installing bushings help!

glxstang · 09-29-2001, 01:45 PM

I'm in the garage trying to put new control arm bushings in my new 8.8 rear end. The bushings are already greased and in the shells but when I put the shells back into the axle housing how hard should I be banging these things in and how far do the go in?
It's a pretty tight fit. I don't want to crack the axel housing.
Thanks!

egiap's 5.0 · 09-29-2001, 06:17 PM

What you need is a ball joint press. Looks like a c-clamp with different size pieces of tubing. See if you can rent one at local parts store. Do not try to hammer them in. The sleeves should go in till the touch larger part of bushing sleeve. Good luck with your bushings.

------------------
Edward VanCura, Amsoil dealer. For information about amsoil synthetic oil and lubes leave me a message. Ask about preffered customer program and buy at dealer cost.

glxstang · 09-29-2001, 07:08 PM

Thanks egiap's.
Is that the way most people do it, with a ball joint press? Could I possilbly crack the the housing? Just don't want to srew my new axel up...

jz_mustang50 · 09-30-2001, 01:19 PM

I think you are speaking about the bushings that are in the top of the axle, that attaches the upper control arms to the rear axle? Right?? Well... a few weeks ago I install new ones, some from energy suspension, and all I did was push them in as hard as i could by hand and then beat them in with a hammer... Worked great! I tried a c-clamp to push them in and that hardly budged it. Just hit it on opsite and go around a circle and do that. Get it? The busing should have a lip, that will fit tight up against the rear axle. Hope that helps!

------------------
Joe Zemaitis, Grand Rapids Michigan

1991 Mustang GT. Mods to date: 4.10 rear end, new POSI, aluminum driveshaft, AOD w/ shift kit, 2 1/2 off road h-pipe, 2 1/2 flowmasters and 2 1/2 tail pipes. Electric fan, Removed air pump and egr tube. Jegs brand upper and lower adjustable control arms. Removed back seats. Hoosier Quick Time Pro 27x10.5x15 and bolt on subframes soon to be welded. Everything else is STOCK. Totally stock ENGINE. 14.29@96 with 130k miles.

glxstang · 09-30-2001, 05:05 PM

I was afraid that I would distort the bushing shell by hitting it with a hammer. Does the shell go all the way in so the lips around the shell contact the axel housing. I have heard that you leave them out about a half inch or so.

egiap's 5.0 · 09-30-2001, 05:30 PM

glxstang, on the bushing shell itself you will notice that it has a small end. Drive this end in till the larger part of shell hits housing. I have a 93 and on passenger side shell was in till larger part of bushing was touching housing. The driver side was 3/16 of an inch from touching housing. Hope this is clear.

------------------
Edward VanCura, Amsoil dealer. For information about amsoil synthetic oil and lubes leave me a message. Ask about preffered customer program and buy at dealer cost.

macx · 09-30-2001, 08:43 PM

I made a puller out of a length of 3/4" fine thread grade 8 threaded rod and nuts/washers on each end, witha piece of pipe cut lengthwise and squezed smaller to fit the sleeve on the bushing to both pull the old one out and pull the new one in (put the new one in the freezer awhile to shrink it a few thou and coat it with anti-seize) and a little larger chunk of pipe on the other end
that will butt up against the bushing housing and is big enuf for the bushing to pass thru. Turns hard, but that way you don't damage anything. Kind of like a manual press.

09-29-2001, 01:45 PM	#1
glxstang Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2001 Location: Delray Beach, Florida Posts: 97	installing bushings help! I'm in the garage trying to put new control arm bushings in my new 8.8 rear end. The bushings are already greased and in the shells but when I put the shells back into the axle housing how hard should I be banging these things in and how far do the go in? It's a pretty tight fit. I don't want to crack the axel housing. Thanks!

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09-29-2001, 06:17 PM	#2
egiap's 5.0 Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2001 Location: Mansfield, OH. Posts: 113	What you need is a ball joint press. Looks like a c-clamp with different size pieces of tubing. See if you can rent one at local parts store. Do not try to hammer them in. The sleeves should go in till the touch larger part of bushing sleeve. Good luck with your bushings. ------------------ Edward VanCura, Amsoil dealer. For information about amsoil synthetic oil and lubes leave me a message. Ask about preffered customer program and buy at dealer cost.

09-29-2001, 07:08 PM	#3
glxstang Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2001 Location: Delray Beach, Florida Posts: 97	Thanks egiap's. Is that the way most people do it, with a ball joint press? Could I possilbly crack the the housing? Just don't want to srew my new axel up...

09-30-2001, 01:19 PM	#4
jz_mustang50 Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2001 Location: Grand Rapids, Michigan, USA Posts: 50	I think you are speaking about the bushings that are in the top of the axle, that attaches the upper control arms to the rear axle? Right?? Well... a few weeks ago I install new ones, some from energy suspension, and all I did was push them in as hard as i could by hand and then beat them in with a hammer... Worked great! I tried a c-clamp to push them in and that hardly budged it. Just hit it on opsite and go around a circle and do that. Get it? The busing should have a lip, that will fit tight up against the rear axle. Hope that helps! ------------------ Joe Zemaitis, Grand Rapids Michigan 1991 Mustang GT. Mods to date: 4.10 rear end, new POSI, aluminum driveshaft, AOD w/ shift kit, 2 1/2 off road h-pipe, 2 1/2 flowmasters and 2 1/2 tail pipes. Electric fan, Removed air pump and egr tube. Jegs brand upper and lower adjustable control arms. Removed back seats. Hoosier Quick Time Pro 27x10.5x15 and bolt on subframes soon to be welded. Everything else is STOCK. Totally stock ENGINE. 14.29@96 with 130k miles.

09-30-2001, 05:05 PM	#5
glxstang Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2001 Location: Delray Beach, Florida Posts: 97	I was afraid that I would distort the bushing shell by hitting it with a hammer. Does the shell go all the way in so the lips around the shell contact the axel housing. I have heard that you leave them out about a half inch or so.

09-30-2001, 05:30 PM	#6
egiap's 5.0 Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2001 Location: Mansfield, OH. Posts: 113	glxstang, on the bushing shell itself you will notice that it has a small end. Drive this end in till the larger part of shell hits housing. I have a 93 and on passenger side shell was in till larger part of bushing was touching housing. The driver side was 3/16 of an inch from touching housing. Hope this is clear. ------------------ Edward VanCura, Amsoil dealer. For information about amsoil synthetic oil and lubes leave me a message. Ask about preffered customer program and buy at dealer cost.

09-30-2001, 08:43 PM	#7
macx Registered Member Join Date: Oct 1999 Location: Gordonville MO USA Posts: 448	I made a puller out of a length of 3/4" fine thread grade 8 threaded rod and nuts/washers on each end, witha piece of pipe cut lengthwise and squezed smaller to fit the sleeve on the bushing to both pull the old one out and pull the new one in (put the new one in the freezer awhile to shrink it a few thou and coat it with anti-seize) and a little larger chunk of pipe on the other end that will butt up against the bushing housing and is big enuf for the bushing to pass thru. Turns hard, but that way you don't damage anything. Kind of like a manual press.