TheSamba.com :: View topic

Thu May 03, 2007 12:35 pm

I can't beleive of all things, I get a front lower shock bushing frozen to the stud on the lower torsion arm. The shock is out but the blasted bushing just won't come off. I've been at it with everything but a torch. That's next. Shouldn't be a problem with the shock out of the way. Everything just about fell of on the other 3 corners.

Anyway has this happened to any one before? If so any recomendations before I blow a gasket of my own?

Thu May 03, 2007 12:40 pm

Torch would be my first choice but you may want to try some big vice grips or a pipe wrench on it. You could also grind off a side and split it.

Thu May 03, 2007 1:00 pm

... first off, step back and chill. It could be worse, you could be dealing with a top mount!

If you squeeze it with the vise grips, it will just cling tighter. Spray your favorite brand of penetrating oil liberally into the ends as much as possible, and give that spray some time to do its thing.

You may find the penetrating oil will work on its own, give the stud some taps with a drift, just be careful not to peen the end and damage the threads. The vibrations should help the penetrating oil get deeper between the sleeve and the shock stud.

After that puppy soaks, try to pry the sleeve off from the back side with a chisel or a hefty screw driver.

If you use heat, just enough to expand the sleeve. If you heat the whole stud, nothing may be gained.

If all the above fail, then try the grips, or a pipe wrench.

Last, break out the angle grinder, and go easy!

Thu May 03, 2007 3:13 pm

Mission accomplished...finally.

Used the penatrating oil trick a bit more but didn't move. Went with the torch in very short bursts to heat up the sleeve and bingo. A little elbow grease and I wiggled the blasted thing off. It's amazing how the little things can get a person (especially me) all bent out of shape. Thanks to all for the input/suggestions. It's good to know y'all are lookin out. :wink:

Fri May 04, 2007 5:10 am

... way to go, patience and a sound method persevered!

The next task awaits out in the future. Hope I was of some help to you. If I was, you are certainly welcome.

Fri May 04, 2007 3:19 pm

Way, way back when I was younger and first started working on busses I didn't know that I was looking at was the bushing sleeves from the previous shocks, I just thought they had sold me the wrong shocks.

Solution... go to a shop and have them press the bushings out of the new shocks. Fortunately they wouldn't come out and learned when I went to return the shocks that I had things backwards.

I think I used everything (torch, chisel, grinder) to get those suckers off.
I anti-seize compound everything now.

Thu Oct 29, 2009 7:05 pm

Just had the same issue. Took the dremel and cut a slice into the bushing. Tapped the bushing with a chisel in the slot, and the bushing turned. Easy after that.