pureroundcircle

87 5ktq; Well, i've neglected changing my rear suspension bushing about as long as possible. She needs pretty much all of them at this point. I've got some nasty clunking and i see the torn rubber on the 2 big visable bushing. Anyhow, Under there is a rusty mess, not real thick rust but covering pretty much everything. Has anyone done this job without breaking parts getting the bushings out?, possibly original bushing on a 200k+ 20 year old car. Any tips or tricks?

I'm at the point where this job looks like it might be more of a pain than the car is worth. I'm sure I can do it, but after the cost of the parts and the time I will end up dropping if anything goes wrong, and it usually does... The car may not be worth fixing. I really hate to say that because its never stopped me in the past but i've never been quite so busy with crap as i am now. Right now she is a drivable winter car, but has a slew of minor issues, not really sure which way i should go with this.

This car is not my DD.

Paul

yodasfro

You will need a a drill, a torch, and a hack saw or sawzall. First with the trap arm removed from the car burn the bushing with the torch. Next you'll need to drill many holes in the bonded rubber between the the inner metal sleeve and the outer casing. Then with a little more torch and a knife you can remove the metal sleeve. Next with a hack saw or sawzall(I prefer the sawzzall fast and easy just don't cut through the trap arm!!) After two cuts 180 of each other you can pound the casing out with a chisel and hammer. Putting the new bushes in is pretty easy with a bench vise and some pipe fittings or an old wheel bearing inner race. If you like me put up some pics I'd be happy too.

Chad T

I'd like to see those pics. I'm probably going to tackle this job in the near future.

So you heat the bushing so you can get the sleave out and then cut the rubber with the sawzall?

Are those bushings a dealer item?

yodasfro

Pics coming soon bushes can be got non-stealer

yodasfro

<center><img src="http://pictureposter.audiworld.com/88819/new2_542.jpg"></center><p>
The rest of the pics are in my pic poster.(sorry I dunno how to post multiple pics.)So as you can see it's not all that bad. I was able to get the new one in most of the way with a hammer and the bearing race. I used my press to send it home. A bench vise will work just as well. A little WD-40 on the outside of the bushing aids insertion(no pun intended lol)for the other 2 bushes 1 the alignment
adjuster one can be purchased separate of it's casting $35ish a piece. The front one I believe you must buy the whole casting with bushes in it....and you don't want to know how much it costs.

pureroundcircle

There is a little hope for this car yet. Anyhow I do have a 20 ton press, When I bought it a few years ago I wondered how long it would take to pay for itself, well within about 2 weeks of buying it I had changed the front audi control arm bushings, and front wheel bearings in a ford. Having a press is nice.

Thanks again for the pics!

prager

I used a shop press...no problem when you have one or no someone who does..luckily my uncle let me use his. Allot less hassle..

yodasfro

I suppose you could press them out if you had all the correct press pieces. I've done plenty of bushes this way and to be honest it's safer than destroying a CA in the press just to get the bushing out.

pureroundcircle

I have a nice large set of 1" drive sockets from harbor freight, they seem to fit most bushings, whole set was maybe $40.