Trying to install some es bushings and wondering how you guys remove the original bushings form the front lca? I have a press but it is only pushing the inner sleeve out. I need some ideas. How do you get the outer sleeve out that goes around the bushing? Thx in advance!
either press it out or torch it till the rubber burns out and with a hacksaw, carefully saw the outer piece out
i am having the same problem an it sucks i tried burning it for 5 min an it didnt do crap
what I did was use an extra socket i had lying around that was about the same size as the bushings sleeve and pressed it out that way
Will have to try finding the right size socket. I used a recipricol saw and it did nothing but make it worse. Every other socket I have around the house just press the inner sleeve and rubber out. The wheel bearing was easier to change for some reason.
I hear you I have tried an it feels like mine must be rusted in there
I actually made a trip to harbor frieght with my lower control arm to try and find some cheap impact sockets that would fit. I can’t remember exactly what size socket it was but the set wasn’t expensive. Once you find that size it will pop right out
Very common issues, pretty much everyone has those problems unless you have a good press with a bunch of different sized dies. My method:
-
Use socket or extra metal or whatever you have laying around that fits as best as possible. Typically you’ll only be able to press out the center metal piece and some of the rubber
-
Put the lca in a vice, use a hacksaw to cut the outer metal sleeve. Be careful and cut the sleeve evenly. You want to cut only the sleeve and not the lca. Inevitably you’ll cut into the lca a tiny bit but just do so as little as possible.
-
Once the sleeve has been cut it still may not want to come out very easily. Use a chisel, screwdriver, prybar… and a hammer to tap the sleeve inward. Try to tap it right where you cut it, try to get that saw cut gap to disappear, that way the sleeve will peel away from the inside of the lca.
-
Use some medium grit sandpaper to smooth out the inside of the lca to remove any debris, rust, or edges from the saw.
Overall it’s a pretty lame process if you don’t have the right tools, but it’s well worth all the effort. A full set of new bushings is the first thing I’d do if I was getting a new DA (don’t forget the trailing arm bushings!).
Were can I buy dies for a press as i have a 12 ton press an the sockets I have are not doing it unless someone know what two sizes we need to do it?
is a good place for cheap sockets and parts
this is what i got
http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/displayitem.taf?Itemnumber=7383
i use colin’s method. works very well and goes very quick. if you want to go even quicker instead of a hammer and punch you can use an air chisel and the outer sleeve pop’s right out. unless you have the PERFECT size dies for your press it’s very hard to press it out because the outer sleeve is so thin and the odd shape of the control arms.
[QUOTE=Colin;2117093]Very common issues, pretty much everyone has those problems unless you have a good press with a bunch of different sized dies. My method:
-
Use socket or extra metal or whatever you have laying around that fits as best as possible. Typically you’ll only be able to press out the center metal piece and some of the rubber
-
Put the lca in a vice, use a hacksaw to cut the outer metal sleeve. Be careful and cut the sleeve evenly. You want to cut only the sleeve and not the lca. Inevitably you’ll cut into the lca a tiny bit but just do so as little as possible.
-
Once the sleeve has been cut it still may not want to come out very easily. Use a chisel, screwdriver, prybar… and a hammer to tap the sleeve inward. Try to tap it right where you cut it, try to get that saw cut gap to disappear, that way the sleeve will peel away from the inside of the lca.
-
Use some medium grit sandpaper to smooth out the inside of the lca to remove any debris, rust, or edges from the saw.
Overall it’s a pretty lame process if you don’t have the right tools, but it’s well worth all the effort. A full set of new bushings is the first thing I’d do if I was getting a new DA (don’t forget the trailing arm bushings!).[/QUOTE]
x2…best and cheapest way to do it
:werd:i need to do my bushings soon
Got the right size socket and got 1 out. 3 more to go!
Took mine to a local machine shop…$5 per LCA later and my fronts/rears were hot-tanked and packed with Prothane bushings. :rockon:
thats not a bad deal.
A suggestion for those of you trying to burn out the bushing, even thought I would recomend using a press, I have had to do this before and I found if you take a smaller drill bit(IE 1/8") and just go around the bushing and put 9-10+ holes in the rubber, then torch it. every once in a while take a screw driver and scrape out the disintegrated rubber. before you even get all the way threw the rubber you should be able to pound it out with a 4lb sledge and an appropriate socket. made the whole job a lot easier for me:up:
I just put the LCA on two blocks laying around. put a metal bar kinda like a chissel right on the outter ring of the bushing. then just hit it with a sledge hammer. popped right out after a couple hits. used the same method to get the new ones in. took 5 minutes and no buying extra tools or trips anywhere