Rubber engine mount cushions for Cont. A-65 on a 1946 7AC

[Visitor]

Can you please give me some sources and prices for the rubber engine mount bushings used on 1946 7AC with Cont. A-65. Mine presently has the Piper/Cessna bushings and they are definitely not the correct ones.

Thanks, Bob

[Ron Babos]

Hi: I just purchased some rubbers from Superior Air Parts. The same people that made the Milleniums. These are the best rubber compounds that I've seen to date. Most of the others are crap. Too hard or they crack . For what it's worth , all of the products have been better in quality than any OEM that I have used. If you have 7/16 engine mount bolts some silicone dielectric grease in the bores and on the bolts will make life a lot better when you install them. Any GM dealership will have this. Silicone spray will also work. Do not use regular grease, as it will soften or distroy the rubber. Ron

[Roger Anderson]

Bob,

Aircraft Spruce has them. The good news, they are fairly cheap, only about $1.75 each. The bad news, as Ron said, they don't seem to last very well. I put some new ones on about 2 years ago, they're cracking already, and just got another set from AS to install this week. They advertise some non FAA/PMA approved ones that should be better quality for about twice the price. I think I'll be using them next time. Roger

[MikeB]

Bob,
I've used two sets so far from Wag Aero. They also cracked in less than a year....even when torqued properly. Not a lot of fun to change either in the cold weather (makes the rubber even stiffer to say nothing of my fingers). I think someone said they ordered a set from SAFE AIR and they were of better quality. I'd be interested in seeing how the ones from Superior work out as I'll have to change mine before the next annual in May. Anyway, I wouldn't recommend the Wag Aero sets unless they've changed things in the last couple of year.

[Frank Castronovo]

I second the opinion expressed about WagAero cushions. I also had to install two sets in less than a two year period, due to premature cracking. I've had cushions from Safe Air on the plane for the past three years, and they seem to be doing fine.

Frank

[Ron Babos]

It's too bad that some of these Pma ers won't clue into the fact that uerathane is the only real solution for these bushings. If they were uerathane , they would last a lifetime, but I guess sales would drop. Cracking in a year you say? I've seen them crack in a week, and even on the first torquing. Now that's quality!!! Ron

[MikeB]

For those of you who may not know, the correct torque for the engine mount (cushion) bolts is 60-80 inch pounds. Also, they should be torqued evenly, a little at a time, as it's possible to throw the "thrust line" off a few degrees by over tightening one side or the other and it's probably best to have the engine "hung" loosely from a hoist while torquing to help keep things even.

Ron, let me know how the Superior cushions work out.

Thanks,
Mike

[Ron Babos]

Mike: I also use the hoist method. It's the best method to get the compression of the bushings even. Do not touch the nuts after taking the weight off the hoist as they will be too tight if you retorque at this point, especially the bottom bushings. Not sure if the top bushings really do that much as the tubes probably flex more than anything else. So, give them a break and do not overtighten the rubbers. I will post my findings on the Superior bushings, good or bad. There is so much crap out there that we should have a thread on product quality. If you don't bitch, nothing changes, correct? Ron

[visitor]

From some of the replies and the prices quoted, it sounds like not everyone is using the correct rubber cushions. The normal Continental rubber mount is designed for 3/8" bolt where the Champ uses a 7/16" bolt. The Continental rubber is funnel shaped and about 1-1/4" at the large end where the correct Aeronca rubber is mushroom shaped, about 1-5/8" at large end and easily takes the 7/16" mount bolt. Safe Air repair price for them is $9.65 each. The ones for under $3.00 sound like the standard Continental mount and are available for all the way down to about $1.00 each at different suppliers.

[MikeB]

That's interesting, I never heard that before and apparently my AI didn't know the difference either. I always thought there had to be a problem or difference because the orginal mount cushions had been in there for probably 20 years and looked better than the new "Wag Aeros" but thought it was the composition of the materials.....live and learn, I guess.

[Ron Babos]

Visitor: Yes you are correct in the sizes. However the Aeronca rubbers with the 7/16 holes are in my junk pile now as they are the ones that cracked in a week. They also had poor memory as they were crushed . They were a bear to get into the engine tapers.The Superiors are for 3/8 bolts and will go over the 7/16 bolts without splitting. A silicone lube will help. They match the engine tapers perfectly so the torquing will do what it's suppose to do, and not just flatten the head of the rubber out. The type you get in some of the Continental gaskets sets will split immediatly when you push the larger bolt through. They are too hard , and in my opionion serve no purpose other than filler in the box. The head dia really has little effect on the function of the part as the cushioning is done on the taper more than any thing else. The Superiors were supplied from an A&P. He also supplied the previous correct rubbers. Could it be , he got tired of people complaining? Time will tell. My cost was around 25$ Can. for the set of 8.
Ron

[jack duncan]

I just hung my cont A-65 on my champ and used part numbers: 22387 rubber bushings 8 ea. and 21530 washers 4 ea. 60-80 inch lbs evenely torqued, and mine were from safe air repair, also my friend who has a J3 cub uses superior air parts rubber bushings the same part number except with a SA prefix. these bushings seem to work for us ok. I usually get all my engine parts from superior or eci. haven't had any complaints yet. good day.

[max7ccm]

(8) INSERTS (2) PER ENGINE MOUNT (LORD STYLE 0-200) WITH THESE INSTALLED ALLOWS ENGINE TO BE MOUNTED USING THE CHAMP 65 HP STOCK MOTOR MOUNTS, MATED TO THE STOCK 7AC ENGINE MOUNT.
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