Bushings

HateMyAuto · Post by **HateMyAuto** » Mon May 01, 2006 11:59 pm

I just pulled a control arm out of the junkyard (at a cost of 1.5 hours and $25 thank you very much) and need to replace the bushings. My Haynes manual says that a special tool is needed to remove the bushings and that it needs to be done at a shop. Is this the case, or is there a way to remove/install them at home?

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Tue May 02, 2006 1:01 pm

you can cut the end off and then burn them out... or just burn them out. Use a torch, it will stink to high heaven but if you get them cooked enough they will either slide out due to them melting or crumble if they are cooked. I cut one end off with a hacksaw first to get rid of the lip.

IsaacHayes · Post by **IsaacHayes** » Wed May 03, 2006 2:25 am

I wish my write up(s) could of been added to the faq or pinned. sigh oh well.

The rear (vertitcal) bushing is what you're having trouble with I'm sure.

Cut/burn the rubber out so the center falls out. Now get a haxsaw blade or sawzaw and cut the metal ring of the bushign that is press fit into the arm. Once you cut through it, then take a chissel/hammer and tap it out. Now clean up the rust/corrosion.

Now get the new mount, and a bench vise. Push it in one half side at a time with the bench vise. It will go in only so far on each side. Keep pressing, turning/pressing the other side until you work it all the way in. Then you're done!

I've done this twice on my car and you don't need no special tools, or industrial press. Just work it back and forth pressing it in with the large vise.

HateMyAuto · Post by **HateMyAuto** » Wed May 03, 2006 7:32 pm

Actually I was wondering about both of them, I really haven't taken a look at them yet...

HateMyAuto · Post by **HateMyAuto** » Wed May 10, 2006 12:02 am

Ok, I just took a look at them, and I see what you are talking about with the buring them out...mmm, burning rubber...and getting them out doesn't seem to be the hard part, the hard part seems to be putting them in. I can understand the rear one, it seems simple enough of pushing it through, but is it the same deal with the front one?

IsaacHayes · Post by **IsaacHayes** » Wed May 10, 2006 1:53 am

front one seperates in half. Taking it out will the the hardest part. When you put new in it's two peices and the bolt holds it together. At least IIRC it's that way. But it's no where near as hard to put in as the rear.

HateMyAuto · Post by **HateMyAuto** » Thu May 11, 2006 12:15 am

Finally got them out, thanks to all for your imput. As a side note, if anyone gets the chance to do this, or is willing to spend $8 on a bushing, it's the most fun I've had with fire ever . The rubber burns pretty well once it gets going.

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Sat May 27, 2006 11:22 pm

Well....not so fast I would say on the front. I did the *upgrade* last weekend and was a but surprised at how involved these are. The Front, just so we don't get too far off topic, was ONE piece. I looked at it when the auto part "guru" gave it to me.....now only if he accepted my invitiation to be there when I installed it.....

Without getting too much more graphical, the front bushings are a B**tch to get in without modifing them, or at least damaging them

HateMyAuto · Post by **HateMyAuto** » Sun May 28, 2006 9:35 am

Yeah, both the front and rear bushing are solid, one piecers. Luckily, I was able to use a press to get the bushings in, so it wasn't that bad. For the front it's really just a matter of getting it to go in at first, once you get it in past the first lip, just keep pushing it in. Unfortunatly, a week after I replaced my right ones (with the control arm) my left ones have given out. I wish I had just bought the poly's and done it all in one swoop, but now I don't feel like dealing with it for a while.

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Tue May 30, 2006 11:21 am

96's dont have poly... unless you buy the pre 94 kit and just do the front ones in poly... The rears are easy to replace as far as difficulty to press in... I used a hammer way back when I still had that version of the subframes, and on that damaging them to get them in note... the don't get damaged if you do it right or use the right tools.

HateMyAuto · Post by **HateMyAuto** » Tue May 30, 2006 9:15 pm

I just used a press and didn't damage anything, I don't think. And in that case, poly's for me would have been more trouble than their worth. Perhaps I'll coat the rubber ones in poly if I ever get the notion...

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