Control arm bushing removal

[pontiacgp]

If you want to press them in get some dry ice and put the bushings in the dry ice for 20-30 minutes, they should drop in alot easier. You can leave them in freezer overnite but that doesn't work as good as the dry ice

 

[KCP]

I put my front bushings in the freezer @-27°C for 12 hours. They dropped in with nearly no force applied. To get the old ones out, I use a 12t hydraulic shop press and sleeves to help against crushing the control arms.

 

[tc1959]

I've always just used my air chisel.

 

[Tomeal]

I used sockets to stop it from crushing. Isn't the greatest idea, but I got lots of sockets.

 

[Texas82GP]

I don't know if it would work on the rears, but on my fronts, I heated the rubber with a propane torch until I could push it out with a drift. Then I pushed out the shells with a hammer and cold chisel. It was hard work, but no damage.

 

[84dragcutlass]

Working on getting one of the upper arms bent back into shape currently (my fault) i havent touched the lower rear arms yet, pressing them in shouldnt be an issue i currently have the bushings in the freezer. If the lowers dont react well to the pipe around the bushing trick ill just chisel the shell out because hammering these things back into shape is probably taking longer than removing a shell

 

[L92 OLDS]

I just replaced lower control arm bushings on my truck. I rented the correct tool from Auto Zone which includes all the right sleeves needed to remove and install without damage. You buy the tool and get reimbursed 100% when you return it.

 

[ssn696]

I cut small pieces of 2" angle iron wrapped around the bushing and used a shop press to push them out.

 

[PBGBodyFan]

I've done them on the rear upper arms a couple times. A combination of drilling holes into the rubber (for the rear end bushings for sure) and tossing the arms into the oven or some heat source to pound them out. To install, freezing and some oil with sturdy hits using a BFH got them back in place, no special tools here. Not that it wouldn't of been a good choice, it's do-able without.

 

[69hurstolds]

I got NOS control arm set. And they come with bushings pre-installed.

Except there's kind of an issue- one of the LCA's has those "ventilated" bushings. You know, the ones that have air gap holes in the rubber part. WTF were they thinking. So all the bushings will be removed and I've got several Camaro 1LE bushings ready to replace them with. I may not, though, and just replace the bushings on the original upper and lower arms. Have to wait and see.