control-arms (recent job)

[Dan Thompson]

"Pat" wrote:
> As for the bushings, you do need to burn the small cylindrical one,
> basically enough so the inner metal bushing slides out.  The outer
> part of the OEM rubber bushing has a metal sleeve which fits tight
> against the control arm.  You have to bend the bushing sleeve in, away
> from the control arm itself.

Bill the Arcstarter came up with an alternative method a few years ago.
It works quite well, and I'm certain it's more painless than cutting/
wrenching on the OE bushing sleeve.

Measure the O.D. and I.D. of the bushing sleeve, then go to the hardware
store and buy 4 flat washers that fall in between those two
measurements.  Buy a bolt of suitable length (4 to 6 inches long) and
two nuts to hold the washers on the bolt.

Congratulations, you've just made a po-boy drift!

Use a torch to heat the end of the control arm the sleeve is on... no
need to pre-burn the bushing as it'll do its best imitation of one of
those pyrotechnic "snakes" that you light off around the 4th of July as
you heat the control arm.  The best way is to heat the control arm in a
line along the length of the bushing sleeve.  Bill recommended using an
oxy torch but I got away with using a simple propane torch, though I had
to heat the assembly for a good couple of minutes as opposed to the 10
seconds or so he got away with.

Once you think the control arm is good and hot, seat your po-boy drift
into the bushing/sleeve, centering the washers as best you can on the
sleeve, then give it 5 or 6 good, hard whacks with a BFH.  The bushing
sleeve should slide out fairly easily, leaving only the gooey mess from
the liquefied bushing as any evidence it was ever there.

Good luck, and have fun!

Dan