Just got my ES master bushing set and it just accrued to me that i might need access to a hydraulic press to get out the A-arm bushings and parallel link bar bushings or do they pop out fairly easily in a vice and a little pushing ?

Thanks :)

Yes, you you will need the help of somebody with a press. I had mine done for $3.00 per bushing. LOL

Originally posted by se-r sam
Yes, you you will need the help of somebody with a press. I had mine done for $3.00 per bushing. LOL

If you can find a place to do them. Here in the Bay Area, I wasn't able to find anyone to do so. If they had a press, they wouldn't do them because of various reasons: they had previously damaged a set, the curve of the control arm wouldn't allow it to fit in their press, they didn't have the right sized dowl to press out the bushing.

After searching all the SE-R related sites, I came across someone's simple solution to the problem. Here is a list of what you'll need.
1. Propane torch
2. a large bolt (approx. 5 to 6 inches long and 1/2 inch in dia.)
3. two washers (the dia. should be just large enough to sit on the metal bushing sleave, but small enough to pass through the cylinder)
4. two nuts for the bolt listed above. (the bolt along with the washers, secured by the nuts, will serve as a dowl to press out the bushing)
5. a heavy mallet

Here's the proceedure:
1. Using the propane torch, evenly apply heat to the metal cylinder where the stock control arm bushing resides. This will melt the adhesive that secures the metal sleeve withing the control arm.
2. Once the metal has be heated enough, use the dowl you created with the bolt, washers and nuts, to bang out the rubber bushing along with it's metal sleeve. If you are having problems, it's because you haven't heated the metal/adheasive enough. Simply apply more heat and repeat the proceedure.

Using this technique and others, I was able to completely install my ES Hyperflex Kit by myself in one afternoon.

I forgot to add this link: SE-R.net ES Suspension bushings (http://www.se-r.net/suspension/energy_susp.html)

You could do a search of the SE-R Mailing List archives. There are many folks with DIY solutions. I'd give you one, but I just took mine someplace to have the pressed out. :)

For a search your could use some combination of:

control arm
bushing or bushings
bill the arcstarter
diy

That should get you going. I know Bill has written about it several times and others have improved on his original idea.

Just a little tip on Bushings. When all selse fails use HEAT! The use a torch to burn out the bushings. As far as install goes a good method is BOILING the bushing in water for a few minutes not too long. Actually boil water first then take off the heat and drop in the bushings and let them sit for a little bit. Take out the bushings, put on a little grease and pop in.

Hope this helps. Works like a charm on engine mounts too.

-Train