John Elle’s AMC front spring perch bushing fix

Written by Tom Jennings and John Elle, mid 2004, edited by Frank Swygert 07-17-2026

One of the things that’s unobtainable for AMC cars (small chassis, 69 up) is the rubber-bushed spring perch, and they all go bad. Luckily, John Elle worked out a replacement using urethane bushings. It assumes the metal parts are OK, but they usually are. This fix seems to be well accepted.

I did this fix on my 1970 Hornet project car. It had 40,000 miles on it when I sold the car, with no problems to that time.

What follows is an emailed description of the fix from John Elle. Frank has edited it slightly, mainly breaking up into paragraphs to make it easier to read, and has added a couple comments.

If you look at the lower spring mount it mounts on the upper control arm by two bolts. 
The spindle is what is bolted to the upper control arm and it goes through the lower 
spring mount encased in rubber. If it is bad you will have to replace or repair it. 
It is made of unobtainium. I have seen them metal to metal as the rubber has died.
(Frank: You CAN find them, but they are expensive! AMC Acres has them for $165 as of 
July 2026, part #1170-16, Lower Seat Bushing. This may be an NOS part...)

If  you call up Performance Suspension Components (3001 N. 35th Ave, Phoenix AZ 85017;
Info 602-272-4085 or Order: 1-800-572-3768) and ask for Spring bushing #ENE2048G you can 
get a Polyurethane bushing that will work. 
Order 2 per side for a total of 4 to be used on the front end of the car. They will cost 
about $1.75 per/bushing for a total of $6.80 per/front end plus tax (if applicable) and 
shipping. (Frank: that was in 2004 - as of July 2026 they are $8.50 each from Energy
Suspension Parts, an on-line retailer of Energy Suspension products)

To install them you must remove the spindle assembly by pressing out the to mounting
bolts and then press the spindle through the existing rubber bushing and clean out all 
of the old dead rubber and install the replacement bushings on each side and press the 
spindle back in and install the mounting bolts. It will go together easier than it comes 
apart. It will drop into the upper arm and the shoulder of the new bushings will fit
down inside the cavity of the control arm to insure that these parts will not walk out 
of place. 

This works out real well for me and I think that it will for anyone else.  Make sure that 
you used the lubricant that comes with these things as it is really slippery and icky
as hell but it does help prevent squeaks.  

While you have them on the line also ask for the generic polyurethane ball joint dust shields 
and the dust shields to use on the tie rod ends etc. They will last forever if you use 
them instead of the dust shields that come with your rebuild pieces. I have had all of the 
ball joint dust shield fail inside of a year. I never had that happen with OEM pieces but sure
as toot'in, I am not going to have it happen again. I just found out about these pieces 
about a year ago.  

Good luck 

John T Elle