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Technical => General Tech Discussion => Topic started by: rmk57 on 2014-04-19 18:20

Title: pressing out spring bushings
Post by: rmk57 on 2014-04-19 18:20
Is there an easy way to get these things out without using a press. I tried 3/8 ready rod with a couple sockets and the impact gun but broke the ready rod.
Title: Re: pressing out spring bushings
Post by: petew on 2014-04-20 08:22
I have a large shop press but didn't use it to remove my spring bushings. After 57 years of being bonded to the spring it would have taken dynamite to move those bushings. Instead what I did was take my cordless drill and drill all the rubber out between the spring eye and the metal sleeve in the center. The bit will auger out the rubber if you just keep plunging it into the rubber in a cross pattern. Once enough rubber is removed the center metal sleeve can be knocked out and then the remaining rubber will crumble out leaving the rubber that is bonded to the spring eye.
That rubber can easily be scraped out at that point.

Pete
Title: Re: pressing out spring bushings
Post by: RICH MUISE on 2014-04-20 08:35
I haven't done my springs yet, but that method sure worked well on the control arm bushings.
Rich
Title: Re: pressing out spring bushings
Post by: rmk57 on 2014-04-20 10:14
I researched and found that method to work pretty good. I have an air hammer I could use to remove the sleeve with or a hacksaw may work also.

There was no way I'm going to use a torch in a 600 sq ft. garage, I'd be breathing in that floating rubber for a week!

Randy
Title: Re: pressing out spring bushings
Post by: Frankenstein57 on 2014-04-20 20:30
If the springs are off the car, a press would work the best. A local shop would press them out for a small fee, Mark
Title: Re: pressing out spring bushings
Post by: Ford Blue blood on 2014-04-21 06:30
Quote from: rmk57 on 2014-04-20 10:14
I researched and found that method to work pretty good. I have an air hammer I could use to remove the sleeve with or a hacksaw may work also.

There was no way I'm going to use a torch in a 600 sq ft. garage, I'd be breathing in that floating rubber for a week!

Randy

Drilled a hole in the rubber, big a drill bit as would fit, and used a torch to blow the rest out.  Going fast actually gets most of the rubber out without getting it hot enough to catch fire.  Had a few flames but not as bad as one might think.  Been summer time every time I've done it so the doors were open and the fans running to keep the stink down!
Title: Re: pressing out spring bushings
Post by: John Palmer on 2014-07-01 00:25
The way I've seen it done "back in the day", was with a hack saw. 

Clamp the spring in a vise, take the blade out of the hack saw, slide it through the empty bolt hole and reassemble the saw, and cut a V-slice out of the bushing with two cuts.