Polybush Kit Install???

[JLS]

Hello all! I bought the blue polybush kit and attempted to install them but realized that I could not get the front control arms down with the tie rod, steering rod in place. I unbolted the castle nut on the base of the arm on the outer hub but the tie rod end will not budge at all. Do you guys, and girls, have any suggestions or secrets to getting it loose so I can pull the steering rod off intact?

Thanks in advance,
Jeremy Sebestyen
Parachute, CO

 

[bri]

Technically a ball joint puller is needed. You can rent or buy the LR special tool.

However I have had success tapping where the ball joint mounts to the wheel. Use a decent size hammer, like 2 lb hammer. I do nto hit it real hard, just a good tap. The vibrations will pop out the ball joint.

BTW, if you have LR bushings in there, i.e. stock, they can be a real bugger to get out.

 

[JLS]

Thats what I have heard. A few of them, like the pan hard bushing took like 15 tons of pressure to pop those out. Thats what they said in the instructions but I will probably use a torch for those type of bushings. Most of them are going to be fairly easy. Thanks, I tried using a mallet to no avail. I also tried to put my bottle jack below it at the correct angle to see if it could budge it but that too did not work.

 

[PHARAOHDISCO]

Like Brian said, I also tapped them with a heavy hammer. Should take about 4 well directed strokes and they pop out.

 

[bri]

Thats what I have heard. A few of them, like the pan hard bushing took like 15 tons of pressure to pop those out. Thats what they said in the instructions but I will probably use a torch for those type of bushings. Most of them are going to be fairly easy. Thanks, I tried using a mallet to no avail. I also tried to put my bottle jack below it at the correct angle to see if it could budge it but that too did not work.

Keep tapping, it should work. First time it might take a bit.

The Torch will take out the inner metal sleeve and the rubber. Then you will have to cut the outer metal. Some of the smaller ones will be a pain. I found a machine shop where they could press them out for me. Some of them really took a whopper of a press. The worst in my case were the trailing link bushings.

 

[Steve83]

I've never wasted the time on using a separator - I always just smack it with a hammer. Put a little anti-sieze on the taper before reassembly.

 

[AlanB]

You can also use the torch to carefully cut out a strip of the outer metal bushing sleeve, then use an air chisel to drive it out.

 

[JLS]

Thanks guys. The local Car Quest has a press that will hopefully be able to get the bushing I can't.