LunchboxCritter

iTrader: (9)

I have racing beat sway bar endlinks, energy suspension poly master kit, and mmr dtss eliminators.

My question is for people who have swapped any or all of these bushings. Is there any suggestions (personal experiences appreciated), tips, tricks, specialty tools, etc.

Is a press a neccesity? If so how big 6, 8, 12 ton (would one from Harbor Freight work)?

Would these be needed, helpful, or requred?
http://www.harborfreight.com/7-piece...set-66989.html

Any helpful suggestions are greatly appreciated.
Thanks,

Demonsniper1

iTrader: (2)

Here you go, happy reading...........HOW TO: Remove/Replace Suspension Bushings

duo2999

iTrader: (1)

i just did the poly bushings a few weeks ago all by hand. took a few days since it was the first time i had done something like that. the front control arms are a piece of cake. the rear one gave me the most trouble but i got it done.

i think lowering the rear subframe makes it easier to replace the rear control arm bushing. as far as the dtss eliminators, i havent done those yet. i did this all by hand too.

oh here is a good tip. the rear control arm's bushings are inside of metal sleeves, so you can tap the metal sleeves out with a hammer and be done with it.

LunchboxCritter

iTrader: (9)

Okay so a press is the easiest way to go. Thanks for the link.

Thanks for the tip. I might save me $100.00 plus and attempt it by hand. Did you use bolts and washers or just sockets and a hammer?

Aaron Cake

iTrader: (1)

If you have a big vice and a selection of tubes and sockets, you can probably get all the bushings out yourself. I was able to press all my bushings out just using a bench vice.

If you don't have a BIG vice but do have a SMALL vice, you can always just drill around the rubber and then push them out afterwards. Note that the rear trailing arms have a sleeve around the bushing, which MUST be removed. If you still have a flange around the bushing area after removing the bushing, then that sleeve is still in place and needs to be cut out.

I have good coverage of replacing bushings in this thread:
https://www.rx7club.com/forum/showthread.php?t=906757

And a little here:
https://www.rx7club.com/forum/showthread.php?t=901099

RotaryEvolution

iTrader: (30)

easiest way to get the front lower control arm bushings off is with a dremel and cutoff wheel or die grinder/cutoff wheel. pretty much the ONLY way i've found to get them off is by chiseling a groove in the outer rubber to get to the center steel sleeve that keeps the core compressed and holding to the control arm. once you get to the steel sleeve, just cut a notch it in the full length of the sleeve and stab a flat blade screwdriver in it and twist while prying the bushing off the arm. takes about 10 minutes per side once you get good at it(i've done a few). you can hammer out the front bushing with a socket fairly easily(this one sits in the housing like an egg), just set the control arm upright and beat on it a few times with the socket in the center of the bushing.

for the rear control arms i had to use a torch to get them to free up from the control arm. you'll be pounding the steel sleeve out of the control arm, it has the taper/radiused edge on it but looks like part of the control arm on it. the control arm bushing housing is just a tube for reference, a few people hadn't realized that and tried pressing the bushing out of it's sleeve and then tried to install the poly bushing into this housing which is wrong. heat up the outer housing of the control arm and beat on the bushing, it should eventually start moving with the sleeve, if not then just hammer out the rubber insert then the steel sleeve with a chisel/flate blade screwdriver/appropriate size socket or tube(just try not to gouge the control arm tube, if you do it's not a huge deal just clean it up with a dremel with a sanding wheel/flapper wheel).

no press or special tools needed with the exception of something to heat up the rear control arm, a few semi large sockets, hammer, flat blade screwdriver and dremel. the most time consuming process for me doing the whole bushing swap is getting the rear control arms off the car. this whole procedure will take most people a good 2 days to complete, 1 if you know what you're doing.

nis14

iTrader: (1)

save yourself the headache and just spend the 100 on a 6-ton press. I just did mine and it was a pain in the *** with the press. I can't imagine even thinking about doing it without one.

as noted above, make sure to check if the bushings have metal sleeves or not. and for the front arm it's easiest if you just torch the rear bushing.

good luck

RotaryEvolution

iTrader: (30)

i've used a press and done it without, it was actually easier for me doing them without the press but for the first time it probably would be easier for an amateur(or those with weak arms and bad aim with a hammer) to use the press method or just take them to a repair shop to have them pressed out.