Removal of rear trailing arm bushings

Okay, whats the secret?

I have heard through various sources, to a) burn them out and b) take them in to get done.

I am not removing the brake / carrier assy to remove the bushing for a number of reasons.

So what is the easiest way? Please be detailed if at all possible. Assume that I dont have any special tools aside from a torch and basic hand tools.

I'm not exactly sure which bushing you're talking about, but maybe this will give you some ideas.

Are you talking about the bushings or the bolts? I've just struggled through the bolts, and I ended up using a cutoff wheel in a 5" grinder to get rid of them. As for the bushings, I pressed the forward end out easily enough with a vise, but I guess you're talking about the ones on the axle carrier. I'll attempt mine tonight with a puller and see how it goes. At this moment, I'm struggling with the spherical bearings, and I'm on here looking for ideas.

It would be the one in the bottom right of your pic with the poly bushing already in place. Maybe I will go pick up one of those tools...cant be too expensive? Akh everything is when you have no job! haha

Thanks for the pic scott

That project was nearly three years ago so I honestly don't remember how I got that bushing out. I suspect I did it the same way as shown in the pic to remove the spherical bearings. That particular puller is a Craftsman item and I seem to remember it costing ~$20USD.

The only bushing I couldn't get out with basic tools was one of the bushings in the front control arm... I had to take the arms to a shop and have them pressed out.

Here is the link to the little write up I did for the spherical bearing replacement:
http://www.planetcampbell.us/SphericalB ... ement.html

Hot off the press! Chris, go to partsource or Canadian Tire and use their tool loan program. You buy the 4" puller for $80, but they'll refund all your money when you're done and you return it.



This is obviously off the car, but it would have worked just as well with it on. The original bolt holding the arm together is still in the centre of this bushing, so I pushed on that without using a socket. You could also slide a bolt into the centre. And wear safety glasses - when this thing finally let go, the whole thing shot out.

In case anyone is wondering, I did finally get the ABS sensor disconnected, but I did it inside the car. It takes more than just pulling back the carpet though, as I needed to pull back both large plastic interior panels to get at it. Still easier than working that sensor out of the hole it seems.

Those pullers are pretty cheap these days, I picked up one for about C$10. They're pretty handy and can be used for tie rod ends too. Keep one in your toolbox.

For the trailing arms? Eh forget all that stuff, get a cordless drill and some bits and just start drilling holes like crazy in the rubber, the thing will fall out. Allot easyer then the press because its easy to do while still on the car.

jprine01":25p7baud said:

For the trailing arms? Eh forget all that stuff, get a cordless drill and some bits and just start drilling holes like crazy in the rubber, the thing will fall out. Allot easyer then the press because its easy to do while still on the car.

Click to expand...

thats not a bad idea, especially considering your not interested in keeping the old bushing. Whenever I have to take something off and I plan on replacing the whole thing, if it can be cut off or drilled out I do, its way easier in the end.