replacing the front control arm bushings??

[AllTheGoodNamesAreGone]

Ok, so.. i decided that when i do my spring/shock install i am also going to replace my front end bushings..

I hear that you need a press to do this.. so i plan on taking the wrms to a shop to have them pressed..

Exactly how hard is it to do this? are the old bushings hard to get out?

if you have done this, who did it for you?

thanks
~Bill

[viper98885]

I did it myself. You can use a blow torch to heat the outside of the control arm where the rubber is bonded to the control arm. When it gets hot enough, the rubber will seperate from the metal. At that point, you can get the bushing out. From there, clean out the bore and reinstall the new bushings.

[AllTheGoodNamesAreGone]

hmm.. that sounds like a plan..
Did you use a press to put the new bushings in?

from what i hear its a pita..

~Bill

[Wicked 3800 V6]

Bump, I've got a Hyperflex kit too ...
-Rob

[John_D.]

<blockquote>quote:</font><hr>Originally posted by viper98885:
You can use a blow torch to heat the outside of the control arm where the rubber is bonded to the control arm. When it gets hot enough, the rubber will seperate from the metal.<hr></blockquote>

A long, long time ago, I did something like that too. But then somebody told me to "never ever" heat the control arm because it would weaken it... They suggested drilling some holes through the rubber to get the clearance to remove it.

I just get arms with bushings already in now...

[viper98885]

I have never heard of weakening the control arm enough that it would make a difference just by heating it to change the bushings. I know that this applies to springs, but don't know if it holds true for control arms.

I did not have to press the new ones in. The polyurethane (ES) bushings slipped right in (snug fit) and I installed them.

In the long run, it was a PITA and I wish I had bought some tubular ones.

[AllTheGoodNamesAreGone]

interesting.. because i am getting the energy suspension kit..

The only reason I want to do this is so I can still run in lower classes..

do you thing that you could possably just go to town on the stock bushings with a dremel??

why is it that the stock bushings were tought to get out and the energy suspension bushings so easy to get in?? i would think that the softer rubber bushings would be easyer to get out??

I guess I will just need to find out for myself.. YIPPY! heres to trial and error!

~Billy

[viper98885]

The stock rubber is harder to get out because it is bonded to the metal. If you don't heat the bushing and instead press it out, you will leave large chunks in the case of the bushing that are even more difficult to get out. Using a dremel will simply melt the bushing on the bit and cause more problems.

The poly bushings are easier to install because they simply slide in and you put everything back together.

I have done this different ways in the past...heat, dremel, press, you name it. The easiest way that I have found is to heat the cashing and inner sleeve with a blow torch and you will see that it comes out nice and clean (and HOT!!!) when it loses it's bond.

Good luck!

[AllTheGoodNamesAreGone]

ok, heat soudns like a plan to me..
so.. exactly how hot are we talking here..

i have one of those basic little (i think propane) torches sitting around at a friends house..

i am assuming you want to heat the metal that surrounds the bushing without acctualy touching the bushing..

how long shuld this be done for? and how close to the metal?

what did you use to pull it out? pliers?

thanks for all the help
~Bill

[viper98885]

<blockquote>quote:</font><hr>Originally posted by AllTheGoodNamesAreGone:
ok, heat soudns like a plan to me..
so.. exactly how hot are we talking here..

i have one of those basic little (i think propane) torches sitting around at a friends house..

i am assuming you want to heat the metal that surrounds the bushing without acctualy touching the bushing..

how long shuld this be done for? and how close to the metal?

what did you use to pull it out? pliers?~Bill<hr></blockquote>

You will want to heat the inner sleeve first. You will know when each of the bushings is hot enough because it will slide out with a decent blow from a hammer. If it does not come out, that means that the rubber is still bonded somewhere.

For the inner sleeve, I heated for a while and then I would hit one end of the sleeve with a hammer. If it moved, I took an old deep well socket that I didn't use anymore that had the same OD as the shell and knocked it the rest of the way out.

Otherwise, simply heat the outer shell. It is pointless to heat the rubber at all because all it will do it melt. Heating the metal is the key. This is a slow, stinky, boring and somewhat frustrating process. You will get melted rubber on some of your tools so be sure to use some old tools because it's a PITA to get the melted rubber off of them. Once the bond is broken, you will be able to knock the rubber piece out.

Once that is out, you will wanna heat the small rubber remains on the inside of the shell. This will melt it and basically clean the inner shell. Let the piece cool to the touch before you install the polyurethane. The hot metal will melt the poly and ruin it.

Other than that, it's basically remove/replace. Not too tough, just drawn out.

[Wicked 3800 V6]

I've done some of this stuff before, on some certain cars ... take the good ol' handheld bottle blowtorch and heat a bushing for, i dunno ... 20 minutes or so ... then the center piece will just push out, and the rest of the bushing comes easily too. [img]smile.gif[/img]
Could potentially weaken the arm, though ... who knows, I'll just pray when I go to install my stuff. Actually, I've been considering buying some old, stock arms, and getting things done ahead of time so there's no "downtime" during the install.
-Rob