Pressing in Shock and A-arm bushings - What size press.

https://www.harborfreight.com/automotive/auto-body-trim/metalwork-tools/shop-presses/12-ton-h-frame-floor-shop-press-70604.html

 

If you actually think heating the piece to install a rubber bushing is a good idea please leave the job to someone who knows what they are doing.

Do you TIG weld? You'll need to.

 

Hill Engineering makes a two piece machined tool for a press (which I have) to press the shock bushings out and in. My 20 ton press does the job which is more than enough for those.

 

I have a 20 ton but the 12 will do just fine.

And as Newman said, get the Hill Eng. press tool. I have it also.

 

That's the exact press I have. You won't have any issues, unless of course you don't grind the weld... then you will

Grind the weld on the A-Arms (there are two tack welds on both sides. Then press.

The shock bushings are way easier to get out (or at least they were for me)

I tried doing this job at the start with a bushing press tool. I got through 1 A-Arm and was like, "NOPE!"

There are a LOT of bushings on the entire system so you'll get quite good at it somewhere in the middle LOL

 

Well, Rifledriver is correct about heating up the eye to install the rubber. Not a good idea at all. And to be honest, with the right press they should go in just fine.

I also agree not to use Urethane bushings.

 

You don't need to do any heating or chilling to press out or in any of the suspension or shock bushings!

 

Not a good idea to weaken the metal or melt the rubber with heat. Actually you could probably take it to a metal working shop and they could press them in for you. A lot cheaper than buying your own for one job. Shop around a bit.

 

no press:

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Measure your shock bushings.
Before you install.

I bought some made in the the USA Or China here in the states. They were too big.
I bought some from Europe, they were correct.

you need an “ force ,” fit.
per ASA class #8
0.001” to 0.002” total interference.

 

Yep I started that way... but after one arm decided I would rather just get a press and do it the easy way.

And it is infinitely easier with a press.

 

This is exactly what I used on all 4 corners of my car and it worked just fine. In addition, no need to Tig them, Mig works just as well.

 

Andy, to be fair, the full context of your question included this:

My takeaway is that you were insinuating chilling of the bushes and heating of the shock eyelets would ease installation.
In that context I think Rifledriver's response was perfectly valid.
Trust me, there are many of Rifledriver's responses that I think are overly harsh, but this wasn't one of them. Also, Welcome to the Interwebs.
Honestly, I think your reply to Rifledriver was the more problematic post and the one that should have been deleted. I fail to understand how this....

....is at all helpful or respectful.
To the Moderators: Normally, I couldn't care less about a little squabble like this, but in removing Rifledriver's post, you have removed valuable information regarding harm that came to someone using an improper procedure. In the future I hope you'll be more selective and remove only the offending material instead of throwing the baby out with the bath water.
- Dave

 

I took it heating the eye at the end of the shock was simply warming to room temp or above . like if are in a garage un heated in a Canadian winter ….minus [ insert your temp ] outside you took then inside to heat up to room temp or above .

Not any oven stuff , not cherry red blow torch …..which I suspect is what a lot of you thought he was suggesting and rightly reprimanded by Brian .

As far as chilling the inner bush simply using the freezer .
The two temp difference between the freezer chilled inner and high room / ambient temp shock = helping .

Indeed I did the front wheel bearings on my 208 ( same as 308 ) and did the freezer method with one of the bearings , the one that inserted . I may have gently heat gunned the hub ? Can’t remember was a while ago a few winters back .low ambient U.K. temps .

Realise with a shock , with rubber internals and oil there a bit of common sense required if you are going down the bi metallic temp route ….one cold , one warmer component.

^ Took that as read ^

Edit - Took them all to a shop with a press to do the suspension rebush job .

 

Wheel bearings are completely steel... so yeah, but rubber bushings not necessary at all.

If you are having to do some gymnastics of heating or cooling something on suspension components, I agree with Rifledriver... allow someone else to do it because you're just doing it wrong.

 

If you're putting in the poly bushings just use a vice and the right size socket or the ratchet setup as shown above. The fact the shop said they have a hard time pressing in the poly bushings would give me greater concern. They should easily press right in.

a large hydraulic press is nice but more for bearings and metal on metal fittings. It's a big tool that you may not use often.

For stock rubber bushings, you have to cut the old tack welded metal sleeves that now house the poly bushings and the replacements need to be welded in place. If you don't weld - it is a professional job, you should't do it yourself.

If you do poly - it is easier to press out the old ones from those sleeves and press in new ones - no welding. You can also do the same on the shock bushes.

HOWEVER - you will save a ton of money doing the disassembly and bringing it to a shop for the oem ones to be installed, rather than having them do the whole job. And you still get the reward of doing it yourself and saving money. If you are doing this, take the time to also replace the shock tower bushes!

Here are a few youtube videos
More OEM bushing process...






Not ferrari - but here is a good video I found on Poly bushings that I found with best practices: