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I'll cover both items here. First, how to get the little buggers out. With a dedicated tool - basically a giant C clamp with various adapter rings and plates I managed to get the center steel bolt guide out of one of them. The primary question I have is from there does just the rubber come out or does the sleeve holding the rubber also come out?
From there, assuming a get whatever has to come out to actually come out, I am replacing them with energy suspension black poly bushings. The issue there is that there are 2 of one bushing and 2 of the other in the box - i.e. different p/n's. But there are no instructions in the box as to which goes on the front of the crossmember and which goes on the back. I checked the ES website and did not find any instructions. Does anyone know how to tell which goes on which side?
The sleeves come out. Maybe slot with a hacksaw blade to relieve the fit.
I "think" the bushings are different sizes to equal the correct length, like 2 short, two long.
I just jammed them in the same way. They just center the bolt, so it doesn't matter.
PITA is an understatement. As hard as it was just to get the bolt guide out I wonder if I should have just stuck with them. They sure seem to still have lots of flex. But I guess I'm committed now.
I drilled a series of connecting holes through the rubber and then knocked out the center section. Then carefully hack sawed through the outer metal sleeve and then twisted and pulled them out with a channel locks.
I drilled a series of connecting holes through the rubber and then knocked out the center section. Then carefully hack sawed through the outer metal sleeve and then twisted and pulled them out with a channel locks.
Well I got the rubber bushing out and am now working on hacking through the sleeve. Seems though Energy Suspension and Prothane could have alleviated us of all that trouble by simply sizing the poly bushings to fit into the existing sleeves.
Well I got the rubber bushing out and am now working on hacking through the sleeve. Seems though Energy Suspension and Prothane could have alleviated us of all that trouble by simply sizing the poly bushings to fit into the existing sleeves.
Concerning my first post asking in part about the 2 different bushing types in the set, I did figure it out. The sleeve has section with a slightly wider diameter than the majority of the sleeve and one of the bushings also has a matching profile. ES doesn't have any instructions on this and when I called today while the tech was provided me with other useful information, he didn't know for sure why there were two p/n's in the kit.
Got one out using the careful hacksawing approach. Between the rubber removal itself, the hacksawing, prying with screwdrivers and hammers, cursing, etc. it took about 3 hours.
Question - since aluminum has twice the expansion rate of steel when heated, has anyone tried heating the area around the steel sleeve to break the interference fit between it and the cross member wall. I could even envision heating the area then quickly cooling the steel sleeve with some water sprayed on it to shrink it while the aluminum was still hot.
My only concern is how much heat the aluminum can take without out any change in properties. I would think it could manage a couple hundred degrees and i don't plan on going that high.
Last edited by vince vette 2; Apr 26, 2018 at 10:37 AM.
I just did mine tonight. If I had something the right size to press them out, it would have been a 5 minute job. Everything I could find was either slightly too large or slightly too small. Using a sawzall, I made a cut into the side of the bushing, careful to not go through the shell. Once the cut was done, I took a large screwdriver and a hammer and began to work it from both sides. After a few minutes, they'll fall right out. I pressed out the center shaft from the rubber inside, then the rubber, in order to make that cut.
I just did mine tonight. If I had something the right size to press them out, it would have been a 5 minute job. Everything I could find was either slightly too large or slightly too small. Using a sawzall, I made a cut into the side of the bushing, careful to not go through the shell. Once the cut was done, I took a large screwdriver and a hammer and began to work it from both sides. After a few minutes, they'll fall right out. I pressed out the center shaft from the rubber inside, then the rubber, in order to make that cut.
No heat, and no damage to the bushing bore!
That's basically what I did on the first one. But it wouldn't start sliding out unit I had it far more bent in than what you ended with. But, I'm game. Maybe I'll get luckier with the next one.
On the bright side, spdrcr29 stopped by today on his way to KC and I bought his kwik lift. Now if only the rear suspension was done so I could start using it.
batwing bushings
