Hey all,
I've got all the suspension arms and links out of my '84 -SE and I'm ready to start removing the old bushings. I was working on this today and I had tried pressing the old bushings out on the press, and then burning the rest of the rubber out with a torch, but theres got to be an easier and safer way. This process will take forever and I don't really want to inhale burning rubber fumes or risk blowing myself up.

So how did you guys do it?

The arms are also coated with 23 years worth of crap and undercoating that I'd like to remove also, so if you've got an idea on how to remove EVERYTHING and leave only bare metal, please share. I was thinking about calling a place that specializes in acid dipping. I bet that would work well, but I'd be afraid of eroding the metal. Maybe I should bring the parts to the heavy truck shop up the road and see if they've got something I could use.

Anyways, thanks in advance for the help!

 

I've always heard of burning out the old bushings.

 

yes it takes time and some rubber inhalation but that how you get er done.

 

One of those rotary tools might be able to saw it off too.

 

I don't know if it will work, I used a Jaw puller to remove the bushing on the control arm.

 

Drill em out with some dull drill bits!

if you can work the drillbit around the circumference of the bushing, it loosens up enough to pop out, seems like the safest easiest and healthiest way of going about it.

As for cleaning up the rest, a wire wheel in a drill or drillpress works excelently.

 

Light a fire on the grill. Place piece in fire. Watch while rubber burns out in less than a minute. I love the smell of burning rubber in the morning....

 

Are you thinking what I'm thinking?

Home-Made flamethrower?

 

Burned mine out with a torch. Then used a wire wheel on a drill to get the rest of it cleaned out. Worked quite well. It's gonna take a long time though, so might as well find a comfy way to sit while you are doing it.

 

I'd say follow Kentetsu's plan and then take them to get sandblasted. A little POR 15 To keep them rust free and your on your way.

 

I burnt mine out with an oxyacetylene torch. Don't breathe the fumes, and work in a well ventilated area. Make sure that you have something to catch them in when they fall out. If you like to keep your garage/work area neat, I would definitely recommend putting a metal bucket under them while you heat them. When they come out they are usually on fire and are dripping black tarry crap everywhere. The first one that I burnt out slid out of the control arm and bounced across the floor on fire. Not very safe to say the least. Then on top of that it left black sticky residue all over the floor that doesn't come off for anything. It basically made an annoying mess, that I could've easily prevented if I were doing it again.

Jamie

 

jaw puller perfect and quick.Aslo drilling it out will work (as mentioned). just use washer or something if rod does not grab the rubber. i would not burn- its toxic and can pull layer of your skin if dripped (be kind to your neighboors)

 

I have read about this, but never tried it myself... Pack the ends in dry ice and wait until they're frozen. When the rubber is hard you supposedly can drill through it just like wood. Make 5 or 6 holes and then whack the center out with a hammer. Re-freeze and the remaining bits should just chip out easily. I seems worth a try.

 

Blow torch worked for me. Kind of messy.

 

Recap:
I pressed the bushings out of the 4 rear control links (2 short upper and 2 long lower) and then had a hell of a time removing the remaining rubber that was stuck to the metal cylinder that holds the bushing. I ultimately ended up running a 1.75" hole saw through to clean/scrape/cut the crap off. This worked well, but not as well as what I did for the Watts linkage.

For the Watts linkage (arms and pivot), I ended up using a propane torch to heat the outside circumference of the metal cylinder. I didn't heat the bushing directly. This proved to be the best method, as it simply burned up the rubber that was bonded to the metal, which enabled me to use a screw driver to press the burning bushing out. The bore that the bushing sat in was almost completely clean and didn't require further work, like the other control arms that I pressed the bushings out of.

Point of the story: Heat the metal that the bushing is bonded to, not the bushing itself, and they will pop right out.

I'll post pics of the completed arms tomorrow.

 

Question----and no I don't know the answer. Are the suspension arms damaged in any way by the application of heat? Does it affect any stress relieving done in the factory? Will they subsequently be weeker than before?

 

In theory its probably possible, but I think most people on here use the torch method to remove bushings and no one has ever had a problem, I've done it at least 4 different FB's and never had a problem....

 

Thanks for that 82. If it's worked on 4 cars it ain't a problem.

 

If you don't have access to an oxy I used the drill bit method, drill through the rubber then allow the bit to run around the center, it will willing go one way, therefore cutting out the rubber, I then used a wire brush bit to clean the opening of debris.

 

A MAPP gas torch will work nicely as well, they get nice a hot!

 

if you go to the hardware store, they have a drill bit that you can move sideways, sorta like a drill bit with the side. Just clamp them on the vise and drill all around. scrape the rest with a wire brush or anything else you have around.