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Old 03-24-2010, 03:35 PM
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Hank70SS Hank70SS is offline
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Default Removing Bushings From Rear Housing

I'm sure a lot of you have done this and there are a number of good methods. Tom Lowe posted some good videos on You Tube on how he removes and installs them but that is with the housing on a bench. My axle is still in the car, so for anyone that hasn't done it here is the method I just used.

Obviously raise the car and place a couple of jack stands under the frame in front of rear axle. I threw a couple out back closer to the rear bumber because I'm not strong enough to lift the car off me if it falls. Remove the rear wheels and disconnect the rear shocks, support the axle under the housing with a floor jack. After the shocks are off you can lower the axle down to provide more room.

Remove the upper control arm from housing, then you might be able to push that side of the axle down enough to remove the spring and get it out of your way. I borrowed Tom Lowes trick for removing the rubber with a drill. Tom used a 1/2" drill motor and around a 7/16" bit. I found that size bit to be too big. You really need a good grip on the drill and that's hard laying on the floor under the car. I used a 1/4" bit, at slow speed walk the bit around the outside edge between the shell and the rubber. The bit will grab and walk itself down in between the shell and the rubber. Just keep working it around slowly and the rubber will eventually pop out.

Next is removing the shell from the housing. Guy's have used a lot of homemade tools that work well. I used a ball joint press, you can usually borrow them from your local parts store. The plate that fits in the clamp is too big around to fit in on the back side so I used a piece of flat stock a little wider than the bushing shell.

Before you start pressing it out you need to cut the shell, the part that is pushed through the housing. Cutoff wheel, hacksaw, sawsall, etc. Try to make two cuts from the outer edge down to the housing, 180* apart. Then squeeze the pieces together or smack them with a hammer. The press will only push the shell until it's flush with the housing. At that point you still have a 1/2" left before it's out. Without the cuts it will still be tight and a bear to get out. With cuts it will be loose at that point and should come right out.

Next is installing the new ones. First I have to buy a piece of pipe to use in the press. It's my cousins press and he doesn't have an adapter the right size for installing the new bushing. I'll let you know how that goes later.
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