Front lower rearmost (frame) control arm bushing replacement question..
- Thread starter SlimPickins
- Start date
SlimPickins
Escapee
Hey thanks for the offer Mark, very cool! I'll bet those factory tools make some of these projects slick as snot.. So I did get the driver side bushing removed and replaced. Here is my progress prior to removing the bushing.
I then headed to AutoZone and rented their 23 piece U-joint/ball joint service kit.
I also went to the hardware store with my new bushing in hand and purchased some washers that fit the diameter of the front and rear of the bushing in order to distribute the pressure of the service clamp from the rented kit to the entire face of each side of the bushing. I figured this would minimize damage when pressing the old bushing out and the new one in. When pressing the old out, make sure the washers for the rear face of the bushing are exactly the diameter of the bushing as they will have to fit through the hole in the frame where the bushing resides. Here is the rear facing portion with the washer and then the washer on the bushing face followed by the front facing portion with washer and then the washer on the bushing. I used several washers of the same size as the pressure from the clamp would easily bend a single washer.
As luck would have it, an end piece that came with the clamp kit I rented from AutoZone fit perfectly through each washer and the bushing.
I then headed to AutoZone and rented their 23 piece U-joint/ball joint service kit.
I also went to the hardware store with my new bushing in hand and purchased some washers that fit the diameter of the front and rear of the bushing in order to distribute the pressure of the service clamp from the rented kit to the entire face of each side of the bushing. I figured this would minimize damage when pressing the old bushing out and the new one in. When pressing the old out, make sure the washers for the rear face of the bushing are exactly the diameter of the bushing as they will have to fit through the hole in the frame where the bushing resides. Here is the rear facing portion with the washer and then the washer on the bushing face followed by the front facing portion with washer and then the washer on the bushing. I used several washers of the same size as the pressure from the clamp would easily bend a single washer.
As luck would have it, an end piece that came with the clamp kit I rented from AutoZone fit perfectly through each washer and the bushing.
SlimPickins
Escapee
I then aligned the C-clamp from the service kit with a few of the accessories included in the kit with the end piece I mentioned and the washers and used my breaker bar and a socket to slowly press out the old bushing. Along the way, I'd stop and spray some homemade penetrating oil (1:1 acetone and automatic transmission fluid), let it sit a bit and then resume pressing the old bushing out. I don't have any pics of this unfortunately...
Once the old bushing was as far out as I could get it with the press, I used a reciprocating saw and several blades to cut the face off of the front of the bushing. It took a while and several of the hardened blades as the metal in the bushing is ********** hardy!
I then pushed the busing out the rest of the way. This would have been MUCH easier had I detached the differential carrier (as the service manual states) but I hadn't done it at this point as a poster on another forum stated that this was tough to do. I'd later find that this is actually really easy and makes the process much smoother as you probably wouldn't have to cut the front bushing face and merely press it out the entire way. The diff carrier really gets in the way. Live n learn..
I couldn't get the new bushing in without the diff carrier undone because the angles are way too steep to insert the bushing. So I got my jack settled under the diff and removed the 4 bolts holding the carrier. I believe they are 17mm and require shorter sockets and an extension as there isn't much space in there.
Make sure the diff is supported before removing the bolts as it will probably sag some. The diff jacked up easily and gave plenty of room to get the new bushing in. I did put some copper anti-seize on the new bushing to make pressing and perhaps future removal easier. I'm not sure if this was a great idea but what the hell.
I reversed the clamp set up, put the larger washers onto the end tool from the kit, inserted into the bushing and used the breaker bar and socket to press the new one in. Done and done and hope I don't have to do this job again. I can't tell you guys how much I've appreciated all of your input. Probably should have taken more pics but with life/family refusing to halt for my hobbies, I could only work on it 20min here, an hour there, etc. so I got a bit lazy with the camera... Hope this helps the next schmuck that tackles this! Apologies if some of the pics aren't oriented correctly.
Once the old bushing was as far out as I could get it with the press, I used a reciprocating saw and several blades to cut the face off of the front of the bushing. It took a while and several of the hardened blades as the metal in the bushing is ********** hardy!
I then pushed the busing out the rest of the way. This would have been MUCH easier had I detached the differential carrier (as the service manual states) but I hadn't done it at this point as a poster on another forum stated that this was tough to do. I'd later find that this is actually really easy and makes the process much smoother as you probably wouldn't have to cut the front bushing face and merely press it out the entire way. The diff carrier really gets in the way. Live n learn..
I couldn't get the new bushing in without the diff carrier undone because the angles are way too steep to insert the bushing. So I got my jack settled under the diff and removed the 4 bolts holding the carrier. I believe they are 17mm and require shorter sockets and an extension as there isn't much space in there.
Make sure the diff is supported before removing the bolts as it will probably sag some. The diff jacked up easily and gave plenty of room to get the new bushing in. I did put some copper anti-seize on the new bushing to make pressing and perhaps future removal easier. I'm not sure if this was a great idea but what the hell.
I reversed the clamp set up, put the larger washers onto the end tool from the kit, inserted into the bushing and used the breaker bar and socket to press the new one in. Done and done and hope I don't have to do this job again. I can't tell you guys how much I've appreciated all of your input. Probably should have taken more pics but with life/family refusing to halt for my hobbies, I could only work on it 20min here, an hour there, etc. so I got a bit lazy with the camera... Hope this helps the next schmuck that tackles this! Apologies if some of the pics aren't oriented correctly.
'round n' back again
Explorer
shoot,
now u have to go back in there
you forgot something.
u need to replace the diff carrier bushings!
now u have to go back in there
you forgot something.
u need to replace the diff carrier bushings!