Anyone know what kind of grease this is and if there = is a way to force more of it in there?

I'm getting ready to install new ones this weekend, = and I sure would love to be able to put in some "extra" = lubricant...

Brent Christensen
'89 GL Syncro Westy
Santa Barbara, CA

-----Original Message-----
From: harald_nancy [mailto:harald_nancy@EARTHLINK= .NET]
Sent: Thursday, March 09, 2000 7:42 PM
To: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM
Subject: Re: upper control arm

Cross section of upper control arm bushing:
I was asking before if anyone ever cut one in half. = I guess not.
Took the right ctrl arm to the shop today and had 2 = new bushings
pressed in and spot welded. Cost me a hundred = bucks.
Took the old ones (2 yrs, 25,000 miles) home and = sliced one with
a hack saw in half.
It looks like this:
The inner shaft has about 1/8" thick rubber = bonded to it.
The outer housing has a nylon liner (about = 1/16").
The liner has grooves that fit into the outside = housing grooves,
so the liner itself does not turn.
The rubber on the inner shaft is NOT bonded to the = outside housing.
There is a thin layer of grease between the rubber = and the outside nylon
liner.
The inside shaft can rotate freely.
Bushing looks like it's in perfect shape.
But I'm pretty sure it was squeaking anyway.
At this point, I assume that one of them was = defective, perhaps not
enough rubber grease. And that's possibly why it was = squeaking.
Tomorrow I'll install the upper swing arm with the = new bushings.
I agree new springs might help, but I'm not ready = for that yet.
I also suspect the upper rubber spring seat. Anyone = try that?

The local vw mechanic was wrong when he told me the = rubber is
bonded to the inside and outside part of the = bushing.
I was suspicious, because it doesn't mention in the = Bentley
anywhere that the van has to rest on its wheels when = tightening
the upper ctrl arm nut.
Harald Rust
'90 westy