need RX7

iTrader: (4)

I'm in the middle of replacing the rear control arm bushings. They're OEM rubber ones with a steel shell. The old outer shell has been removed, and the bore of the control arm has been cleaned and shined up with a wire wheel on a drill.

The inner half of the bushing on each arm slid in pretty easily with a press, by placing the bushing on the arbor plate then pressing the arm down onto it.

However, the outer half has been giving me trouble on both arms. I can press them in most of the way, except for the last 1/4" or so. I've got the inner bushing sitting on the arbor and I'm attempting to press the outer bushing down into it. This has required more force than I've ever used on a wheel bearing or the like, and it's still not fully seated.

I'm doing this on a 20 ton Harbor Freight press, and it's gotten to the point that I'm worried about the cast iron arbor plates and I've ordered plate steel ones.

Does anyone who has done this job recall having to use a lot of force to get the bushing to seat all the way? DO I just need to reef on it some more? My one thought is that the crappy HF cast arbor plates are preventing the arm from sitting square to the ram (they really are junk and have a noticeable 'dome' to them). Maybe the flatter steel plates I have on the way will help with squareness.

Hot_Dog

I removed those bushings on my S5 many years ago and installed Delrin bushings. IIRC, the sleeves pressed out fairly easily using a hydraulic press. The Delrin bushings went in easily too. I'm planning on eventually reinstalling stock rubber bushings sometime in the near future.

Not sure why you're having trouble. Are you pressing on the metal sleeve or rubber? I would try to avoid either supporting the arm by the rubber in bushing or pressing the rubber part of the other bushing. Always press metal to metal. I would think that the bushing should press in fairly easy. I would have put some oil on the sleeves before pressing in, but you're already beyond that stage.

need RX7

iTrader: (4)

I do have the inner bore of the arm and the outside of the bushings greased. I am unfortunately pushing with the rubber against the arbor. I'll try to think of a way to get metal on metal on contact in that area. With the way the bushing rubber overlaps the metal, it'll take some creativity.

EDIT: I just went out to the garage and luckily I was able to use a blunt chisel to knock the troublesome bushings back out without destroying them, so I'll be able to start fresh when I have a better press setup.

need RX7

iTrader: (4)

Alright, I'm pretty sure I figured it out, and it's dumb. They way I've been trying to press the bushings in, both sides have had their entire face exposed to flat hard surfaces. Pushing this way causes the inner steel sleeve to push inward as the outer disc of rubber compresses before the the rest of the bushing moves, and the inner steel sleeves are contacting each other in the middle before the bearing shells are fully seated. Whoops.

So they need to be pressed in in such a way that the inner steel sleeves aren't touched at all. I could probably rig something up with sockets, but I think I'll rent a dedicated tool from an auto parts store.

EDIT: Got impatient and went over to the press with a 32mm and 1 1/4" socket. The bushing slid right in using the open ends of the sockets to support and push on the outer edge. I'm glad I didn't blow up my press trying to push the steel sleeves through the arbor plate.

Hot_Dog

Glad to hear you got them in. Sometimes trying to press bushings in using the rubber doesn't work because the energy just goes into compressing the rubber.