Removing Upper Wishbone Bushes - How To Loosen Those Huge Nuts?

[Sylux]

Hey all,

So I have some great quality wishbones that I'm starting on cleaning up to go on my truck. Those already on there will then come off, get refurbed, and sold on.

I stripped the ball joint out with zero fuss (doubt the ones on the truck will be so easy) but I want to renew the bushes.

Part of that, of course, is removing the ones still in there. But the large nuts are proving difficult.

I've got it on the floor, locked one side with a spanner and I'm trying to loosed the other one with an extension bar.

No go. Everything just springs.

Is there a particular technique (like they're actually loosened the other way)? Or is it just brute force?

Thanks for your time.

[wishbone]

Put the bit that bolts to the chassis in a vice that's bolted to a bench. If you haven't got a vice then use the bolt holes on the same piece to bolt it to a bench. Then use a breaker bar.

[Sylux]

A good name to reply Thanks.

I may have to take it somewhere as I haven't got any benches. Usually just use a collapsible bench as heavy stuff is usually bolted to the truck. Plus my garage is a gym

I'll have a think. I might bolt it to the concrete floor (with plugs and different bolts) using your idea. That'll be no problem.

[galooph]

Put the bit that bolts to the chassis in a vice that's bolted to a bench. If you haven't got a vice then use the bolt holes on the same piece to bolt it to a bench. Then use a breaker bar.

I did pretty much the same thing. Bolted the pivot bar to a length of steel which I stood on while wielding a breaker bar. I also made up a tool so that I could press the smaller bush out. That lets you remove the pivot bar, which makes pressing the bigger bush out a bit easier.





Dan

[NiftyNev]

Do you have a towbar and able to bolt it on there somewhere?

Nev.

[NiftyNev]

I also made up a tool so that I could press the smaller bush out. That lets you remove the pivot bar, which makes pressing the bigger bush out a bit easier.

Nice job on the tool. Is this for the front bush? Do you have dimensions of this?

Nev.

[Sylux]

Thanks Nev...no tow bar but I'll devise something

Like the tool galooph.

I've got some steel tube, long nut, and big washers to pull them out (bottom ones). Getting them in will involve a trip to the local mechanic. Not yet at the top ones...of course.

[NiftyNev]

I've got some steel tube, long nut, and big washers to pull them out (bottom ones). Getting them in will involve a trip to the local mechanic.

Bottom ones can be done with a piece of tube a big bolt and nut and a couple of large washers. Bush through the wishbone, tube over top and pull them in with the bolt and nut.

Nev.

[Sylux]

Just seen this, sorry. Thanks.

But you've basically quoted me saying the same thing you posted (although the reverse procedure)

Anyway...the bottom ones were stuck fast so I drilled out the rubber, removed the core and chiselled out the sleeve (after some WD40 soaks). No damage to the wishbones/control arms/whatever.

The top bolts were undone at a garage for nowt. Amazing how good impact wrenches are. Really need to get one.

Getting the top bushes out is a whole different thing. Drilling them out is scary as I don't want to damage any threads on the pivot bar. But he's offered me the option to pop up, after closing time, and try some of there tools out

[Sylux]

Top bushes went far easier than expecting.

As said...I didn't want to drill them out with the pivot in situ as the chances of damaging the thread were high.

It was clear the smaller bush (and the only one where the sleeve flange isn't against the wishbone) had to come out first. This would allow the pivot bar to slide up, through the hole, out of the large bushing, and back out.



After mulling it over I decided to cut away the rubber to have a cleaner shot. It was then when I noticed this bushing has another sleeve, with flange, embedded in the rubber.



Chopped away (hacksaw is better than knife, on this) as much of the rubber as possible and used a small chisel to pry it up. Perfect to ease it out.



You can see how much it's moved from just one rotation.



It came out one rotation more (moving around the circumference and prying it up).

Easy



And the offender.



Now I could get to the bigger ones without fear of damaging the pivot bar. Oh...and also tap out the old sleeves.

It's arguably took me longer to formulate this post (pics, uploads, embed, write) than to do the job!

Next job...clean and paint.

Thanks all

[galooph]

Top bushes went far easier than expecting.

Excellent! Not often it works out that way

Next job...clean and paint.

I can't believe how clean your wishbones look already! I'm thinking about getting mine sandblasted to clear all the surface rust!

Dan

[galooph]

Nice job on the tool. Is this for the front bush? Do you have dimensions of this?

Sorry Nev, I just turned it to fit the small bush on the top wishbone. I can take some measurements if you want though

Dan

[andyverran]

I can't believe how clean your wishbones look already! I'm thinking about getting mine sandblasted to clear all the surface rust!

Must be the quality of supplier

[Sylux]

Indeed!

Andy's motor loved to spill oil...so these bits are near mint already. Preserved in the black gloop. A few bits of rust...but compared to mine they are as new

[andyverran]

I think it was marking it's territory.