Bucket seat bush failure

[Wallington]

This is the common tailgate bush set often used as the bushes on the bucket seats. Help/Dorman 38424.

38424 Dorman Help bushing bucket seat fix Ford Tailgate pack 2 by Ben, on Flickr

I installed mine around 8-10 years ago. Seats have then been stored, in temperature controlled spare bedroom...never installed or sat on, just covered up in blankets.

Bucket seat striker bush cable 1 by Ben, on Flickr

I had to dig out another part today that was stored near them, found this under the side. Cracked and fallen off. Has anyone had a similar failure? Disappointing is an understatement, I'd have been disappointed if they lasted that long and the seats were in use!

Firebird cracked seat bush by Ben, on Flickr

And more importantly, has anyone used an alternative? I found them handy in that one size suits the seat striker, the leftovers cut in half match the nylon bushes used to locate seatbelt stalks in their fixed position. I bought spares, think I sold them locally at a fraction of the cost, naturally. If I still had them they are likely now cracked or split in their packet!

[silver78]

I'm looking to correct my driver side seat bushing.  Might try finding a copper or aluminum pipe with the same wall thickness as the plastic bushing and just slice a piece off the end instead of using the plastic/nylon piece.
That is messed up your bushing cracked with age and zero use.

[roadking77]

Pretty sure those are the same I used on my car. Has been on the road for 5 years now. I have not noticed any pieces laying on the floor, but the next time im in the garage I will take a gander to see what their status is.

[Wallington]

I figured they were a common enough modification from every forum that someone would notice if they cracked or failed. I haven't seen the other seat, all packed up and covered. Have ordered some more, but still looking at alternatives if needed.

[FormTA]

Too bad you're over the pond or I make some aluminum or stainless ones on my lathe for ya. Do you know anyone who works at a machine shop that could turn one up?

[70_71_78]

I don't think I would be leaning to metal construction for these. It would likely cause more rattles/noise of some sort. Some sort of dense rubber might be better.

[Wallington]

I used thick fuel hose for the job until the bushes arrived from overseas many years ago. There once was a time when ordering online wasn't so easy, or couldn't find the exact part or the seller wouldn't ship overseas or wanted payment by cash or money order only, I had to do that many times. Post payment papers in the mail, wait months, see if they ever received it or sent anything back. If they never replied, that's that. Fork out my money to send to somewhere else and see if it returns anything.

Anyway, I found the left over bush that I was going to cut for the seatbelt anchors one day.  It looked ok, squeezed it....this resulted.

Help Dorman 38424 seat bush failure by Ben, on Flickr

I'm fairly convinced of the quality. Surprised that this isn't a common complaint of every 'leaning seat fix' participant. Can only imagine how they'd have lasted out in the weather in use on a tailgate.

[Wallington]

This guy might also have the seat bush failure issue...

20221119_203320 by Ben, on Flickr

[roadking77]

Def something going on with that one.
My son took my car out yesterday for a short spin, seat bushings still look fine after a few years of use.

[FormTA]

Delrin would probably be the best.

[Wallington]

Same pack, bushes stored in separate locations and never used so hopefully just a bad batch.

[roadking77]

The pack you bought may have hung on a display rack located near a window in the sun?

[Wallington]

Christmas day was a complete flop so I dragged the seats out of storage to fix the bushes. Interestingly (not terribly, though) is that the existing bush from same pack 10 years ago is perfect. It has a few indentations from use which are expected but I tried to crush it and it didn't, whereas the other bush was cracking and crumbling looking at it. No discolouration either, although been stored in dark all that time. Just put it down to one being a dud.

All fixed, swapped both anyway. And a good excuse to give them a wipe over with protectant too. I've said it before but the existing longer bush spares cut in half make a great crush tube for front seatbelt stalks just as GM did. They simply called it a spacer, no part number or size. The diagrams also don't show the carpet protecting disc washers used. easy to make if you don't have originals. But getting off track now.

New bucket seat bushes new and used crumbled 12-22 by Ben, on Flickr
Firebird bucket seats new tilt bushes 12-22 (1) by Ben, on Flickr

[scarebird]

Some of Dorman plastic stuff is utter rubbish. 

[Wallington]

That's why I asked what alternatives guys had used, seems that this issue isn't very common. There's a lot using them and using them all the time, and I've never seen mention of them failing, or bothering to post it perhaps. Anyway, all just conversation.