Precedent Front Bushing Install Issue - Bushings too wide for clevis and kingpin

[RJM]

Morning all,

I just picked up another Precedent that needs some front end work. It darts from side to side and was clearly off compared to the Precedent I've had for years. It has 12" wheels with low profile tires (front tires were shot) and came from down south in an area that seemed like it has high heat. I figured the bushings were toast.

After cleaning the cart up and taking care of a few other things, I jacked it up and found an unreal amount of play at the outer c/a bushing and front leaf spring bushings. I ran by a Club Car dealer about 20 min away since I wanted genuine parts and didn't want to wait for something to be delivered. I walk in with the Club Car part numbers for the Precedent bushing kit and a couple other items I wanted and got confused when the guy filling in for the part specialist starts looking up the numbers again. It ends up they carry the individual bushings plus a front spring bushing kit in Red Hawk, not Genuine Club car. I reluctantly grabbed the individual c/a bushings and leaf spring bushing kit. The kit said it was for a Precedent and DS, which worried me as I drove home. Looking at the parts diagram for a Precedent and DS, the part number for the bushings are different. I did recall reading online about someone using DS bushings in a Precedent, so I didn't think I was completely screwed at this point.

Fast forward to the front end of the cart on jack stands and wheels off. I take off the bolt for the driver's side leaf spring bushing, pull down the leaf and to my shock there are no bushings whatsoever! Just the metal spacer rod for good measure. I pull off the bolt for the outer c/a bushing...same thing. No bushings, but the rods are there.

At this point, I figured I'd get the bushings in the leaf and outer c/a position, align, then see how we are doing. Leaf bushings went in the leaf easy enough, but there is no chance the kingpin will fit around them. Same goes for the clevis. Has anyone ever seen something like this? The first question I had is, are these the correct bushings? Did whoever was last working on this cart run into the same issue and amazingly chose to put everything back together without bushings in two positions on each side? Did someone who had no idea what they were doing reassemble the front suspension without bushing, then torqued down the bolts on the clevis and kingpin bending them in the process?

In the meantime, I have replacement clevis and kingpins coming for both sides. I am on the lookout for a lightly used Precedent front suspension someone took off when lifting in the CT area.

Does anyone have any measurements on the Precedent bushings so I can confirm the leaf and c/a versions are correct? Any thoughts or similar experience? Thanks!