[Reec]

I'm going to replace my upper and lower control arm bushings, so I don't get raped by the dealership. Is it possible to do that with a C - clamp and a large socket or one of those ball joint remover kits? No friend or family to help me, so I'm on my own dealing with the V. I checked the vids and comments on here, but didn't see other options on removing the bushings besides taking the control arms to a machine shop or using a table vice. Maybe I missed checking other options. Seems like that's the hardest part of the replacement.

 

[adam112]

I did almost all of it with a ball joint press rented from autozone. Had two stubborn ones on uppers I had to throw in an arbor press at work. Have a contingency plan.

 

[Reec]

I better start looking for a shop then. Thanks for the advice.

 

[aluminum360]

Buy a press from harbor freight, or a bushing installer kit off Amazon, or both!

 

[homeslice]

If you have any air tools an air hammer will help a bunch. Start on the side with the lip and fold it over into the bushing with the air hammer, then press it out with your favorite pressing kind of tool.

 

[loweredd]

Spend more than $30 on the air hammer. I had one of those, and then went and got even a $140 Harbor Freight turd in a pinch, and it is nuts.

 

[Karch]

Spend more than $30 on the air hammer. I had one of those, and then went and got even a $140 Harbor Freight turd in a pinch, and it is nuts.

Pecans?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[aluminum360]

You can also carefully use a saw to cut the outer portion of the bushing to make it easier to get out with hand tools. Back in the day with the steel truck control arms I used to light the rubber with the torch and let it burn outside for a while... Came right out haha.

 

[Reec]

Thanks for the advice. In the process of buying the necessary tools. Inexperienced working on the car, but when the dealer hit me with an 8K bill, I had to take matters in my own hands.

 

[Reec]

Thanks for the advice. In the process of buying the necessary tools. Inexperienced working on the car, but when the dealer hit me with an 8K bill, I had to take matters in my own hands.

 

[homeslice]

You can do it. It might seem a little intimidating but you'll be happy when you save yourself a ton of money. If you wind up using a Sawzall or hacksaw to cut through the bushing outer race make your cut on the inside of the bushing where the arm is rather than towards the outside. That way if you eat into the control arm at all you're in an area that has plenty of metal and won't compromise strength.

I used creative steel bushings when I replaced mine, and I'm happy with them. The front end feels so good now. This video might be helpful if you decide to use their bushings:

 

[Reec]

You can do it. It might seem a little intimidating but you'll be happy when you save yourself a ton of money. If you wind up using a Sawzall or hacksaw to cut through the bushing outer race make your cut on the inside of the bushing where the arm is rather than towards the outside. That way if you eat into the control arm at all you're in an area that has plenty of metal and won't compromise strength.

I used creative steel bushings when I replaced mine, and I'm happy with them. The front end feels so good now. This video might be helpful if you decide to use their bushings:

I'm definitely going to order the creative steel set. Also will be ordering all 4 struts. Pretty costly, but worth it. Saving all my pennies and dimes now. Hope somebody has a labor day sale.

 

[homeslice]

It'll be pretty nice when it's done. I went with the red bushings because I generally like my suspension to be stiffer, but looking back if I were doing it again I'd go with the black bushings. It seems like it now feels how it should in sport mode but all the time, and sport mode is pretty stiff now.

 

[Reec]

It'll be pretty nice when it's done. I went with the red bushings because I generally like my suspension to be stiffer, but looking back if I were doing it again I'd go with the black bushings. It seems like it now feels how it should in sport mode but all the time, and sport mode is pretty stiff now.

Yeah, I'm going with the street version.

 

[aluminum360]

Don't forget to grease THE FUCK out of them. Regular synthetic grease did the trick for me... Stuff supplied did not.

 

[Delphigto]

I’ve had good luck like previously said heating up with torch then using a ball joint tool. Sometimes a air hammer/chisel.