Bushing removal

[sowise]

I don't know if I should put this in the mods section or not but it definitely fits the Q&A.

Ok I have the polyeurathne bushings for the front control arms. But I am having some serious issues getting the originals out. First thing I did was drill the rubber using the largest drill bit that would fit between the center sleeve and the outer sleeve. There is a grease/gell inside that is pretty nasty when you get it on you. I tried burning the rubber afterwards but the stuff barely burns you basically have to have constant torch applied but even then it doesn't seem to do much. I put it on the press after that and tried to push out the center sleeve but the arm end started to actually bend so I gave that up (I am willing to sacrifice one arm since I have a spare set).

I went to the local hardware store and bought some stuff for a bushing puller similar to what you can see under a youtube search. Most of those are used on mopar or chevy etc type control arms. Ours have a center sleeve and what appears to be another collar insert and then the outer sleeve.
I was able to get the smaller side control arm center sleeve out. Now I have to get the secondary collar out. It looks like it is pre-cut so that part may come out ok. One thing I am not sure of is if the outer collar gets removed or not.
The large side is a serious pain in the @$$. Any advice or info would be appreciated. Especially if someone has done this before. I have been at this for hours and don't feel like I am making much progress.

[SilverSpear]

Can you post pics please?

[sowise]

here

















After using the tool to remove the center sleeve, this is the smaller side of the arm.

[sowise]

more...






The center sleeve is nearly out of the large side but you should be able to see the secondary sleeves or cups in the pics. My tool is kinda stuck in there I will use some heat to pull it out.

[SilverSpear]

Sowise,

I discussed this with Chris, he told me this is the hardest part in all the installation. Yes they are not easy, since prepares the bushings inhouse taking measurements on OEM parts, and making the fittings inhouse on brackets and arms, he forgot the procedure of the SVX front arms.

But looking at the pictures and discussing it with him, this is what I think should be done (easiest if using a hydraulic press , I know, I know):



And he shared these with us, after he removed the OEM's, sandblasted the Arms and repainted them again:

[sowise]

Thanks SilverSpear,
That is pretty much how I am going at it atleast in the same directions. On the larger side I used my homemade puller both directions since its diameter was just a bit too small. This did end up allowing me to pull the center sleeve out.

Ok don't laugh but here is a poor MS paint of the larger side and what I am going to do to remove the collar.

Similar cut will be made in both collars on the smaller side of the control arm.

Those finished ones in red look really nice! Thanks again!

[SilverSpear]

Cool man, show us pics as you move along

[smileycaver]

OK- this is next on my list. Can you please tell me where you got the bushings? I REALLY need a set and was thinking about custom making them, but these would save me a lot of trouble.

[sabin]

turn in concepts sells them

[sowise]

Originally Posted by sabin

turn in concepts sells them

+1 what he said

I ordered them through TiC there is more info and pictures in the Mod section.

[smileycaver]

Did you order the whole set or just the A-arm bushings? The only thing I saw listed was the whole set. Thanks for the info, I guess I can just drop them an Email.

[smileycaver]

Just an FYI for everybody- TiC no longer has these bushings.

[SilverSpear]

I sent you a PM.

SOME DETAILS

[sowise]

smileycaver just follow Silverspears instructions and that should hook you up. I bought the full set, didn't need the full set but then again no one was really offering much in the way of bushings for the fronts and it never hurts to have a set of rears.

Update: FINALLY got the bushings out. This was really a huge PITA to go through just for bushings. I may have even destroyed my control arm because I ended up bending the large end inward more when I used the press again. Even if I get it straight I don't know if it will ever have its original strength again. So, that kinda sucks. Good part of this is I have the experience to do the other side, bad part is I have to do this same side again so I have to do two more. Bushings slide in firm but I can do it by hand they will look just like the pics SilverSpear posted with the red ones only mine are yellow.

Here are some more pics:
Ok this pic is basically a repost of an earlier one this is basically where I picked up (minus the bushing tool removed) believe it or not there are two sleeves in there! the .bmp I posted earlier is one of them but there was another outer sleeve.


this one shows the removed piece I did the .bmp drawing of. I did cut the metal and it helped some but the biggest and best tools were the hammer and chisel.


another pic of that inner sleeve


a pic of the outer sleeve viewed from the inside of the control arm.


after that sleeve has been worked overwith the chisel and hammer


sleeve removed


control arm with no sleeves on the large side


for the small side you can see in the photos above that I was working the inner sleeve, then I used the press to push it out, that is what ended up damaging my arm more. here are some pics of thos sleaves removed. inner sleeve sucked, outer sleeve was not bad at all.

[icingdeath88]

Wow. not lookin forward to doing those.