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.

[Wallington]

As posted on the other forum, had several more of these brand new bushes crumble without a second of use. Possibly same batch, possibly not. Made in China. Have sourced some different bushes to test. Come back in 5 years.

[FormTA]

I may just have to make my own out of delrin. This is a good post to keep around.

[Wallington]

One thing rarely mentioned or shown was that the original bush used a far larger bore and thinner wall. They basically just fliopped about. Not sure the purpose, unless the striker and latch didnt always align perfectly, but should. Quite different to the close fitting tailgate bush.

[TA301]

What does the bushing failure result in? The seat leaning in?

[Wallington]

One of the symptoms, leaning. Can also be twisting from bent or cracked frame. But without the bush it will have excess play, just enough, because striker and latch on opposite side contact at different times. An unused seat would possibly have metal on metal rattle while driving.
I've since cut down some trailer leaf spring bushes to suit. Very hard and slippery stuff to work with. Machined, not cast.

[TA301]

Is Dorman the only source for these bushings?

[roadking77]

Only ones I have seen are dorman, not saying they are the only source though. It looks like they could be 3d printed to exacting standards pretty easy.

[Wallington]

They are the common brand, Dorman/Help. They arent the exact size that GM used but seem almost a better snug fit.

[TA301]

Looks like the bushings are gone?

[Wallington]

The thick bushes are only on the inner side with cable. The latch is too small to fit over the striker with a bush on it.

While there's pics showing 'original' or very old thick and thin bushes used on these strikers, the documents only mention them installed on console side. The very thin bushes shown and probably still too thick for the latch to constantly slip over without damage. The latch was original plasti-rubber-dipped so when new was less likely to make a metal noise. Even now when I measure mine, there's slight wear, and it's only from the operation of the latch sliding over the striker to lock.

[TA301]

I see. Thanks.