I am considering replacing the body mounts or bushings (ANR1504) on a Discovery 1. I am hoping to reduce some minor rattles and noise, and thinking the original bushings must be rock hard. But I'm wondering if it is worth the trouble or if I'll notice any difference. I see AB has them for $1.95 and if I recall correctly, there's 10 of them. Are they all the same part?

I figure the main reason people would mess with them is for a body lift. I'm not lifting as I'm already pretty high. Most of the body lift spacers I've seen are solid. Do they stack on the bushings or replace them?

I'm trying to kill NVH. I"ve already applied some CLD, and done a lot of work in the dash to secure items inside (like all the relays) from rattling. I want to lay some MLV under the carpet but that whole project is a bit costly in time and materials and while it may cut some of the gear noise coming into the cabin, it won't stop the rattles.

Anyway, I was wondering if anyone has replaced the body bushings as a wear item. I know for example the last time Ford or GM introduced pickups, they were bragging about new or retuned hydraulic body mounts that last longer, which suggests to me that they wear out and that it contributes to the rattles that are pretty common on 10 or 15 year old trucks.

 

I did it. I replaced the twenty ANR1504 bushings. The job wasn't especially difficult, but it does take patience to make sure the lip of each bushing is concentric in the hole. Another tip is to remove the nuts from all the bushings before trying to lift the body enough to get the spacer washers out. Overall, I suppose the job is pretty similar to doing a body lift.

Unfortunately for my effort's sake, the 19 year old rubber bushings all seemed to be in reasonably good condition. I can't say that I regret having replaced them all, but I have some doubts it was worth the trouble.

A few of the spacer washers, mostly the ones mid-body, were substantially corroded. My Disco has spent its whole life in the west, and it's nearly rust-free. There might be a little rust in the bottom of the battery tray and some surface rust where the paint on the undercarriage is scratched. But the body mount spacers had some erosion going on. I just wired them off, sprayed a little primer, and enamel and put them back into service. Someone with a rusty truck might plan on replacing the worst of them. I replaced the nyloc nuts with new ones. I kept the original Grade 5, 3/8" fine-thread bolts. There's a reason they're fine threaded and have tapered points. Some of them you have to drive into the bushing stack at a bit of an angle when inserting them.

I've only driven it a few miles since I finished the job. There isn't an apparent difference. Based on the condition of the bushes I removed, I am not expecting one. I would advise to skip this project unless it's obvious the bushings need to be replaced.

 

I can hardly imagine.........a body lift in these things......my headlights probably wouldn't work once installed.....most of us have rust issues with what called "mounts"......never mind the 'rubba'.....


But hell', glad you documented the experience!!!