Bushes - Replacing
For all you people out there who like to do most of their car mods themselves but don't have the right tools, here is an easy way to replace your lower trailing arm bushes without a press.
I'm assuming you have the technical skills to remove the lower control arms so I won't cover that simple step.
Tools required:
- Hammer
- Screw driver (a crappy one ;) )
- Hacksaw
- 20cm length of threaded rod with 2 matching nuts
- Either some steel plate or big washers and 5cm of 2 1/4 inch pipe
The two last tools aren't necessary but just make the job easier
1.
You need to remove the centre of the old worn out bush like so; this home made tool makes light work of pulling the centre out but it can also be done with a suitable drive and hammer:
2.
Appropriately support the trailing arm, I just used my bench vice but a clamp may do the trick. Now get your hacksaw out, you will need to remove the blade from the handle and then reattach it once the blade is passed through the opening:
3.
Cut slowly through the outer shell of the original bush. There are two parts to this so you will need to cut through both layers as shown below. Be very careful not to go any further or you may damage the seat for the new bush:
4.
You will now need to bend the edges of the outer shell with a screw driver and hammer:
File:BushcutoutershellINFO.jpg
5.
Once the cut has been bent in give the shell a few light taps with the hammer and it will come straight out. Note the 2 layers you need to cut through:
6.
This will leave you the finished surface to press in the bush:
7.
Grease up all the surfaces that the new bush will touch, and the bush itself with the grease supplied with the bushes and push them in. (I later found that you don't need the tool I made, it taps in easily with a hammer)
From there you have to just grease up the centre sleeve and push it into the new bush then putting it back into the car is the opposite of taking it out.
Further editing to come when time permits.... this should help for now
-David