Early Front Isolastics

I am replacing the internals on the front isolastics. I removed the front mounting assembly and started digging out the old bushes. My Clymer and Haynes manuals say the early (1968 and 1969) bushes have a metal jacket around the outside that is pressed into the assembly, making them hard to remove. No kidding. I had to cut the rubber out, and now I am trying to remove these sleeves without mangling the mounting assembly. Any advice on how to do this?

Can anyone confirm that the standard bushes will still fit after I dig these "shells" out of the assembly? I tried to compare the number for the 1968 and 1969 assembly with the 1971 assembly, and I think the part number is different. Which doesn't make me feel confident that the bushes are interchangeable.

Stephen Hill
1968 Fastback

i have mk3 vernier adjusters in both my 69 fastback and also the 70S that i am at present building, RGM supplied a set that fitted the front mount with no modifacation.

My 69 didn't have any sleeves in it. Just the bushings and spacers, but the smaller bushings were just loose in there. I got the new spacers with the circlips on them to hold them in place. Good luck with your sleeve.

Dave
69S

I have MKIII isolastics in my '68 Fastback, and they went in with no problems. Besides having to get get the old ones out that is.

Hey mattfizz,

Any secrets to getting the old metal sleeved buffers out?
I tried pounding them out but there is not enough lip to get a good impact surface.
I tried chiselling them, but it is damaging the outer tube.
I tried a dremel cut-off wheel, but it is hard to get all the way down, and I am concerned about slicing into the outer tube.
Tonight I will chuck the whole thing up in a four jaw and turn the sleeves down to a thin shell, which should pry out.

I can see why Norton went to unsleeved bushes. Too many death threats from manic mechanics.....

Stephen

Stephen,

I did mine 15+ years ago so my memory is a bit fuzzy, but I pounded them out, I believe I used a a punch with a small head, I do remember it was a very slow and tough process, very slow. I did my little by little over the course of a few weeks, working on it here and there, usually stopping when my hands hurt.

Slowly over several weeks! I need to be heading to Lumby in 3 weeks!

Stephen

Years ago we used a special chisel to remove stubs out of exhaust mufflers. The chisel was slightly boomerang shaped and the blade was about 3/4 inch deep and about 3/16 inch wide. The end of the blade had a concave shape and the idea was that the sharp outer edges could get behind the stub and when driven hard it would carve a 3/16 wide section out of the stub.
Regards, Dereck

Sleeve? Oh crap is that what that was? I replaced mine a couple of months ago and saw the bushes in there. On mine there was an interference fit bush at each end and a floating bush in the middle. I thought it was supposed to be like that? I fitted the new isolastics inside the sleeves.... Are these supposed to come out? Is the rear the same? I have a feeling it is..... Any opinions on if I should pull them and remove the sleeves? The new ISO assembles went into the sleeves without too much trouble. I made up a tapered sleeve to fit over the ISO mont that started the same size as the bush and feed it into the mount. Took a bite of pushing but went in ok. I am concerned now I have compressed the rubber too much.

Thinking to get the sleeve out, carefully grind a slot in it collaps the sleeve?

Sorry to hijack a bit here... But still?

D

5 year old thread. I doubt if you'll find bushes for the sleeved isos. I used 71 parts in my 69/70, replaced all the innards, but I didn't have the sleeves in mine anyhow. It's not a problem.