I was wondering if there are any special tools to use to remove and install bushings on our cars.

I was interested if there was a tool like the Trailing Arm bushing extractor tool but for the control arms instead.

My cousin and I are trying to do this with both our cars (95 Civic and 01 ITR) so any tools that could speed up the process would be a great help.

I've looked into a 20 ton press but I was just wondering if there was any other tool for this job.

 

Somebody did their front lower A arms using some sort of tool that looked like a C-clamp. The thread is somewhere here in the suspension forum... That was for installing the new bushings only, though. Without a press, you'll have to do something like burning/tearing the old rubber bushings and using a hack saw to remove the outer metal sleeves.

 

I have a thread where the guy used. 2 square plates, 1/4 in thick. 1 hole drilled in the center of each plate.
1 long bolt, with 1 nut.

The bolt was welded to one plate (not reqired to be welded though).

What he did was place a plate on each side of the part with a bushing in the middle and tighen it down untill it goes in.

It would look like this.
Plate-lca-bushing-plate-nut.

Burn the old bushing out, well becuase playing with fire is fun

I belive there is also a metal ring from the bushing that is left in the lca. You would need to get it out.

 

I saw the DIY with the fire and I figured that would take some time to burn out all the bushings for two cars.

I do like that plate/nut method of installing the bushing.

So without a press, there isn't a specialty tool for bushings for this type of job?

Maybe I might invest in a press if it can save us some time.

 

Paitence maybe. lol

I have been looking around for diy's lately, and I have noticed any special tools.

The presss sold at harbor freight really aren't to expensvie. My dad picked up a 20 ton, for $130. It may have been on sale though.

 

That cheap-o press sucks. It takes longer to align things straight than you could do the entire job on a decent press.

All you need is a good variation of socket sizes and a press. The better the press, the easier the entire job.

 

I have a 20 ton press currently and still had to use a cheap propane torch to burn the rubber then use vice grips to pull out the insert in the bushing after it got so hot.

Then had to hack saw the outer sleeve as them being so old (91 civic sedan) they were too rusted to press.

After I hacked most of the way threw the bushings then a chisel and hammer. Followed by a press.

I drilled holes into each control arm and installed grease zerks and drilled threw the bushing so grease could get to the sleeve. The smallest zerks and drill bit i could find.

Reinstalling is ridiculous easy.

 

Sounds like you're talking about installing polyurethane bushings. Reinstalling new rubber bushings probably isn't so easy.

 

How come you still needed to torch it even with a press? Was it just too rusted to press out?

I'm going to be using either the Hard Race or PIC bushing kit, so they will definetly rubber.

I'm probably going to need a press or that plate/bolt sandwich combo.

Does anyone happen to know the diameter of these bushings?

 

They all vary.