Stuck rear link bushing

[Jason]

Any tips on removing old rear suspension link bushings? This is the setup I'm using...
63214
63213

I got one of the bushings out, but the other won't budge. It feels like I'm about to bend or break the press.

[WHO1DMC]

Any tips on removing old rear suspension link bushings? This is the setup I'm using...
63214
63213

I got one of the bushings out, but the other won't budge. It feels like I'm about to bend or break the press.

The only thing I can think of is applying heat to the outside to see if it will expand enough to press out.


Dave B.

[vwdmc16]

Is that a cheap press? ive had a Harbor frieght press that wouldnt push many things out, had to use a bigger 20 ton press. I second burning it out and then cutting the old outer shell. you will have to fully strip down and repaint/coat the link after. It's very thick metal, shouldnt warp it.

[Jason]

Yeah. It is a cheap Harbor Freight 12 ton press.

[Ethan Rode]

Yeah. It is a cheap Harbor Freight 12 ton press.

You're definitely on the right track with your fixture plate. You'll need a bigger press. I had a few bushings that gave my 20-ton press a lot of grief.

This may seem obvious; make sure you're pushing on the outer shell of the bushing, and not catching at all on the arm. I used a 1/2 drive 30mm socket for this job, IIRC.

[DMCMW Dave]

If it's really bad, another trick is to press out the rubber part leaving the outer shell in place. Then you can cut the shell from the inside to weaken it (without cutting the arm!!) and collapse it. This also allows you to heat it all up without filling your garage full of rubber smoke.

[Jason]

I managed to get all the bushings out, mostly by cranking down on the press as hard as I could. I also discovered that if you press out the rubber first it's a lot easier to get a socket aligned with the bushing outer ring. Otherwise often the rubber would make the socket shift just enough to only partially grab one edge of the bushing ring, crushing the inside of it.