Removing LCA bushing shells

[68sportsatelliteragtop]

I am working on the front end of the Satellite and am installing a PST poly kit. The poly kit comes w/ both poly and rubber LCA bushings. From what I read off the Firm Feel site if you use the poly LCA bushings you need a set of adjustable front struts to insure positive caster and a stable toe setting. Guess this explains the tire wear on the Belvedere as I used the poly bushings w/stock strut rods.That being said I am using the stock rubber type this time and just spent about an hour with a punch and chisel removing the old outer shells. Anybody got a better method before I start round 2 on the other side?Heres a couple pics after I blasted and powdercoated the pieces and now have them ready to reinstall.

 

[rp23g7]

Fun isn't it? I did mine last summer, good thing is I am told if you use poly you don't need to hack them out next time. Some guys around have made a kind of press with a threaded rod and a few washers, they may chime in.

 

[68sportsatelliteragtop]

One of the reasons I went w/ the poly last time was the ease of installation as you do reuse the old shells.

 

[74sundance]

No matter how you do it remove the rubber bushings first then press out the shell. The shell will come out so much easier.

#1 Some people toss them into the fire pit and burn the rubber out.

#2 Use a drill and drill a bunch of holes from one end threw to the other end and then push out the rubber bushing."Warning" if your reusing the shells don't let the drill bit run down between the shell and the rubber bushing because it will trash the inner part of the shell and that will chew up your new bushings.
Then use some lube and a bench vise.Get a socket the same diameter as the shell.Use wood blocks to protect the other side of the shell when it's against the back vise jaw then jam the socket between the front vise jaw and against the shell then crank the handle until it pops out the shell.

 

[68sportsatelliteragtop]

That sounds about right for the upper bushings but the lower shells are not accesible through the torsion bar socket. I have in the past burned the rubber bushings out in on old gas grille. I broke down and bought the install/removal tool and it works great to install the new bushings after you remove the shell.

 

[74sundance]

That sounds about right for the upper bushings but the lower shells are not accesible through the torsion bar socket. I have in the past burned the rubber bushings out in on old gas grille. I broke down and bought the install/removal tool and it works great to install the new bushings after you remove the shell.

I forgot to add how to do the lowers lol.

Press the shaft out of the lower control arm from the T-bar side towards the front(threaded end of the shaft).Again run a drill bit in and out of the bushing a few times, then pump in lots of lube.If you double nut the shaft and clamp the nuts in the vise you can spin the whole control arm around and it will help break the seal and work the lube in.Then press the shaft out with a big bolt and a vise.

 

[74sundance]

If you go to my cars build pages at the link below....
About half way down the page you will see the lower control arms sitting in a white box with the shafts removed then the upper control arms and removed lower control arm shafts are sitting in a box covered in a black garbage bag soaking in Vinager to remove all the rust...The pic's might help people see how the shafts come out.

http://www.cardomain.com/ride/3164986/1974-plymouth-sundance/page-8

 

[68sportsatelliteragtop]

Thats the easy part, the hard part is getting the shells out, like I said about an hour w/ a punch and chisel. I seem to recall one time I took a sawzall and made 2 cuts through the shell about 3/8 inch apart , being careful not to cut into the reciever, then chiseled the piece out and rolled the shell in w/ a punch to remove. It has been a few years since I tried that , I might go there again.

 

[74sundance]

I don't have any problems pressing them out in a vise once the bushing is out???? I even saved mine and reused them with my new poly bushings.And you can just leave the lowers shell on the shafts and reuse them.

 

[Coronet 500]

Make those small cuts all the way around, bend them in, drop a big washer inside, then weld tabs to the washer. When the weld cools it will shrink the sleeve, maybe enough to hammer out or take a threaded rod through the sleeve and a bigger diameter pipe with another washer and screw it out. I'm lucky to have a press so I push on the washer through the pipe. The weld shrinkage really helps.

 

[Crunchy_Frog]

I used the old air chisel method. I found this way online, but I don't have a welder....

http://www.moparmusclemagazine.com/techarticles/suspension/mopp_0306_replacing_front_suspensions_lower_control_arm_bushings/index.html

 

[68sportsatelliteragtop]

I don't have any problems pressing them out in a vise once the bushing is out???? I even saved mine and reused them with my new poly bushings.And you can just leave the lowers shell on the shafts and reuse them.

The upper shells are easily removed with a vise, I don't see using it for the lowers, unless using one of the other methods suggested by some of the others. The pic with welding the outer washer vto the shell looks like a good idea, if you don't mind the smell of burning rubber!
Check out the Firmfeel site for info on using poly LCA bushings w/o adjustable strut rods http://www.firmfeel.com/adjstrut.htm I am having the problem they call "wonder toe" on my other car.I will be ordering a set of struts for my car soon.

 

[74sundance]

The upper shells are easily removed with a vise, I don't see using it for the lowers, unless using one of the other methods suggested by some of the others. The pic with welding the outer washer vto the shell looks like a good idea, if you don't mind the smell of burning rubber!
Check out the Firmfeel site for info on using poly LCA bushings w/o adjustable strut rods http://www.firmfeel.com/adjstrut.htm I am having the problem they call "wonder toe" on my other car.I will be ordering a set of struts for my car soon.

Sorry if I wasn't clear in my previous post.There is absolutely no reason to remove the lower control arms shells at all.
All you need to do is drill the rubber bushings to loosen them up, twist the shaft then press the shaft out in a vise with a large bolt.Once the shaft is out of the way remove the rest of the rubber bushing then put the new bushing into the old shell while it's still in the lower control arm.It never needs to come out unless you want to use the new shells.

 

[68sportsatelliteragtop]

I should have taken some pics of the LCA bushing . The rubber was worn to the point the inner sleeve was wearing on the outer shell. I really didn't have much choice. The UCA bushings that came with the PST poly kit came with new sleeves, since they were so easily replaced I changed them out also.

 

[howiedodat]

When I did mine, I welded a washer to the shell and used a press to get mine out. Worked like a charm. Mine were so bad, they fell apart once unbolted. I believe I gat the idea from the Mopar Muscle tech on their site, as shown in the above post.