trailing arm bushing removal

[AlfaNeely@domain.elided]

       Andy's experience echoes my own exactly.  I tried using sockets close 
to the size of the trailing arm bushings to press them out.  I destroyed a 
trailing arm that way.  It seems the trailing arm is brazed together, so the 
weld was not strong.  I am not sure they are all brazed, but the one I 
destroyed was.
       I made up some proper sized mandrels on a lathe.  They support the 
trailing arm tube correctly and the bushing WILL press out, no matter how 
rusted it is (don't force it, get a bigger hydraulic press).  However, the 
galling inside can almost destroy the trailing arm if the parts are badly 
rusted.
       Thus, Andy's suggestion to try the press and quit if it does not move 
easily is excellent.
       One good reason for using urethane replacement bushings is they are 
easy to get apart the next time.

Ciao,
Russ Neely
Oklahoma City


In a message dated 12/13/2002 5:31:31 PM Central Standard Time, 
owner-alfa-digest@domain.elided writes:





> 
> Date: Fri, 13 Dec 2002 09:29:07 EST
> From: AKress1948@domain.elided
> Subject: Re: trailing arm bushing removal
> 
> Pressing these bushings out and in w/ the factory tools - or w/ carefully 
> selected home built equivalents is the best and fastest way to do it.  
> however, reality does intervene - and the further north you are, the sooner 
> it does.  Up here in the land of salt, pressing these bushings out is a 
> dodgy 
> affair with a fairly low sucess rate.  The older the arm, the less likely 
> the 
> bushing is to press out.  Using the correct factory tools - I have seen the 
> top brace on a 12 ton press bend - by the way - the bushing never moved.  I 
> have seen the tubes the bushings slide into, distort to oval section, and 
> of 
> course the ever popular and common destruction of the tube by scoring of 
> the 
> walls as the bushing does finally push out.  All in all a fairly ugly 
> situtaion.  If i ever have to do it now, i give the press a good honest 
> try.  
> If it seems like a no go - cease and desist, and get out the hacksaw.
> andy
> 





Would the gorilla method of using large sockets as mandrels and a BFH work
on the trailing arm bushings?

Peace,
Rich M

       The problem is supporting the bottom end of the tube.  Finding a 
socket the correct size is not hard, if you have a lot of sockets.  As I said 
above, I ended up making mandrels of the proper size on a lathe.

Ciao,
Russ Neely
Oklahoma City
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