Replacing Trailing Arm Bushings

**velocedoc** · #1 (**permalink**) 09-24-2006, 07:15 PM

I have laying around here 2 sets of trailing arms the need new bushings. In a box of spares I have new rubber bushings to put in as well as a set of poly bushings. I also have a 20 ton press to do the job.

It is time to clean up the mess and get these on the shelf ready to install on a car. How do I get the old bushings out and the new ones in with out destroying the arm. I know they are fragile and will bend when put on a press. Is there a simple tool that can be frabricated to do the job?

BTW...I have tried to drill out the rubber. Stinks! Thought about burning them out but we are under a red flag order to have no open flames outside of any kind (don't think the neighbors would appreciate the burning smell either).

Any advice is helpful.

1166 · #2 (**permalink**) 09-24-2006, 08:11 PM

You can press them out but you must support the 'tube' the bushing is in, not the arm. It is fairly simple to make up both on a lathe with some scrap steel. I will say that most of the time, they are really stuck (I' in the northeast) so I fire up the big torch and heat the outside of the 'tube' until the bushing is on fire and bubbling (the rubber must be all melted so they slide out), them push the rubber slug out with a large screwdriver. It takes about 1-2 minutes each, them hacksaw through the shell that is left. Oh, and don't forget to push the burning bushings out into something like a pail of water you don't want, burning rubber can make a rather nasty mess...and don't position yourself downwind...

**Tifosi** · #3 (**permalink**) 09-25-2006, 12:57 AM

@ 1166: But fire is out

(though it really does work well just as you describe)

@ velocedoc: As you've got a press all that should be neccisary is a decent selection of large sockets, you can use one as a drift and a bit of steel tubing as an anvil and shove the old ones right out.

Make sure it's a close fit on the anvil tube as if you go too large you may wrinkle the arm.

The stock style bushes will need to be pressed in but the poly ones (if they are of the no sleeve two part w/seperate center tube) slip in with finger pressure. (put the bushes in first then drive or press the center tube through. Make sure you use the lube that hopefully came with them or they'll squeek like no tommorow)