I know I can't do it justice but I used a bolt through the center. I put large fender washers on the bushing and a PVC reducer pipe fitting around the bushing on the other side. A piece of steel (an old edger blade) more washers and the nut.

Use the nut to pull the bolt ....

I stipped a couple of the course thread bolts - 3/8 or 7/16" you might do better with finer thread bolts or threaded rod.

 

I just did that this afternoon! I was getting a squeaking sound from the poly bushings whenever going over bumps.

All I did was put one end at a time in a vise with soft jaws (so as not to damage the powdercoating). next I took an extension bar for a 3/8" ratchet and used the large end (which is the right diameter) againt the steel bushing. I then tapped it out with a rubber hammer to not damage the extension. Once the steel bushung is out the poly pieces come out pretty easy. There are 2 outer bushings, and a spacer piece in the middle.

To reinstall them, I just tapped the bushings back in place with a rubber hammer against a block of wood on the opposite side. Then start the steel bushing in the hole, and press it in the rest of the way in between the vice jaws.

[ September 14, 2003, 10:56 PM: Message edited by: B+L FFR 1686 ]

 

Sort ofa different twist on the subject, FFR only sent me two bolts for the tubular control arms, 12mm, well I thought they should be 1/2" grade 8 so I drilled out the bushings, not a problem tho' the bushings wanted to come out while drilling, guess they should be easy to remove.

 

Thanks for the ideas. What did you guys use to grind the bushings down? Did you use a grinder or a sanding block or something else? Thanks.
J_B

 

I mounted them on a mandrel and tried to turn them on my lathe, but the material has way too much compliance for that regardles of the different tool bits that I experimented with. I ended up just using a new razor blade to cafefully slice the material that I wanted to remove. Keep in mind that the way they are designed, the grease expands the outer bushings like a piston in a brake caliper, so be caeful not to over pump the grease - it doesn't squeeze out like it does with dust boots!

Brian