Upper control arm bushing fun

[Microbusdeluxe]

I'm in the middle of replacing my upper control arm bushings in a 1989 syncro Westy and have had a few interesting problems.

#1 Inspecting the Powerflex bushings I got from Chris at T3 I noticed that one of them was not machined properly. The recess in the poly bushing itself wasn't deep enough to accept the stainless sleeve. The other 3 were fine. I contacted Chris and he IMMEDIATELY emailed me back that a new one was on the way. So this is in no way a knock on Chris, actually it's a compliment on his customer service. It is, however, a warning to others who buy Powerflex products to check things when they first arrive so that you are not stuck on installation day.

#2 See the following photos. It seems to me that the space between the eccentric washer and the arm with my old bushings is much greater than the 0.5mm specified by VW. Not sure what it will be upon reassembly with the new parts. Both sides appear to have similar gaps. The eccentric washers on the passenger side, which I have disassembled, measures 5.5 mm, so I already am using the fattest washer possible. Any ideas?

#3 While I had no problem removing the upper arm, pressing out the bushings was another story. Using a muffler splice as a receiver cup was a failure, the arm just ate into the metal and the bushing didn't budge.

Off the AutoZone for a ball joint kit and beefy receiver cups. The first bushing came to pieces, spitting out the rubber insert while the sleeve remained fast in the arm. Further pressure with the vice, 25 mm socket and receiving cup finally popped it out. The second one also came apart, but then when I really cranked up the pressure (3 foot bar on the vice handle), well, as the photo shows the vice broke and the bushing is still stuck.

I'm tempted to go all Terry K on it and heat 'er up to a nice glowing red color in an attempt to break the rust weld. Any other ideas accepted. And I'm going to get a bigger vice.

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'69 Squareback RIP
'65 21 window deluxe sold before the price spike, damn it.
'70 rhd bay now a taxi in South Sudan
'81 Westy sold
'89 hightop Westy Joker syncro 16" now with Bostig!

[The Carrot]

The Vise part goes on the wall of broken dreams....

So I have just completed the install of a Set of GW UCA bushings on a 2wd and we had to adjust(shorten) them but I wonder if the length of the Powerflex inner sleeve might be different than the stock bushings that you have removed. That may take up the slack that you mentioned. It may work in your favour if they ar longer.

I have replaced Syncro UCAB’s before, and they were really rusted in there too, used a hammer to get them moving; then finished on the Hydraulic Press. It was challenging to find the correct OD press tool to match the thin outer sleeve of the bonded bushing.
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1990 Orly Blue Carat

[markswagen]

A 1/2" drive 24mm impact socket is just under size enough to make a good press tool, with a 12" matching extension bar, it makes the job easy as it all stays together as one.

[Steve Arndt]

Impressive I bet that made some noise when the vice broke. I suggest shoes lol.
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Steve
Steve's 87 Syncro project

[Christopher Schimke]

The gap you are seeing is actually the inner sleeve of the stock style bushings, not an actual gap. The sleeve is pressed firmly against the eccentric washer.

In addition, the stock style UCA bushings are radically different than the Powerflex kit so you can't predetermine what gap may exist until you actually install the new bushings and do a dry test fitting (no lube until you get the gap set properly).
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"Sometimes you have to build a box to think outside of." - Bruce (not Springsteen)

*Custom wheel hardware for Audi/VW, Porsche and Mercedes wheels - Urethane Suspension Bushings*
T3Technique.com or contact me at [email protected]

[1988M5]

Not sure if this tip/trick applies exactly to this scenario but here goes. If a metal sleeved bushing is stuck into its’ metal holder (control arm), burn out the insides to allow room for a normal hack saw blade to be inserted. Undo the hacksaw blade from the tool and insert it into the new cavity and reassemble the tool around the situation (control arm). Saw away until you get near the part you don’t want to damage. Chisel away once near and happy days! No press needed no broken tools just effort and some time.
Brian

[Mikesarge]

I also broke a vise doing that job. I drilled a bunch of holes in the bushings while waiting for my new vise to show up (I don't recommend this, you can easily damage the control arm), and when it did the drilled rubber in the bushings came right out. I then took a hammer and chisel and bent the edge of the metal outer busing shell just to release part of it from the control arm (do not do that either). once I did that, it seemed to release the rust and crap holding the busing in the arm and the outer shell more or less fell out.

All that after calling two machine shops near me who both said they "don't do control arms," which is a bizarre place to draw the line in my opinion.

I still have to do lower bushings, and a number of other jobs. now I own a press so I don't have to do it like that ever again.

[Microbusdeluxe]

Last night I did the "rock & a railroad spike" technique and beat the one bushing out with a combo of hack saw, Dremel and cold chisel. A technique that I can't recommend. So today I made a fresh start on the other arm and got this kit from AutoZone. The secret ingredient is the C clamp looking thing.

The other 2 bushings came out with minimal problems.

Chris, I got the replacement bushing today, thanks. I see what you mean about the inner sleeve making contact. When I put it together tomorrow, I'll know more about how this all works.

Thank for all the advice and tips.
_________________
'69 Squareback RIP
'65 21 window deluxe sold before the price spike, damn it.
'70 rhd bay now a taxi in South Sudan
'81 Westy sold
'89 hightop Westy Joker syncro 16" now with Bostig!