Universal Body Mount Bushes

Whiteline universal body mount bushes restore a firm, stable connection between a vehicle?s body and its chassis. Made from tough polyurethane, they replace cracked, compressed or perished rubber mounts. They reduce clunks and excess body movement, and help keep the body sitting where it should on the frame.

Universal body mounts are selected by size rather than by vehicle. That makes them ideal for restorations, custom builds and older vehicles where model-specific mounts are hard to find or no longer available.

What Body Mounts Do

On a vehicle with a separate chassis, the body doesn?t bolt directly to the frame. Instead, it sits on a series of body mounts, sometimes called cab mounts on pick-ups and commercial vehicles.

Each mount uses a bush to cushion the connection, isolating the cabin from road shock, driveline vibration and chassis flex while keeping the body firmly located.

Over time, factory rubber mounts compress, crack and break down from load, heat, oil and weather. As they wear, the body can move on the chassis, sag at one corner, or knock against the frame over rough ground.

Body-on-Frame and Unibody Vehicles

Body mounts are used on body-on-frame vehicles, also called ladder-chassis vehicles. These include many 4WDs and 4x4s, pick-ups, light commercials, trucks and older passenger cars.

Most modern passenger cars use unibody, or monocoque, construction, where the body and chassis are a single structure. These vehicles don?t have body mounts. Instead, they use subframe bushes to mount suspension and driveline components to the body.

Signs of Worn Body Mounts

• Clunking or knocking from under the cabin over bumps, rough roads or off-road tracks
• Increased vibration, drumming or road noise in the cabin
• The body visibly moving or shifting on the chassis when the vehicle rocks
• A gap between the body and chassis that?s uneven from one side to the other
• Doors, bonnet or tailgate that no longer line up or close cleanly
• Cracked, flattened, split or oil-soaked rubber visible at the mounts

Because body mounts sit out of sight, these symptoms are often blamed on suspension or exhaust problems. A visual inspection under the vehicle usually confirms whether the mounts are the cause.

Polyurethane vs Rubber Body Mount Bushes

Rubber body mounts are soft and quiet when new, but they compress permanently over time and break down when exposed to oil, fuel, heat and weather. Once they?ve flattened, the body sits lower, moves more and transmits more knocks into the cabin.

Whiteline polyurethane body mount bushes resist compression, abrasion, oil, grease, ozone and weathering. They hold their shape and height far longer, so the body stays correctly located and supported, even under heavy loads or regular off-road use.

Polyurethane is firmer than rubber, so you may notice a little more road feel through the cabin. In return, the body feels more solidly connected to the chassis. Whiteline formulates its bushes to balance this firm location against enough compliance for everyday comfort.

How Universal Body Mount Bushes Work

Most body mounts use a two-piece design: one bush sits above the chassis bracket and one below, clamping the bracket between them. A steel crush tube passes through the centre, setting the correct clamping height and stopping the bushes being over-compressed when the bolt is tightened. Washers spread the load across the bush faces.

Universal kits supply the bushes, tubes and washers needed for a set number of mounting positions. Check the kit contents on each listing to confirm how many mounts a kit will service, and how many kits you need for your vehicle.

Choosing the Right Size

Universal body mount bushes are specified by their dimensions, so measure your existing mounts and brackets carefully before ordering:

• Outside diameter (OD): must suit the body or chassis bracket recess
• Inside diameter (ID): must suit the crush tube and mounting bolt
• Length or height (L): sets the ride height of the body on the chassis

Measure an undamaged mount, or the bracket itself, rather than a badly compressed bush, which will give a misleadingly low height. If your vehicle has had a body lift, or uses non-standard brackets, confirm that the bolt length and tube length suit the new mount height.

Installation Tips

Body mount replacement is best suited to a workshop or an experienced home mechanic with a safe way to support and lift the body. Follow the instructions supplied with your kit, and keep these points in mind:

• Loosen all body mount bolts before lifting the body, and raise it only as far as needed. Watch for strain on wiring, hoses, steering and gear linkages.
• Replace mounts one side at a time, or in small groups, to keep the body aligned on the chassis.
• Clean the brackets and treat any corrosion before fitting the new bushes.
• Fit the crush tubes and washers supplied, and tighten the bolts to the manufacturer?s specification. Don?t overtighten beyond the tube?s clamping height.
• Check panel gaps and door alignment once all the mounts are tightened.

If the mount bolts are heavily corroded, apply penetrating oil in advance and replace any damaged bolts or nuts.

Who Universal Body Mount Bushes Suit

Universal body mount bushes suit owners of body-on-frame 4WDs, 4x4s and pick-ups whose mounts have worn from load, towing or off-road use. They?re also a practical solution for classic and vintage vehicle restorers where original mounts are no longer available, and for custom builders and fabricators who need durable mounts in standard sizes for one-off projects.

Workshops servicing older commercial and 4x4 vehicles also benefit from having a reliable, standard-size mount on hand when model-specific parts are hard to source.

Shop Universal Body Mount Bushes

Universal body mount bushes belong to our universal parts range.

Measure your mounts, choose the kit that matches, then order online for delivery or pick up from an authorised Whiteline reseller. Every Whiteline component is covered by our warranty and fitment guarantee, with 60 days to return anything that isn?t right for your vehicle. Restore a solid, stable connection between body and chassis with Whiteline.