Shackle bushing size

[Flintlock]

Ok, got my new leaf springs on my 65 hardtop and go to install the new stock rear shackles I ordered. The new upper rubber bushings that attach to the car are too big for mine - about 1-3/8" outside diameter). My existing shackles had smaller bushings just a hair under an inch in diameter but everywhere I check says these bigger ones are the correct size. Anybody ever ran into this problem before? Maybe somebody has sleeved out my holes to change the smaller bushing size? What is the part number on these smaller 1" diameter bushings? I can't find them anywhere. It's always something...

[Comechero65]

When I did my 65 ranchero i just ordered shackles for a 65 mustang. Perfect fit.
Ron

[poboyjo65]

You probably got the ones for a falcon or stang. they are comet specific & probably only a couple of years had them. I ran into this ,kind of. the leafs that were on my car had the big holes but the frame hole had the smaller 1'' bushings. I ordered a new shackle kit for a comet & it came with the right bushings, but didnt fit my leafs. I had a parts car & eventually used the leafs from it & they were the right ones, the smaller ones.

You may have to get new shackle kits to get the right ones, or at least inquire about the sizes before ordering.

[Flintlock]

Well, That the same situation I am in - Small bushings on top and large bushings on the leaf springs. I did order these shackles as specific to a 1965 Comet and when I emailed the company back about it they asked me if my car was a Comet or a Caliente...lol. They then changed their website to read "Station Wagon only" on this part and then stopped responding to my emails. I then went and ordered another set of bushings that according to one website was suppose to be 1 inch diameter. That site didn't have them in stock so I ordered this same part number from Dennis Carpenter (who didn't list the diameter size) and I'll be dang if they aren't the same big ones again. I swear I am about ready to roll this car over a cliff. Every part I order ends up not fitting for one reason or another. It has been modified so many times over the years nothing is stock anymore - well except for these shackle holes. I'm pretty sure nobody has changed those out. Will it do any harm to have large bushings in the springs and small ones on the car? Anybody have the actual part number for 1" outside diameter bushings? I got over $100 in shackles and bushings so far and still nothing that will work.

[Flintlock]

Here is the exact bushings I ordered. and yes they will fit the leaf spring but not the car!

http://www.macsautoparts.com/ford_falco ... comet.html

[poboyjo65]

My car had been wrecked so I thought maybe someone had put on falcon leafs or something, but mine was like yours, big leaf bushing, about 1 3/8 as you mentioned & small frame bushing about an inch in diameter. maybe we have a couple of those cases where they ran out of certain parts at the factory & used what was readily available ,,like falcon leafs. but comet frames get the smaller bushing. I think I found a set of the smaller bushings;
http://www.fme-cat.com/overlays/part-de ... Suspension
specs look right.

[comethead]

Hey Ron in this case ordering Mustang parts won't work- ask me how I know
I ordered the poly HD 65 Mustang kit from NPD and same deal- too big for Comet.

Flintlock sounds like you got the wrong springs too. When I ordered my rear leafs I got the small OD bushing holes to match the small frame holes. The larger ones are Mustang Falcon Ranchero and station wagon I believe.

Looks like Rock Auto has the right OD shackle kits- https://www.rockauto.com/en/catalog/mer ... ackle,7484
Kinda weird they're AC delco

But getting those would leave you with the same dilemma but on the spring side. Maybe keep the springs, measure the holes and have a steel bushing machined to use the smaller rubber bushings?

Joe

[comethead]

Just a comparison here- this is for "65 Cyclone" in Rock Auto. Shows the larger bushings for station wagon and smaller for the hardtops and convertibles.
https://www.rockauto.com/en/catalog/mer ... ackle,7484

[Flintlock]

Poboy, Yes those are the ones I need - Thanks for finding those! Glad to see someone actually posting the dimensions of what they are selling.
So will it cause any issues to use the smaller bushings on the top and the larger ones in the springs if everything still fits tight?

Thanks everybody for your help!
Flintlock

[poboyjo65]

I could never find a price on that link. If you can't get them there the first link comethead put up has specs too & is only 16 bucks, would have enough bushings to do both leafs, with a spare shackle. but moog sounds better than ac delco!

[Comechero65]

Hey Ron in this case ordering Mustang parts won't work- ask me how I know
I ordered the poly HD 65 Mustang kit from NPD and same deal- too big for Comet.
Flintlock sounds like you got the wrong springs too. When I ordered my rear leafs I got the small OD bushing holes to match the small frame holes. The larger ones are Mustang Falcon Ranchero and station wagon I believe.
Looks like Rock Auto has the right OD shackle kits- https://www.rockauto.com/en/catalog/mer ... ackle,7484
Kinda weird they're AC delco
But getting those would leave you with the same dilemma but on the spring side. Maybe keep the springs, measure the holes and have a steel bushing machined to use the smaller rubber bushings?
Joe

Never knew or would have thought they would use different size bushings on each shackle on the comet but sounds like the venders don't know any more than i do. Wait a minute I think I'm reading this wrong. I thought the issue was two different size bushings on each shackle but now that I reread this I think they are the same size just smaller. Is the comet like that on all models or just some.
I would have thought they were the same as on the falcon which is also the same as for the early mustang. But on the other hand mercury tends to do things their own way for their own reasons. I do notice the ones for the comet are listed the same for the 66 and up for the falcon. And i know the 66 was the changeover year for the falcon to the fairlane so maybe mercury was jumping the gun by switching over first. Maybe they knew what was coming. Or was comet leading the way and fairlane and the later fords just followed suit?
I guess I was lucky in that i just had to order the shackles for the mustang and they were a perferct fit on mine.
In looking at their listing the 65 ranchero used a shackle ACDELCO 45G13016 which has the 1.34" bushing similar to the one listed for the comet wagon. Had the part number but can't find it now.
Ron

[Flintlock]

I found the Moog ones on Amazon Prime for $9.97 (set of four with free two day shipping). Interestingly enough they say these will not fit a 1965 Comet when you punch in that vehicle. There seems to be a ton of confusion out there as to what these 65 Comets actually use!

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000C ... UTF8&psc=1

They should be here tomorrow so hopefully all will be resolved this weekend!

Thanks everybody for the assistance!
Flintlock