81 control arm bushing help
Thread Starter
Racer
Joined: Jan 2002
Posts: 308
Likes: 0
From: central square NY
81 control arm bushing help
i have all 4 control arms out, i planed on putting in new bushings. my question is, is there a tool that gets the old bushings out without any damage to the control arms. what is the recomended way of doing it? :rant:
Melting Slicks
Joined: Jul 1999
Posts: 3,201
Likes: 0
From: Clifton Park NY
Re: 81 control arm bushing help (gravismaximus)
I think that a hole saw of appropriate size on a power drill would work---I used that to remove the strut rod bushings, and it worked great. That being said, I had mine out, and bailed out: sent everything to Van Steel, who did a beautiful job for a great price.
:cheers:
-Pedro
:cheers:
-Pedro
Racer
Joined: May 2003
Posts: 477
Likes: 0
From: KS
Re: 81 control arm bushing help (gravismaximus)
I saw some recent posts on this; some recommended drilling holes in the rubber bushings then pushing them out, others said to use a torch and burn them out. YMMV.
Tech Contributor
Joined: Aug 1999
Posts: 14,379
Likes: 6,390
From: At my Bar drinking and wrenching in Lafayette Colorado
Re: 81 control arm bushing help (gravismaximus)
I have a complete "How-To" article on doing this. Drop me an e-mail and I'll send it to you:
V8FastCars@msn.com
Basically, they zip right out with an air chissel - no damage to the arms, and very easy to do. You knock the new ones in with some 3/4" drive sockets. The paper covers the process in detail.
V8FastCars@msn.com
Basically, they zip right out with an air chissel - no damage to the arms, and very easy to do. You knock the new ones in with some 3/4" drive sockets. The paper covers the process in detail.
Premium Supporting Vendor
Joined: May 2000
Posts: 4,312
Likes: 70
From: Clearwater FL
Re: 81 control arm bushing help (lars)
Basically, they zip right out with an air chissel
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
:lolg: :lolg: :lolg: If your lucky. They are not always that easy.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
:lolg: :lolg: :lolg: If your lucky. They are not always that easy.
Instructor
Joined: Feb 2004
Posts: 133
Likes: 0
From: Kaysville Utah
Re: 81 control arm bushing help (Pedro'74)
I did the control arms on my 81 and after hearing how much difficulty my friend had doing his grand prix control arms I just took them to the local tire shop and they charged me $10 per side to press them out, and press in the new polyurethanes from the energy suspension kit. Well worth my $20.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Jun 2002
Posts: 8,339
Likes: 24
From: I can walk to MA
Re: 81 control arm bushing help (Willis)
I paid my (usually trustworthy) parts store machine shop to press mine out.
It cost me more than $20 ... and they F'ed up one of my control arms.
Forget drilling/hole saws for the lowers. That'll only work for the tops. Once
the rubber/inner shell is out of the tops, the cross bar can be slid out - and
you still need to press/knock out the outer shells.
If I were to do it again, I would follow Lars ... air chisel with a tip modified/ground
to grab the edge of the shell.
Going back in, I made some supports to brace the two ends of the arm - and
I had an 8 ton press that a friend let me borrow.
Good luck ... :seeya
It cost me more than $20 ... and they F'ed up one of my control arms.
Forget drilling/hole saws for the lowers. That'll only work for the tops. Once
the rubber/inner shell is out of the tops, the cross bar can be slid out - and
you still need to press/knock out the outer shells.
If I were to do it again, I would follow Lars ... air chisel with a tip modified/ground
to grab the edge of the shell.
Going back in, I made some supports to brace the two ends of the arm - and
I had an 8 ton press that a friend let me borrow.
Good luck ... :seeya
Le Mans Master
Joined: Dec 2003
Posts: 5,381
Likes: 416
From: N J
Re: 81 control arm bushing help (Master Ho)
I saw some recent posts on this; some recommended drilling holes in the rubber bushings then pushing them out, others said to use a torch and burn them out. YMMV.
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Racer
Joined: Jan 2004
Posts: 340
Likes: 1
From: St. Clair Shores Michigan
Re: 81 control arm bushing help (John65,80)
Burn baby Burn !!
I used a torch to remove the rubber, like cutting butter......Then I used
a socket of the approiate size and BFH. Was actually very easy with the rubber Gone !
:smash:
I used a torch to remove the rubber, like cutting butter......Then I used
a socket of the approiate size and BFH. Was actually very easy with the rubber Gone !
:smash:
Tech Contributor
Joined: Aug 1999
Posts: 14,379
Likes: 6,390
From: At my Bar drinking and wrenching in Lafayette Colorado
Re: 81 control arm bushing help (Van Steel)
:lolg: :lolg: :lolg: If your lucky. They are not always that easy.
The reason I advocate this technique is for 2 reasons:
1. You can do it at home using nothing more than a good vise and an air chissel
2. There is no danger of twisting or bending the a-arm.
On number 2, I have seen shops completely destroy a-arms by supporting them incorrectly in a press and pushing on the bushing until the arm looks more like a pretzel than an a-arm. This is not to say that there aren't good shops and good people doing good press work. I just like doing things myself... you know: "If you want something done right..."
