A-arm bushings
Thread Starter
Drifting
Joined: Jun 2006
Posts: 1,912
Likes: 12
From: Schaumburg (Chicago) Illinois
A-arm bushings
I can't get the A-arm bushings out. I don't have a press and they seem to be original. I want to get the frame and misc. rusty parts to the sandblaster on Monday as I have the day off for President's day. So I need to get the A-arm bushings out.
I was thinking about melting/burning them out by carefully putting them above a nice fire in my fire pit in the back yard?
I know it will work but is there something I can damage while doing it? Like maybe warping of the A-arm.
Has anyone done this crazy thing!
Don't tell me to use a torch cause I don't have one.
I was thinking about melting/burning them out by carefully putting them above a nice fire in my fire pit in the back yard?
I know it will work but is there something I can damage while doing it? Like maybe warping of the A-arm.
Has anyone done this crazy thing!
Don't tell me to use a torch cause I don't have one.
Race Director
Joined: Sep 2002
Posts: 10,362
Likes: 5
From: San Diego - Deep Within The State of CONFUSION!
I can't get the A-arm bushings out. I don't have a press and they seem to be original. I want to get the frame and misc. rusty parts to the sandblaster on Monday as I have the day off for President's day. So I need to get the A-arm bushings out.
I was thinking about melting/burning them out by carefully putting them above a nice fire in my fire pit in the back yard?
I know it will work but is there something I can damage while doing it? Like maybe warping of the A-arm.
Has anyone done this crazy thing!
Don't tell me to use a torch cause I don't have one.
I was thinking about melting/burning them out by carefully putting them above a nice fire in my fire pit in the back yard?
I know it will work but is there something I can damage while doing it? Like maybe warping of the A-arm.
Has anyone done this crazy thing!
Don't tell me to use a torch cause I don't have one.
I've done it so many times for my other cars that this time, I ordered new ones from VanSteel here on the forum. They came powder coated, clean, correct, and with new bushings & ball joints. For the price Dan sells this stuff for, it doesnt' make sense to wrestle with the dirty stuff.
Pro
Joined: Feb 2005
Posts: 627
Likes: 5
From: Frisco TX
I used a drill to get the rubber out. Drilled a ton of holes. The middle sleeve should then be easy to get out with a little bending and prying. The outer metal piece is a little tougher. I used a saw-zall and cut away enough metal to where I could then bend the outer sleeve in and pull out. I never had a lot of luck with the air chisel but I may have been doing it wrong.
Racer
Joined: Feb 2007
Posts: 252
Likes: 0
From: Williamsburg VA
I used a drill to get the rubber out. Drilled a ton of holes. The middle sleeve should then be easy to get out with a little bending and prying. The outer metal piece is a little tougher. I used a saw-zall and cut away enough metal to where I could then bend the outer sleeve in and pull out. I never had a lot of luck with the air chisel but I may have been doing it wrong.
Or use the right size hole saw, 1-1/8" if I remeber correctly. I did the sawzall trick and it worked out pretty easy. You can then hammer the new shells in.
Thread Starter
Drifting
Joined: Jun 2006
Posts: 1,912
Likes: 12
From: Schaumburg (Chicago) Illinois
Ok, its done. That really sucked. I did it my way. I built a fire in my back yard and burned all the rubber out. This also served double duty by burning off 40 yrs of grease making them ready for sandblasting. The uppers were easy, I just hammered them out. The top ones, I used a cold chisel to split them in half then worked them out of both ends.
Thanks for the tips. Like you said there isn't an easy way.
Thanks for the tips. Like you said there isn't an easy way.
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Melting Slicks
Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 2,669
Likes: 3
From: Kingston Ontario
I used drills, hammers, heat and a large vise. A perfect task for those, "need to get some rid of some tension", days.
2nd Gear
Joined: Jul 2007
Posts: 2
Likes: 0
Holy He**
I just blew $500 on an industial press (not the HF POS) to try and press out the A-arm bushings per writeups on the web. I may have distorted the arms a little and while the metal cups are now free, the darn inners are rotted to the mounting bracket with no way to remove. Who the F*** designed this SH** back in the 60's?
I'm ready to build the sacrificial fire pit and throw everything in it. Drilling out the rubber in the rear #3 bushings sucked, but was a pleasure compared to a-arms...
I just blew $500 on an industial press (not the HF POS) to try and press out the A-arm bushings per writeups on the web. I may have distorted the arms a little and while the metal cups are now free, the darn inners are rotted to the mounting bracket with no way to remove. Who the F*** designed this SH** back in the 60's?
I'm ready to build the sacrificial fire pit and throw everything in it. Drilling out the rubber in the rear #3 bushings sucked, but was a pleasure compared to a-arms...
Team Owner
Joined: Mar 2002
Posts: 24,160
Likes: 78
Personally I just hit mine with a propane torch until they started burning on their own. Then they just kinda smoldered and sputtered for the next 30 minutes until they literally plopped out on their own. There was hardly any flame at all.
Then like others said, an air chisel to collapse the shells works great.
