Hello everyone,

I am quite the nooblet when it comes to cars, so I have a few noobish questions to ask about suspension. I plan on replacing my rear trailing arm bushings for my 96 civic DX and have been researching the subject over the net for the past two weeks in order to get it right. The conclusion I have come to is that one either has to use the Bushing Extractor Tool (which doesn’t seem to be up for loan anymore), or, remove the trailing arm so you can press/hammer/drill/cut/murder the bushing(s) out and press the new ones in.

My questions are as follows: To remove the trailing arm, will I have to detach the break line, or is there another option? What bolts are the best to remove to finally disconnect the rear trailing arm? I understand if you remove the toe bolt, you must put it back in the same exact spot otherwise you mess up the alignment. Could one then just disconnect the bolt that connects the trailing arm to the compensator arm instead? After removing the trailing arm, won’t I have to get an alignment regardless?

Any advice, hints, tips, and/or tricks would be much appreciated. I have been a lurker here for the last two months before I registered and have to say that this is a great community.

 

Its pretty simple.
Step:
1. Remove your wheel (19mm)
2. Remove the two bolts that hold your upper control arm (14mm)
3. Remove the two bolts that hold your rear bushing (17mm)
4. Optional!! Remove your sway bar end links that bolt onto your LCA If you have them.Then remove you lca from the chassis 14mm
5. Then tip your radius arm i guess you call it, down enogh so you can clear your rocker.Then use a brass hammer beat one out and beat another in.Make sure you look at how far the previous bushing is in before you remove it.I ran into some trouble and mine was a bit off.Make sure you put some "neverseize",on your (17mm) bolts that hold the bushing on.Just to be on the safe side.Hope this helps.Also i didnt remove my break line either!!

 

if your a nub, **** even if your not, dont try to do the bushings yourself. i just did mine and i found a shop that pressed them for 20 bucks. shop around, because i got a quote for 16 a side from a machine shop, and honda wanted 115 to press them lololol.

 

you'll never ever learn if you do not try. Diffuculty level 4/10

 

Rock on guys! Thanks for the help.

 

@cjw 89

After removing the LCA bolts, UCA bolts, and bushing bolts, and moving the radius arm down, do you think there would be enough clearance for me to hit the bushing with a hammer while the car is on jack stands? It seems that there may not be enough room.

 

Yes there is I did both sides this way and was done in a hour with both sides .....if you need the press tool I have one I might part with ....

Good luck

 

Take the trailing arm off and take it to a shop with a press. Also, you don't run the risk of bashing it up with a hammer and save yourself the hassle.

 

To take the railing arm off, would I have to disconnect the break line? Also, what is the price range of having a shop press them out and in?

 

You don't have to remove the brake line just lie it on the ground and tap it on all 4 sides a few times and it will pop right out .

There not pressed that tight just enough to hold em in place the bolts will do the rest .

 

get the honda rear trailing arm tool and u dont even have to take anything apart... i mean the tool is like 150.00 but it well worth it

 

How do you confuse a newfie.Put im in a round room with a shovel and tell him to lay it in the corner. LMAO. Its rounds silly it don't have sides.Just yanking your chain.Anyone to buy a $150 tool for the sake of 2 hours work is a fool.Get a brass hammer/even a peice of hard wood with a hammer.

If you decide to remove your whole arm watch out for the very front control arm i guess you call it.They seize BADD,then your looking for trouble.!!!

 

lol I didn't realize I even said that what I mean was tap it in a circle and back and forth and so on ....

But I tryed the block trick and I couldn't get the damn thing to go strait so I did buy the tool but it was only 85$ o well ..I probably could have done it with the block if I took it off the car but It looked like I would have had to pull the drum and every time I've done that I get a lap full of springs lol .

 

Hahahaha pencils have erasers for a reason.There has to be someone here that removed them from thier car without a tool,or actually removing the arm from the car.I highly recommend you dont remove the complete arm from your car.Unless you have access to some oxyacetelene and money for new adjustin arms(ill call em that this time).


My bushings were TOAST,combined with nfld rust i gave it the hammer and screw driver treatment first and folded a peice back to relieve some tension.Then bet them out.It can be done with a long beating bar so to speak and a hammer.

 

spending 150 on a one time use tool is freakin retarded, its easy to take the whole thing off and bring it somewhere and save yourself 100 bucks and a lot of hassle.

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hPTDzrxqoOo

 

Just do like i stated above.Maybe he has on a low budget.I have a mind to trip down my car to do a "diy" it is so simple a caveman can do it.If you can swing a hammer go for it.Save yourself from bleeding breaks and possibly twisting off bolts and go the easy route.Man this thread is causing all kinds of controversy.But all things aside it is a very simple 2-3 hour job while sipping on a few.