I recently installed SAW spring plates in my '86, and now doing the same on an '88. There are some issues with the torsion tube bushing that SAW supplies, and I thought I'd share what I learned during both installations.
Basically the problem is this: the bushing diameter is too large (by about 7/100"), and it is too short, by about 1/4". First, I'll talk about the length of the bushing.
Here is a picture of the tube with the stock bushing in place. You'll see that it protrudes from the hole about 1/4".
Now, next is a picture of the SAW bushing in place. Note that the bushing is seated at the back of the tube against the stop, and it is practically flush with the chassis.
Because of supply issues, I had to order my SAW spring plates from another reseller. That company was aware of the problem with the depth, and includes a couple of Weltmesiter bushing spacers in the kit. The spacer goes in first, followed by the bushing. In this next photo, you can see the spacer in place at the back of the tube, and now, the SAW bushing sticks out the proper amount (this allows correct alignment of the spring plate to the control arm, and keeps the spring plate from rubbing on the wheel well).
Now the REALLY interesting thing is that the SAW kit shipped by Pelican does NOT include the the bushing spacers. When we called tech support, they seemed totally unaware of this being a problem. We also contacted SAW here in San Jose, and even they were totally unaware of any issues with their bushings. I sent a detailed email after talking to them on the phone, and have not received a reply.
Now, the other issues with this bushing is that the diameter is 7/100" in diameter too large. It takes a LOT of force to cram it into the hole. As I understand it, this pinches the inside diameter of the bushing, decreasing that diameter. The spring plate that fits into that bushing will be in there a little too tight, and under stress, can easily bind. So the solution is to turn the bushing down on a lathe, just enough so it's a snug fit that you can push in by hand.
There you have it....
JB