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Wed May 11, 2005 10:18 am

Is there any trick to removing these things? Mine look good, so I'd rather not tear them up, if I don't have to...but I need to remove them to box the rear arms. They look like you would drive out that steel tube bushing, then pry the rubber out, but I couldn't get that tube to budge and they won't just pry out with a screwdriver.

Wed May 11, 2005 12:18 pm

On my stock bushing, the steel bushing was mated to the rubber. If urethane bushings, there are seperate. Once you remove your washers, the whole works will come out without having to remove the bushing while still in the pivot (I assume you've gotten the arms out of the pivot, but maybe not). I would say if you're having trouble removing the bushings, they aren't doing their job anymore. Bug Pack urethane bushing from CIP1 are pretty cheap (money-wise (high quality)) and a great way to go. Hope this helps.

Oh yea, I ended up using a propane torch (on the inside of one bushing) to convince it to come out. The other came out much easier.

Wed May 11, 2005 12:31 pm

Thanks. I'm dealing with what I would assume are the stock black rubber bushings with a metal tube inside. So...your right..I should probably replace them. But I need to get them out first. If stock, should they pry out in 2 halves, with half the metal insert in each side? They definately aren't prying out, or at least not very easily...but I haven't tried heat.

Wed May 11, 2005 12:54 pm

Stock is the oposite of the urethane; two sleeves and single black rubber. I used my 17mm allen wrench to "wrench" the rubber out. Heat is the answer. Or, you might be able to break the adhesion by working a very slim screwdriver between the rubber and the trailing arm housing. However, do not gouge the housing. Heat is good.

Wed May 11, 2005 2:28 pm

Do I need to pound out the metal tube first?

Wed May 11, 2005 3:03 pm

No, but if you heat it up, you will be able to remove it. Once out, the rubber removal is a breeze.

Wed May 11, 2005 10:31 pm

I just used an oxy/act. torch and burn them out of my trailing arms. It stunk to high hell and was a real pain in the ass even with half the rubber torched off.

I am much happier with the urethane ones. (mucho gooder!)

Thu May 12, 2005 8:17 am

He's right. Its like having your very own miniature tire fire right there in your driveway. Ah, good times.....good times.

Thu May 12, 2005 8:37 am

I heated the first one and it made a stink, but I'm not sure if it was necessary. I found that if you stick your biggest flat blade screwdriver into the metal bushing (half way through the tube) and work it back and forth, it will either work the metal bushing out by itself, or with the rubber half attached to it. Once the metal bushing is out, the rubber half pops right out. My '69 had two metal bushing halves and two black rubber halves, so you need to work each half out independently. Thanks for the input.

Thu May 12, 2005 8:43 am

Remember, you have to go eat at both the White House and the Hot Rod Cafe in Post Falls for me. Damn I'm hungry. The KiM Possible Captian Crunch (my daughter's, obviously, as I only like the mouth-destroying original Captian Crunch) didn't cut it for me this morning. That is all I ask.