controle arm bushings, how do i remove the old ones?

[v8power]

would i need a special tool to remove my front control arm bushings? and the same question goes for the install of the new ones too. another question is how do i remove my old ball joints? i am a engine guy, so do not have allot of experience with this sort of stuff. thanks.

 

[fodoimp]

removal depends on how bad they are. If the rubber is really bad you can melt it out and press out the sleeves. You should have a shop press handy for removal and install. but sometimes you can get away with a vise and some old sockets you dont care about too much and press them out that way. I blew out a craftsman vise that way so be careful.

Ball joints you can grind off the rivet heads and drill out the excess being careful to retain the original hole size so the new ones dont bolt in sloppy.

Any way you do it the bushings are a pain in the *ss. Ball joints are generally pretty easy.

 

[mbartell]

I was shown at a shop the quick way to get the bushings out- they took out the bolts and used an air hammmer to drive the old bushings out. You obvously don't want to use a sharp bit, but you don't have to remove the arms from the car, and it's really quick.
They didn't say how they drove the new ones in, but I imagine it'd be the same, just use the old bushing shells to protect the new ones.
But, a press is "the right way".

 

[bustedknuckles]

I had just finished putting in my new energy suspension bushings in both upper control arms last week. I took a 1/8 or 3/16 drill bit (dont remember off hand?) and drilled out the old rubber bushing until the center sleeve falls out and then pulled everything else out till the only thing left is the outer sleve that is pressed into the arm. Then took it to the bench vise and crushed the outer sleeve till it came out. It took a bit of patience but it worked. To get them in I put the new bushings in the freezer for about a week and then one by one took them out and beat them in with a rubber mallet. Takes a few good wacks but it worked. The side with the shaft coming through i used a deep well socket to beat it in. I had problems with one of them. After freezing it a couple of times and trying to hit it in still wouldnt go in so i took a torch and heated the control arm up and froze the bushing and it went in. Beats the 150$ the shops around here wanted to press them out and the new ones in. Dont heat the control arm till its red hot as that will weaken the metal and possibly warp your control arm. Just get it nice and warm A press would definately be alot easier and the "right way" but I dont have tons of cash laying around.