Tips for installing new rear bushings

Discussion in 'Got gears?' started by RogerZ, Sep 9, 2004.

  1. RogerZ

    RogerZ Well-Known Member

    I am going to tackle putting in new bushing for the rear end
    the 2 lower support bars should be easy
    I am guessing on the 2 top bars I should do one at a time and have the rear end floating and maybe jack in-between to take pressure off the bar to remove it and reinstall it
    Since the bars are "U" shaped I may need to put some shims in between so as not to collapse the bar
    I dont have access to a hydraulic press so I will have to use either a large vice, large C-clamp or a ball joint press.
    I was also told I could hammer them in using a large mallet with a large socket so as not to push on the center sleave or the rubber
    The bushings I got at Auto Zone for $4.95 each Perfect Circle FB-254 with rubber instead of hard poly material
    I hope the ride will improve when I am finished
     
  2. Murphy

    Murphy Just Getting Started

    I just replaced all mine this spring. The press didn't help too much, it had way too much pressure. It has a very large hydraulic cylinder to operate the press. It would bend the arms too easy. I also tried the hammer method, but the same results. I ended up using a large vise with some different size sockets. I had 2 large sockets to put on either end of the bushing, and a few small ones to put in different spots in the arms to keep them from colapsing. It takes time, but not real hard to do. That way you can also keep an eye on how the arm is handling the pressure. If it starts to bend, you can move things around for the pressure. Hope this helps.
    Dan:3gears:
     
  3. RogerZ

    RogerZ Well-Known Member

    How did you do the top bushings?

    I could not replace the lower control arm bushings because I did not have the room or tork to loosen the bolts
    I tried a breaker bar and a floor jack and the breaker bar just bowed and would not break the bolt loose
    I will take the wagon over to work and try loosening them with a large impact and 160 psi of air pressure!
    Did you do the upper bushings? And if so how do you take the pressure off those arms so you can get the arms in and out with out allot of prying and pounding?
     
  4. Murphy

    Murphy Just Getting Started

    I replaced all the front and rear bushings in the car. When I did the rear, I took the rear end out completely because I was also putting in new springs, shocks and doing some repair work to the body above the rear end. The hardest ones are the ones that go into the rear end itself. They are hard to do, but it does help to freeze them. Them go in easier. I had the luxury of dipping them into liquid nitrogen to really freeze them :Brow: , but then they were very cold to handle. I hope this helps.
    Dan :3gears:
     
  5. RogerZ

    RogerZ Well-Known Member

    I was hoping for a easy way to do all of them without paying someone or having to drop the axle
    I think I will just do the lowers since they should be easy to do then look around for a shop to do the uppers at a reasonable price

    I dont think I will have the wagon past this year, I hate to sell it because it was my late fathers pride and joy, but its getting hard to work on it when you dont have the room or time
     
  6. TimR

    TimR Nutcase at large

    You should be able to do the upper arms as well...just do one at a time. Do the lowers one at a time, put them back in, then take out one upper and do that, and then repeat. A jack under the whole mess will support it too. Or if the lower are already out, you can lower the rear diff down and then have it sitting on jackstands or on boxes or whatever. You will want to make sure it is blocked front and aft so it won't try to rotate when you go to remove the one arm.

    I used a large vise, some sockets and also some electrical conduit connectors for the really large stuff. If you have time, spray penetrant on all the bushings, it will help. I also drilled out the rubber with a large drillbit, that takes some pressure off the outside of the bushing, making it easier to remove them. They can be a bitch!!! I also used a small amount of anti seize to help insert the new bushings, just make sure they start straight. It will make it easeir if you chill the bushings in the freezer for a few hours, and put the arms in the sun....they will go in easy....

    To prevent the arms themselves from collapsing, I used a 2x4, cut a hole in the middle large enought o fgit a bushing through, then cut it in half. Now you have two pieces with a half circle cut out, you can position these around the bushing between the sides of the arms to support them. They are also soft enough that paint etc won't get hurt.

    You can see some pics and more info at:

    http://members.shaw.ca/orangecrush/chassis.html

    later
    Tim
     
  7. 8587GN

    8587GN Well-Known Member

    To do the upper bushings on the "ears" of the rearend,get the tool HR Parts&Stuff makes,It makes changing the bushings go easy. No hammers,etc,just a ratchet and the tool they make. The tool also has other uses,I used it for the swaybar bushings on my Ford work van.
     

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