Control arm bushing removal
Thread Starter
Racer
Joined: Jul 2005
Posts: 433
Likes: 14
From: GA
Control arm bushing removal
Anybody have a "trick" to get these things out ? These are the originals on a '71, must be seized/rusted pretty good. Last resort will be letting a shop do it, but would like to do it myself if possibe.
Thanks
Thanks
Burning Brakes
Joined: Jul 2001
Posts: 853
Likes: 0
From: Foxfield, Co
Originally Posted by Jim71Vette
I tried that too, but didn't work. Did you use a vise to hold the arm ?
Yes. clamped the cross shaft in the vise and used a sharp chisle bit to get the outer part of the bushing started, then alternated between the outer part and the inner part. you can push on the inner part from the back side of the bushing, just lift the rubber up a little and you will see the inner sleeve. Mine took about 25-30 seconds each but many here have had a much more difficult time with theirs.
Greg.
Advanced
Joined: Aug 2005
Posts: 50
Likes: 0
From: Michigan
It's been a couple of years since I did this. After removing the shaft and cutting out all the rubber (I think I actually drilled it out) I put the arm in a vise and sawed into the bushing then used a chisle to drive the bushing away from the bore of the arm.
Didn't take too long. Fitting the new bushings was harder!
John
Didn't take too long. Fitting the new bushings was harder!
John
Pro
Joined: Aug 2005
Posts: 627
Likes: 1
From: Naperville IL
for the upper arm you can actually get the cross shaft out of the arm once the rubber is gone (mine were actually so bad the rubber just kinda fell out) With the cross shaft out of the way it's pretty easy to use an air chisel to break the bushing free and knock it out with a BFH. The lowers are the same idea, but you'll have to work around the cross shaft. Took maybe 10 minutes each. I had the local NAPA press in the new ones, at $12 an arm I thought it was worth it.
Burning Brakes
Joined: Nov 2005
Posts: 1,143
Likes: 0
From: Leander Texas
I used a 20 ton shop press, and made a tool out of a piece of pipe that fit snugly between the front & rear bushing (Used to keep the ends of the arms from being distorted) and pressed them out according to the shop manual instructions. You press the rod down which pushes the bushing out, then flip the a-arm over and repeat.
To install lube up the outside of the bushing, and start it with a rubber mallett. Insert the rod into the bushing from the inside. now start the other bushing. Once the bushings are started press together. be sure that the rod is going inside the bushings.
Good luck.
To install lube up the outside of the bushing, and start it with a rubber mallett. Insert the rod into the bushing from the inside. now start the other bushing. Once the bushings are started press together. be sure that the rod is going inside the bushings.
Good luck.
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