HOSS 3.0 vs HOSS 1.0 vs BroncBuster - driver side steering bushing comparison & discussion

BigMeatsBronco said:

Thanks for looking into this and showing the details...

What's the chances of getting something like this to work instead?

https://www.mcmaster.com/product/9069T3

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Snacktime said:

So most of us don't really know what is going on inside the drivers side bushing area, I hope to accumulate some knowledge. I will try to leave my BroncBuster personal views out, I hope you do to for the sake of knowledge.

I will start with my Paint Diagram! Green is load supporting, Orange is in-between (to much slop or soft material), Red is just extra material with no load bearing

Pictures of HOSS 1.0 and HOSS 3.0 BB bushings! One with the mark and smaller is HOSS 3.0

Factory HOSS 3.0 Bushing its all the little black pieces

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zuke said:

That's kinda intriguing.. I think part of the key is gonna be getting a snap ring to go into the "retainer" groove on that bearing that will also go into the groove in the housng.

Have to keep whatever Bearing/Bushing is used from walking right out of the housing!

On the BB plastic bushings the "retainer ring" is built into the plastic in the non load of the bushing.

On the HOSS 1.0 It's one and the same, the load bearing and retainer are all the same area.

On the Hoss 3.0 some of the load bearing is moved out into the tube, and away from the retainer portion of the bushing, but if the orientation is down on it, like in @Snacktime's drawing, It's the wrong direction to help with the tie rod angles of a lifted Bronco (or a drooped out stock Bronco). So really not much better than 1.0 in that situation.

Was the 3.0 free spinning in the tube, Nate?

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BigMeatsBronco said:

It appears to me that the orientation is situated so the lobe side fits in the half moon slot in the housing....it faces forward and slightly upwards...so it's close to the tie rod angle forces you've described. But force is NOT directly directed at the lobe.

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zuke said:

Gotcha, Yup! So that's putting it in line with the sector shaft/steering input/tensioner, and upward forces of an angled tie rod are more directly parellel to the ground, so will miss a large portion of the beefed up bushings.

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BigMeatsBronco said:

Correct. However in the OPs case, the tie rod forces, together with the pinion gear pushing the rack gear forward likely caused the tensioner failure???
The extra lobe helps prevent that.

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BigMeatsBronco said:

Any chance you could measure the 3.0 BB part and post the OD ID and length...

I wouldn't be surprised if there's a $55 part already produced and ready to install that fits and may do a superior job

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Snacktime said:

Its roughly 2" in diameter, I stuck it in to test fit and it got stuck on the lip of the bushing retainer. Didn't want to damage the BB bushing so I just pushed it all the way in. I think you could install a roller bearing but disassembly of the rack is very difficult. Hoss 3.0 has plenty of material to just mill the end out and press in a brass bushing.

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zuke said:

Yup, I agree with your take on Snacktime's failure, but I also suspect that there was a casting issue with his case that allowed the tensioner to break it and pop out, Although I'm sure there could be more failures like his that I haven't heard about, Is that failure mode common?

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