energy suspension kit for '84?

[sly]

pressing the new bushings into place (pushing the old rubber out) and cutting the old ones off the bar? Idea popped in my head... dunno if it's workable though.

[Pesty351]

Lots of fire worked.

[1987cp]

pressing the new bushings into place (pushing the old rubber out) and cutting the old ones off the bar? Idea popped in my head... dunno if it's workable though.

Pressing? Bar? You done lost me .... once the old bushings are out and the shells have been cleaned somewhat, the new ES ones just shove in by hand .....

[Lincolnmania]

fire

[1987cp]

Or in my case with a small torch tip, fire plus digging it out with a screwdriver for the uppers (messy). At least my lowers popped out nicely.

[sly]

Pressing? Bar? You done lost me .... once the old bushings are out and the shells have been cleaned somewhat, the new ES ones just shove in by hand .....

bar: the bar that the upper control arm bolts to.

pressing: using a bushing tool to press the new core into the old shells and displace the old core in the process

example of said tool: http://www.tooltopia.com/astro-pneumatic-7866.aspx

[1987cp]

Interesting, I had not heard of a press tool designed to remove the old bushing while leaving the shell. The Injection Brothers insist the upper bushings should pop right out with only heat, just like the lowers, though obviously mine didn't cooperate that way.

Must find pics of this tool in use. If it can indeed be used with the shaft in place (since the shaft won't come out till the bushings are out), possibly it could have saved the hassle of digging molten bushing out with a screwdriver?

[sly]

the tool is designed to remove the shells. I was thinking of the install method being used to press the new core in to displace the old rubber core onto the rod and then cut the old rubber core off from there. not sure if the new cores are that strong though so it might not be a good idea after all.

[1987cp]

Oh. Hm. I could maybe see that plan working if the old bushings aren't firmly adhered to the shells like mine were. The ridge on the outside could be cut off beforehand ... and you'd have to have no washer on the inside (the ones I rebuilt had that on one side on each one). But even then, I suspect the new bushings would have to be completely solid or nearly so - the polyurethene ES uses is flexible enough that I doubt it would work well to press with.

[sly]

after thinking about it I figured that would be the case. oh well. bad idea comes and goes.

[gadget73]

I've melted the old bushings out. The shells won't come out with heat, but if you apply enough fire the rubber oozes out. If it doesn't pop out on it's own, then a little push on one side with a suitable poking device will get it motivated. if you're using rubber bushings, then you have to take something and slice the shell to collapse it so it will pull out.

Not sure if you can just press the rubber core out of a new bushing and into the old one without destroying it. The rubber is supposed to be bonded to the outer shell, and I'd expect it to expand once its out of the shell so I can't imagine it not being a horrible excersize to try and put it back together again. The single biggest reason I used poly on my car was ease of install. I've seen the rubber ones pressed in and out, F that.

[1987cp]

The rubber is supposed to be bonded to the outer shell, F that.

Succinctified your statement.


Have I mentioned that I hate rubber bushings? Why the hell couldn't OEs have used poly?

[gadget73]

ride comfort. Rubber makes for less NVH.

[1987cp]

Perhaps ... so far, though, I've found the NVH levels with the ES bushings to be excellent.

[Piece-it pete]

Agreed, with 2 days on the TC, and LCAs on a 02 PT Cruiser, I love them, wayyyy better than rubber.

I suspect at the wholesale level rubber bushings are a lot cheaper than poly.

Pete