$11 Bushing press

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$11 Bushing press

Postby rocketride » Thu Feb 07, 2008 10:55 pm

I'm going to be putting new bushings in my front control arms and I don't have access to a press so I did a search on the net and found a cheap way out.

1- 2" pipe cap
1- 2" close nipple
1- 1/2" x 12" all-thread
1- 1/2" flat washer
3- 1/2" nuts

$11 at Ace Hardware.

Other pieces I had that will add cost if you don't have them.

1- 1 1/8" socket (fits hole in upper control arm)
1- 1 5/16" socket ( fits hole in lower control arm)
1- 2 1/2" x 3 1/2" piece of pipe ( used on LCA's)
1- can of W-D 40

Drill a 1/2" hole in the center of the pipe cap so you can run the all-thread through it. Screw the close nipple into the cap then put 1 nut on the cap side of the all-thread and run it through the control arm then use the socket on the inside of the control arm then the flat washer then double nut it. Slip the close nipple into the 2 1/2" pipe for lower arms.
Spray the bushings down around the control arm holes with W-D 40 Then use an impact or ratchet with a deep 3/4" socket on the cap side to pull the socket into the back side of the bushing forcing it out. It took a little while with my 15 gal. compressor waiting for the pressure to build up every so often but they popped right out.

Now they're ready for blast and paint.

Jon
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Postby heinz057 » Thu Feb 07, 2008 11:04 pm

put the bushings in the freezer for like 20 min.and you won't need a press
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Postby SunbirdMan » Fri Feb 08, 2008 1:14 am

Its been a long time ago, but i remember doing something like that with a 2" short nipple and a big c-clamp.
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Postby ColinOpseth » Fri Feb 08, 2008 1:42 am

I built the same thing. Freezed the piss out of the bushings and they went in like butter with the press.
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Postby greg72 » Fri Feb 08, 2008 11:00 am

I am thinking this should go in the Best Of forum category.


Between the homemade press and the tip about freezing the bushing this is invaluable info for anyone changing bushings.
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Postby rocketride » Fri Feb 08, 2008 8:20 pm

Thanks for the heads-up on freezing the new bushings before installation.

Jon
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Postby starfire383 » Tue Feb 12, 2008 6:38 pm

Neat tip. Here's another, if you have an air chisel, use it with the hammer bit and it may pop the bushing right out. Doesn't work for installation, but decent otherwise.
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Postby spyder_xlch » Tue Feb 12, 2008 8:53 pm

Man, those upper arms look so wimpy with the bushing removed. Where the bushing goes. Almost looks like they'd flex when hard cornering.
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Postby gt350fme » Tue Feb 12, 2008 10:24 pm

I thought that UCAs were wimpy too, SO we made them better, but heavier. Used an all thread bushing installer similar to the one discussed above, worked marvelous.
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Postby spyder_xlch » Wed Feb 13, 2008 7:02 am

That looks much better.
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