Upper control arm bushing swap

[None_zero]

How in the wet hell are you supposed to get the spindle out of the upper control arm or can you replace the bushings without removing it? 

[None_zero]

I think i figured this one out and the answer is with a press and exactly zero other ways 

[datzenmike]

I think remove nuts and washers and put in a press. Push on the spindle to push out the far side bushing then flip over and press the spindle to force the other side bushing out.

[thisismatt]

Don't bend the arm while you're doing it.

[datzenmike]

It shouldn't. The spindle only presses against the bottom bushing forcing it down and out while the bottom arm is supported. When flipped over it the same thing.

[None_zero]

Ok I think I know what you mean... in second thought no I don't. Let me take a picture of what I think you mean and send it 

[None_zero]

like this?

[None_zero]

Closer and to the side bit 

[None_zero]

Which hell really these bushings don't look that bad... which is kind of nuts since every other bushing on the suspension is dry rotted and shot as shot gets. These look like they've been replaced in the not too distant past... but I've got ot off and new bushings sitting waiting so might as well do it 

[None_zero]

 

[None_zero]

 

[None_zero]

Yes continue? Or no not like this you spit for brains!

[thisismatt]

No, don't do that.  You're risking bending the arm.  You need to support the far end of the arm (at the bushing you're pressing out), otherwise you are trying to spread that arm apart...

[None_zero]

I understood that was a possibility but I couldn't see any other way to do it so I just carefully pushed one side out Like that then pushed the spindle out ofnthe other side the opposite direction and then pushed the bushing out the opposite way from that. And got them both only hiccup is the inner sleeve of the last bushing is stuck on the spindle so I'm gonna have to gently knock it off of there I suppose 

Edited March 12, 2023 by None_zero

[None_zero]

Ha ha ha. Gently tap that off of there yeah buddy. I can't beat it off of there with a mallet and chisel penetrating oil torch leverage the press nothing will budge it. It's like it's fused on there sleeve got pushed down into the washer I even went around the place where the inner sleeve of the bushing and the washer meet with a cutting wheel and separated them and then tapped the washer back and forth until it let go of all the little teeth on from the end of the sleeve and will spin on there and it still won't let go. The only other thing I can think to do is cut it length wise and try not to hit the spindle who wants to place a wager on that working out? I decided I won't do that tonight. Sleep on it and think for a bit. Guess I can use some of the time to look for a new spindle. It's pretty clear that some idiot over torqued that nut beyond comprehension, wish I'd had that fsm back then or the good sense to ask someone there aren't enough curses in every language together to cover that foul up. ...... that figures looks like rockauto only has lowers no uppers or upper parts besides bushings.

Edited March 12, 2023 by None_zero

[bottomwatcher]

There is a little rust in there so the only way is to split it. A dremel would be time consuming but more controlled than a death wheel. Cut close to the spindle then use a chisel on one end to crack it. Continue down the crack with the chisel. Once cracked it usually keeps going.

[None_zero]

Well that's almost what I did. Though my chisel work left something to be desired I guess because it didn't split. You are correct there was rust in there but it wasn't a little bit I wire wheeled it off before reassembling unfortunately in the process of removing the offending bits the inner washer was a total loss. And I initially was cutting it straight down the length of it bit quickly realized there wouldn't be any way to finish the cut without doing serious damage to the spindle which is,it would seem virtually irreplaceable. So instead I cut at an angle and rolled it so it spiraled around and allowed me to cut much closer to the full length of the thing. I'd hoped not to get into the spindle at all but that of course was always a foregone conclusion. However I did manage to remove the thing and reassemble the arm and get everything back together I drove it 15 miles just now and the wheel didn't lay down or fall off so I'm gonna write this one in the win category but I think I'll take the bushings I got for the other side and toss them in a lake so I won't be tempted to go through that again. Oh yes I almost forgot about the destroyed inner washer. I didn't have a replacement for that obviously so I took two thinner washers of a similar size and welded them together all the way around the edge, ground down the welds to get it smooth and the correct size then used.... I forget the name of that type of bit but it's the one that has steps on it and each step is the next larger hole. To drill the middle out to the correct dimension also and did a little half push toward the next size to get that rounded inner side of the washer. I must say that's more hoops than I've ever jumped though foe a little washer but I figured it was pretty important so.. 

Edited March 12, 2023 by None_zero

[bottomwatcher]

That is a nice warm up for doing lower control arm bushings. Bring your A game for those bastards and make sure there aren't any children or old ladies within earshot.

[None_zero]

At least the lowers are available to replace if you botch everything. Doing the uppers is like restoring antiques, if you ruin it it's just ruined 

[None_zero]

It does seem to be riding a little better. Occasionally it feels a little too bouncy but I figure that's probably the wear on the tire making it do that where it was leaned over for so long. It still tucks in slightly at the top but it's much less than it had been the last time I tried to change those bushings i had no fsm and no idea what the torque specs on anything were so I used the nonezero method crank down on it till you're sure it won't fall off and hopefully you get sure before you twist the head off the bolt 

Edited March 12, 2023 by None_zero

[None_zero]

You can tell that's the method I used because one of the bolts that holds the upper ball joint on got its head twisted off but hey 3 out of four ain't bad lol

[None_zero]

Then I do it with fsm to hand and I'm thinking geez that's all the torque you're supposed to put on that?? It's a wonder any of them survived and a mystery to me how they stay in there 

[None_zero]

But no joke I torqued down on that upper bushing so hard last time that the metal sleeve inside of it went INTO the washer it's supposed to seat against they were virtually one part when I went to remove it when I did that I didn't even have a torque wrench but I did have a 1/2" drive breaker bar and I put that boi to work 

Edited March 12, 2023 by None_zero

[thisismatt]

Was it sitting on the ground before you tightened everything? If not, all your bushings are going to wear out prematurely.

[None_zero]

On 3/12/2023 at 5:13 PM, thisismatt said:

Was it sitting on the ground before you tightened everything? If not, all your bushings are going to wear out prematurely.

No but I put a jack under the lower control arm and lifted it to sort of simulate sitting on the ground but. Evidently I've done something wrong there because over the last few days I've picked up an occasional but fairly significant wobble in that tire. When I jack it up off the ground I can wiggle it side to side a bit without the other side moving. Most likely place to start looking for what's loose?

Edited March 22, 2023 by None_zero