Generator mount bushings?

[1955CJ-5]

While putting the engine back together the machinist plucked one of these out of the front engine plate...I thought it looked like a generator mount bushing but I had never seen a steel one...so I checked the generator rear mount and sure enough it had one too..

Did someone add these along the way or is this the original setup? I have only seen the rubber inserts....

[AZJeepNut]

All the usual parts suppliers carry the rubber bushings  and do not appear to offer any alternate bushings such as the steel ones you have, and that includes CJ-2As, 3As, and military models. Not an exhaustive search, but enough to verify that those are pretty unusual. I pulled the rubber bushing out of mine this morning to begin rust removal and it was so dried out that it just crumbled. Maybe the steel is a good idea.

[1955CJ-5]

They don't appear to be just something that someone stuck in there either...they fit the socket in both the front plate and the rear generator mount perfectly, both lengthwise and in diameter, and the shouldered bolts are a snug fit...I'm a little surprised that they were both still there...the one could have easily been lost in the hot tank...

I wonder if there is any advantage to the rubber, like a little vibration dampening, at the cost of durability...

[AZJeepNut]

Rubber is cheaper than steel and probably does provide some vibration damping, not a bad thing for a heavy generator hanging off the side of your engine. On the other hand, if you live in a hot, dry climate you might want to replace a rubber part with a steel one if it was practical to do so. I'd guess those bushings were custom made, but as soon as I do that someone will identify them as WWII parts manufactured when rubber was scarce

[1955CJ-5]

I'll have to take them to the next MVPA meeting and see if someone knows anything about them....of course they are all 24 volt guys!

[calvinhunt]

During my restoration 6 years ago I ordered from one of the Jeep sources, a couple of the rubber bushings.� They were so poor that I ordered a couple more from another Jeep source.� They were just the same, very poor quality and very soft.� I ended up putting the old rubber bushings back in that I was planning to replace.� I don't know if they were original (most things on my old Jeep were original) or if someone had replaced them somewhere along the way.� They are rubbery but firm.� I like the way they support the generator much better than the new ones.

[1955CJ-5]

I tried to use the steel inserts/bushings when mounting the generator, and they just didn't seem to work very well, so i'm guessing they were something that got added along the way...

The rubber bushings worked much better...