End Link Bushing Removal Trick/Tool

For anyone needing/wanting to replace the silent block bushings in your end links, if you don't have a press, here's a trick/home made tool to use to get the old one out. Worked great for me so I figured I'd pass it on. This worked on my '84 308. It's maybe $5 in parts, assuming you own a suitable clamp. I gave some McMaster part numbers for the bolt, but these can be picked up in any reasonably stocked hardware store.

It's a two step process.

Parts neeeded:
- One 1" black or galvanized pipe coupling
- One 3/4" copper "sweat" coupling
- A Jorgenson or other type of carpenter clamp with at least a 4" opening
- One 5/8"-3/4" dowel maybe 2" long, or a suitable replica/stubby bolt/3/4" pine/etc
- One Hex Head Cap Screw, 5/8"-11 Thread, 5" Length (McMaster #91247A814)
- One Steel Heavy Hex Nut, 5/8"-11 Thread Size (McMaster #95045A035)
- Two Steel Flat Washers, 5/8" Screw Size, 1-3/4" Od (McMaster #98970A135)

Step 1 - press out the inner bushing and sleeve of the silent block:
(1st photo shows both a dowel and a bolt which can be used)
- Line up the dowel onto one side of the end link, pressing against the inner/center bushing
- Place the 1" black coupling on the other side of the end link
- Place this in the Jorgensen or other clamp
- Close the clamp until the inner bushing squeezes out into the 1" black coupling.
I did this by myself, took a couple tries to figure out how to hold everything lined up, but it wasn't bad. The inner bushing wants to spring back into place, so your dowel or other push stick needs to be long enough to clear it out of the end link.

Step 2 - press out the outer sleeve out of the silent block:
(2nd photo - this is the tough part as the sleeve IS IN TIGHT. But fortunately, the 3/4" copper coupling is perfectly sized to push out the sleeve while sliding easily through the end link.)
- Send the cap screw through a washer
then through the 3/4" copper
then through the end link
then through the 1" black pipe
then through the second washer
then into its nut.
- Tighten the nut by hand until the copper pipe is lined up to the silent block outer sleeve and the end link/outer sleeve is centered onto the 1" black pipe. When everything is hand tightened, make sure the copper, outer sleeve, end link and black pipe is all centered. Then just tighten the nut onto the bolt. The copper will slowly push the outer sleeve out of the end link. I like to tighten slowly and examine as I go along, rather than tighten fast and replace. Price out replacement end links and you'll probably want to go slow as well.

Good luck with all your projects,
Phil
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