Just wanted to let all you guys know that there is an affordable tool that will help you install your suspension bushings like butter. Only $31 shipped from JDWhitney. Hope this helps and encourages those who are intimidated by the process of replacing bushings.

The only other problem I could see is if your bolts are frozen to sleeves inside the old bushings. I found a grinder ($8) from the flee market that will cut thru those with no problem and just replace new bolts when installing.

 

have you actually used that yet?

ive seen and considered that before, but im not confident youll get enough force to press out a rusty bushing with that. id like to hear your experience with it.


Modified by Tyson at 2:01 PM 2/1/2006

 

I am curious myself, but there are other ways to get them out, this is really to get the new ones in.

 

let us know. if that works.. it will save a lot of money

 

Just bought one myself. Will have to put some hotwheels under there and see what it does. I have always liked to smash up my hotwheels, its great fun

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by Tyson &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">have you actually used that yet?

ive seen and considered that before, but im not confident youll get enough force to press out a rusty bushing with that. id like to hear your experience with it.
</TD></TR></TABLE>

i'm going to bet that there is no f'in way will that press OUT a ten year old bushing. i have a 50t hydraulic that still hops and pops when it gets tough, and i've had a 20t struggle a lot more. still curios to watch you try.

 

yeah, the bare minimum I have gotten away with is the 20ton (scary as hell the first time, will all the flexing and bouncing). You can help yourself out a little bit by putting your bushings in a cooler with some dry ice and the arms in the sun or barely warm oven, goes together a little easier.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by bspeed &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">yeah, the bare minimum I have gotten away with is the 20ton (scary as hell the first time, will all the flexing and bouncing). You can help yourself out a little bit by putting your bushings in a cooler with some dry ice and the arms in the sun or barely warm oven, goes together a little easier.</TD></TR></TABLE>

ha, i put a craftsman socket through 2 layers of drywall when the spacer popped out the first time i did it

 

yeah flying spacers are teh scary!

 

heh. yeah.

so i want to hear how it goes trying to use this thing.

 

I don't see why you couldn't use a combination of burning, cutting, and that press. I just burned and cut, and usually 2 cuts close to each other was enough to pound out (if they didn't cut 100% though).

 

That was my thoughts when I purchased it, the bushings just came in from ES, so all I am waiting on is the Koni's to show up, so I can kill two birds with one stone.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by HiProfile &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">I don't see why you couldn't use a combination of burning, cutting, and that press. I just burned and cut, and usually 2 cuts close to each other was enough to pound out (if they didn't cut 100% though).</TD></TR></TABLE>

well, YOU could, but my busy beer drinking schedule only allows me to spend 15 or so minutes per arm on bushing installs.

i've done bushings the hard way. not worth the hassle unless you really don't have an alternative imho. but if yer just doing one or two...

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by rsca_crx &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">

well, YOU could, but my busy beer drinking schedule only allows me to spend 15 or so minutes per arm on bushing installs.

i've done bushings the hard way. not worth the hassle unless you really don't have an alternative imho. but if yer just doing one or two...</TD></TR></TABLE>

That is why you buy all the controlt arms from the junkyard, then you can clean 'em put the new bushings in and even paint them if you like then install it all in one day!

 

even cleaning them (i mean ny rust cleaning) only took two beers and 30 mins in the auto-turn bead blaster .

 

I'm thinking that arbor press will work well to press old bushings out if you put some heat on the bushing sleeve and then press it out, but not burn completely the rubber out.

You think this will do wheel bearings too if the knuckle fits?

Maybe i will buy one and find out. I can't fit a 20 ton or more shop press in my garage, nor my buddy's garage. I wish i could find a mechanical press instead of a hydraulic one.

 

I would just recommend to use a 20 ton press it always works