348 How to remove control arm bushings????

I haven’t tackled that job yet, so I’m afraid I won’t be of any help. Maybe fatbillybob will chime in.

 

Theres a shoulder in that bushing so pry that large washer out at the other side, make suitable driver and drive the thing out with an impact hammer Image Unavailable, Please Login

 

You will see that theres a lip on one side of that bush, you will remove it obviously from other side, just pry that washer out of it first. First pic is the side you need to drive it from.


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I had a machine shop make a couple off sleeves then used a variety of 3/4 drive sockets. Surprisingly enough they came out quite easily

 

They make a press for it harbor freight sells it. Also a bearing press with a socket and press them out or pull them out. Also cut them out or cut a wedge out from the inside then press them out even easier.
I would avoid putting a torch to them and softening the metal.
Google "remove control arm bushing" and check the images tab. Once you see it you'll get it.

 

Use a press
I put the new ones in the freezer before pressing them in so not to distort the new rubber

Also level the car before tightening the bushings so they don't bind the rubber unless your using rollers.

 

Exactly, or simply jack the control arm up to ride height while on the lift. This avoids any binding of the bushing and centers it in a neutral spot. Unless your using roller bushings then it dont matter, I doubt that you are for the street

 

You either press them out or you do it old school with a hacksaw and drift them out/in. Do some searching there are a few threads about on how to do both and the sizes of drifts/sockets etc you need.

If pressing them, you need exactly right dia. pieces to press them out. Easiest option is take them to a Ferrari dealer and they will do them and press new ones in for you. Pressing new ones in is equally difficult so get them done at the same time.

If you are doing it old school, as follows (what I and others have done)
1) cut the part of the bush off that is proud of the wishbone, ie cut through the rubber, through the centre metal tuber so the end comes off
2) heat the bush so the rubber expands, and the centre part of the bus, ie the metal tube will come out, either by itself or with a little nudge with a screw driver or similar. Do this outside as its V messy.
3) push the rubber out of the bush. If heated enough should come out fairly easily.
4) use a double cut on the inside of the bush with a hacksaw; to create small strip, 1/4 wide. Be careful not to cut through the wishbone!!
5) cold chisel the small strips out. (see picture)
6) use a socket, circa 22mm from memory to drift the inner race of the bush out from the swing arm.

To put new ones in is NOT fun.

You will need either a press or very good vice, several sockets that a) fit on the bush and b) can sit on the backside of the swing arm and take the bush as it goes through and protrudes from the swing arm. I've got the sizes somewhere if you need them. I packed my socket with washers so the socket sat on the shoulder of the bush and the backing pushed on the centre of the bush, so trying to get equal pressure.

As with anything like this, put the bushes in the freezer and heat the swing arms with a gentle heat, I used a paint stripper and found this sufficient. You will also want to clean up the race in the swingarm.

Make sure you press them in the right way, they are directional.

I've done front and rear, and will NOT be doing this job again. Complete SOB. Next time they will be going in to be done.

As an aside, once the bushes are out, you might as well send the swing arms off to be powdercoated. Costs almost nothing and is the time to do them. And in the usual way, you might as well take the mounts of the frame and send them to be re-plated.

Make sure you get all new nuts as well; and as said above do the final tightening once the swing arm is level. You can do this with the wheel off, by jacking up the hub so its at the same position as when the car is on the ground, and then doing the final tightening.

Remember when its all back together, you will need a four wheel alignment.

Good luck!!!

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Some 348/355 control arms have a lip and some don’t. Like yours, mine do not have the lip. Cut the bushing down to the large “washer” of the bushing (sits right against the control arm). Then carefully use an angle grinder and grind the washer down so you have an edge to rest a tube with same diameter of the control arm bushing seat. Should be set. After 2 hours I got one done and proceeded to other parts of my engine out until nothing left to do but finish bushings...

 

Save yourself a load of grief and time. Take them to someone with a press. Any decent engineering shop should be able to do it. If you do the job yourself you will probably end up thinking that you should have. Unless you have a very good press and the right tooling of course.

 

I have only this month replaced all my ball joints and suspension bushes with power flex polly units. As well as all the roll bar and shock absorbers bushes.
The invaluable tool that helped me was a 12 ton press. For less than £70 it made things so much easier.
I used a 34mm socket and a variety of extention bars along with a selection of sockets to press out the old bushes. The new poll units just hand press in.
Mate, get a press i say.
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See post 17 above
Did mine this way took an hour hardest part was to assemble and set up the press
Then used the press to push the new ones in
Worth the cost $150.00 well spent

 

Unless you Like doing this sort of thing, take them to the dealer. Not sure about your way but in the UK I know people who have done this route and they don’t charge stupid money.

You can also pick their brains on torque settings and a wheel alignment. I had the local main dealer do mine as they were reasonable price and would have any spare shims that might be needed and would know what to do; too many cowboys doing wheel alignment for me to mess about.

 

As other mentioned: use a press.

Getting it OUT isn't the only task; you also have to get it (correctly) back in.

 

Got the press, but cant figure out how to support the arm while pressing them out. Such a PITA! I took the R side in after removing 3 myself... I figured it couldn't cost that much to remove 5 and press in 8.... WRONG! Nearly $700!!! Please let me know the other tools you used with the press

 

What I did - Cut them out, as soon as the sawsall cuts through one corner, it releases pressure and you can tap them out.
Start at #158 to put them back in, machined some inner and outer sleeves.
https://www.ferrarichat.com/forum/threads/engine-repair-thread.649442/page-7

 

The press setup at our warehouse has a vise right next to it on a (Semi) movable table specifically for this purpose.

When you are putting new bushings in, you can put the bushings in the freezer and then A-arms in the oven at a low temp. Works very well in conjunction with the press to make sure everything comes out and goes in well.

 

Little grease they press right in. Collar I machined on the top edge I use ot press.



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