Poly Bush bushings install???

[JLS]

Started the project today. Started off with the front radius arms and only got one of the front two bushings out. I had to pound the crap out of it to get the rubber part out and then I used a flat head screw driver and chisel to get the outer metal part out. Let me tell ya, that was not fun. So has anybody come up with an easier way of doing this with typical house hold tools. I called around to see if any of the shops could do it, like Napa and Car Quest, and they said they couldn't. If any of ya have an easeir method than pounding for hours on end let me know.

TIA,
Jeremy

 

[MTB]

Try burning the rubber out with a torch, then you have to deal with the outer sleeve try a hacksaw cutting just the sleeve then try to get it out if that is still a pain cut the oppisite end of the sleeve. This may help out or someone else may have a better way.

 

[MUSKYMAN]

press them out/new ones in, anything else is just to much work

 

[AlanB]

Pressing out is the easiest if you can find a shop that will/can do it. But if not, here is what I did. Drilled a bunch of holes in the rubber with a drill, set whats left of the rubber on fire with a torch and knocked out whats left, you will then be left with the outer metal sleeve in the radius arm. Use a torch and carefully cut a slit in the outer metal sleeve, this will relieve the tension and you can then knock out the sleeve with an air chisel. Putting the radius arm back in and lining everything back up can also be a real pain.

 

[bri]

10-4 on the pressing. Find someone with large multiple presses. Preferably a huge arbor press will work well for most. However, the rear trailing links bushings that go to the axle can by quite a bugger. These took something like a 50 ton electric/hydraulic press to get out on mine (about 8 years in there though).

The guy that I took mine to charged $5 each or $10 if he had to lathe some pipe to press them out. He let me keep the lathed pipes for future use.

It took about 5 minutes each too, considering I fussed with one on the radius arm for about 2 hours, before giving up, I thought it was a deal.

Brian

 

[JLS]

Well I got out the bushing in one radius arm and now trying to get it back on the axel and yes it is very tuff. If I loosen everything on the front end, like the other radius arm and pan hard rod will it line up easier? I already tried the shops around for pressing them out and no one will do it. Small town I guess. The way I have been getting the bushing is using a larg chisel, sledge, and flat head screw driver and basically getting a portion of the outer metal pushed into the rubber and then using a large socket and hammering it out. Oh and some penetrating oil too. It is going to be a long project I guess. Thanks guys for your responses but I can't find anyone with a press or someone with a torch either.

 

[dirtyjim]

get you a cheap ball joint press like this or one from snap-on if your loaded.use it with a impact wrench & you'll be done in 5 min.

 

[bri]

get you a cheap ball joint press like this or one from snap-on if your loaded.use it with a impact wrench & you'll be done in 5 min.

You're dreaming to think that will take out bushings that have been in a vehicle for 5-10 years that has seen offroad use. Maybe, maybe not.

That is what I tried first. Then took to one shop and they had the same thing. I gave the guy a Dr Pepper for trying. Then I called around until I found a guy with the right presses.

 

[bri]

Well I got out the bushing in one radius arm and now trying to get it back on the axel and yes it is very tuff. If I loosen everything on the front end, like the other radius arm and pan hard rod will it line up easier? I already tried the shops around for pressing them out and no one will do it. Small town I guess. The way I have been getting the bushing is using a larg chisel, sledge, and flat head screw driver and basically getting a portion of the outer metal pushed into the rubber and then using a large socket and hammering it out. Oh and some penetrating oil too. It is going to be a long project I guess. Thanks guys for your responses but I can't find anyone with a press or someone with a torch either.

Think about taking the parts to someone with a press. Especially if you are doing ALL of the bushings. The rear were much harder on mine.

I put the rear of the radius arm in the hole, couple turns on the nut. Then CAREFULLY used the shop jack to raise it into position, making sure the front and rear of the bushing fit to the axel as I lifted. If I needed to alter the position of the axel I used a ratchet strap, again carefully. I do not know what you have on/off the vehicle or how you have it raised, so I take my words for what they are worth. I did one radius arm at a time with wheels block and ebrake on (if I remember correctly).

 

[Ron]

Air chisel

They will come out.

 

[bri]

Granted, we each have our skills and maybe cutting, torching and chiseling will work and possibly in Parachute CO, there is no nice machinist with a press so you do what you have to do.

I have hear that a bushwacka will get them out easy, but I doubt they would have on mine.

Good luck Jeremy, the polys should at least go in easy.

 

[MUSKYMAN]

press them out/new ones in, anything else is just to much work

listen to this it is the best advice...LOL


the best source for cheap press work is any leaf spring servise center or truck spring center, most have a 100ton press that will do the job in seconds...yes seconds

sorry Ron a air chisel is just hack ...but then again you yourself claimed mucho CB status years ago

Thom

 

[ptschram]

Here's how to do it safely! The press is definitely the way to go, but wihtout a tool like the one pictured on the left, you have the risk of the bushing flying out unrestrained. Also, when assembledfor installation, this tool keeps the bushing straight as you begin to insert it, keeping it from collapsing.

Lastly, if you think you have it bad, the DIIs and P38 radius arm bushings are a major pita, the outside sleeve is plastic!

 

[Lutzgaterr]

I used a Tie-Rod C-clamp set.
A long pipe wrench, strong vise and a little heat, they all popped easily enough, even easier going back in. You can rent these sets from various parts strores.
Also, trick we used was jacking different parts of suspension and that allowed easier alignment when we were reassembling the parts.
I chose the C-clamp route since I could get the job done without having to travel to a shop for their press. It's far more work, but suited my needs at the time.

 

[dirtyjim]

You're dreaming to think that will take out bushings that have been in a vehicle for 5-10 years that has seen offroad use. Maybe, maybe not.

its worked every time i've tried it.did you think i just dreamed it up?if your spacer was too small to catch the metal & only hit rubber it probly wouldn't work very well.use the right size spacer & it will spit the bushing out the other side with no problems.

 

[bri]

May have worked for you, but I watch a HUGE dude attempt using one on my radius arm and the trailing link and it did not even come close. It too a monster press to get them out. Read below.

BTW, no offence intended, its just a waste of time to try to use the wrong to on the wrong job.

Oh, yeah, I'm talking about removing stock bushings, not removing the poly stuff.

 

[dirtyjim]

what was the huge dude using, a box end wrench & a too small spacer?like i said if you use the right size spacer & an impact its not the wrong tool for the wrong job its the perfect tool.after 50 or 60 bushings i know it works ,at least it does for me.
i'm not offended, i've just used that process way to many times to hear it wont work.

 

[ptschram]

Using a junk HF-esque 12-ton press, I spend more time setting up than actually pressing-using the correct tools for the job

I've used the hole saw method. I've used the torch method. I've used the drill lotsa little holes method. The press wins hands down every time.

Oh yeah, the polys aren't really that much easier to install than the stockers.

 

[bri]

This was at a shop that commonly works on F350s the guy tried both a very large impact and then huge dude with a breaker bar which typically is more than an impact will ever do. The spacer was a good size.

I won't argue the point anymore you've had luck with that little tool, I have not. As a result I would not recommend it since it *could* be a waste of time. I also kind of laughed when he brought it out since I had one (borrowed one from autozone) at home and the reason why I brought it to him was cause it would not even budge the bushing.

And those ended up being the easy ones of the bunch.

 

[peter sherman]

I too have done almost every way. I used a setup like PT home made fine thread it worked but my friend has a 40 ton press fucken easy. The hardest part is the setup.
Used the same setup for races in diffs man when they let loose. I use the press when I can.

I know I am bringing the old to new thats what I get