine.





The Jeep bushing isn't specified anywhere in the literature whether or not it's a spherical bushing or a conventional bushing, but some product images from Moog suggest that this is a spherical bushing.

[SS_Dave]

Awesome info!!!

[Joe.G]

I don't understand why the aftermarket hasn't jumped on making a replacement, this i going to be a sort after part I would think.

[CamaroCracka]

Thanks for posting this.

[JusticePete]

Originally Posted by traingeek2000

There are no service parts for the rear knuckle. GM service procedure is to swap out the entire knuckle assembly, which is NLA. I had some lateral slop in my rear knuckle bushing, so I began searching for a solution. Someone on Facebook suggested I try a bushing specified for a Jeep, which was a remarkably close match. I pressed it in to the knuckle without issue.

The bushing I used is MOOG K201552, cross-reference to MOPAR 5105272AA and others, used in Jeep Liberty.




The major dimensions of the Jeep bushing match the OE GM bushing exactly. The only difference of note is the lack of flange on the Jeep bushing, but the only appreciable difference that causes is more care is required when pressing in the bushing to not overdo it.




I used a tool rental ball joint press from my local Autozone to press in the new bushing. No issues.




I then sent the car sideways. Bushing is holding up fine.





The Jeep bushing isn't specified anywhere in the literature whether or not it's a spherical bushing or a conventional bushing, but some product images from Moog suggest that this is a spherical bushing.

If it articulates with your fingers it is a spherical. Does it?

[cdb95z28]

It looks like a spherical.

[DeCaff2007]

Originally Posted by traingeek2000

There are no service parts for the rear knuckle. GM service procedure is to swap out the entire knuckle assembly, which is NLA. I had some lateral slop in my rear knuckle bushing, so I began searching for a solution. Someone on Facebook suggested I try a bushing specified for a Jeep, which was a remarkably close match. I pressed it in to the knuckle without issue.

The bushing I used is MOOG K201552, cross-reference to MOPAR 5105272AA and others, used in Jeep Liberty.




The major dimensions of the Jeep bushing match the OE GM bushing exactly. The only difference of note is the lack of flange on the Jeep bushing, but the only appreciable difference that causes is more care is required when pressing in the bushing to not overdo it.




I used a tool rental ball joint press from my local Autozone to press in the new bushing. No issues.




I then sent the car sideways. Bushing is holding up fine.





The Jeep bushing isn't specified anywhere in the literature whether or not it's a spherical bushing or a conventional bushing, but some product images from Moog suggest that this is a spherical bushing.

WOW. I just ran into this EXACT issue today in my '10 2SS. I need this exact part, so, thank you for including part numbers.


A Jeep Liberty, eh? Many of those parts are discontinued, too.


But seriously, thanks for the info! I'm ordering 2 bushings right now.

[Mat28]

Originally Posted by DeCaff2007

WOW. I just ran into this EXACT issue today in my '10 2SS. I need this exact part, so, thank you for including part numbers.


A Jeep Liberty, eh? Many of those parts are discontinued, too.


But seriously, thanks for the info! I'm ordering 2 bushings right now.

Not sure these will work.

I called my local auto parts store that had them in stock, and the employee was pretty sure they weren't spherical, as she couldn't move them with her finger.

[cdb95z28]

Originally Posted by Mat28

Not sure these will work.

I called my local auto parts store that had them in stock, and the employee was pretty sure they weren't spherical, as she couldn't move them with her finger.

Originally Posted by CamaroCracka

They are not spherical. I just looked at one.

Fair enough, I have not laid hands on one to be 100% certain. But I find the presence of the wire retainer at the ends a relevant clue. If it was purely a traditional rubber in metal housing bonded bushing, there would be no need for a wire retainer. What is behind the rubber in that area? I still suspect a sealed spherical, very similar to the very same spherical that is found on the Gen5 FE5, FE6 and FEA rear toe rod (#22845487) and many joints on the Gen6 Camaros.



The store employee couldn't move it because it could be very tight when brand new. I have attemped to move new sphericals by grabbing them and I would usually have more success when I would put a long bolt within the inner hole and use the leverage of the bolt length to move the spherical.

The photo of the bushing is also odd in the sense that the inner cylinder of the bushing is at an angle compared to the outer body.

[CamaroCracka]

Originally Posted by cdb95z28

Fair enough, I have not laid hands on one to be 100% certain. But I find the presence of the wire retainer at the ends a relevant clue. If it was purely a traditional rubber in metal housing bonded bushing, there would be no need for a wire retainer. What is behind the rubber in that area? I still suspect a sealed spherical, very similar to the very same spherical that is found on the Gen5 FE5, FE6 and FEA rear toe rod (#22845487) and many joints on the Gen6 Camaros.
.

You're right, it's spherical. It's just very stiff. I had to hold it in a vice and use a heal toe bar to move it.

[cdb95z28]

Originally Posted by CamaroCracka

You're right, it's spherical. It's just very stiff. I had to hold it in a vice and use a heal toe bar to move it.

Great thread fellas.