How to replace bushes?

Hi Derry, never had any problems inserting new bushes with a hammer and old socket / piece of tubing, just make sure that the bush hole is totally free of dirt / rust / burrs etc and apply a little lubricant, oil / never sieze / copperslip etc. Getting the old ones out is usually more problematic, I have lots of not-too-distant memories of destroying the inner part, burning out rubbers, splitting the outer with a hacksaw blade and chisel to collapse them out etc etc etc. prior to getting a hydraulic press. Badger.

The story behind Polybushes has it that conventional threads aren't really strong enough, and the inventor was working in an enviroment where the bushes didn't last well.

We had something like this on the farm, a brute of a rig, though it wasn't small. Looking at stuff like the "Machine Mart" catalogue, they look easy enough to make, but we were lucky enough to have an ancient lathe that could turn the adaptors to fit the job.

In some ways, it can be a bit like fitting a new spider to a UJ, except with a _lot_ more force needed.

I posed the same question to the group about a month ago, and unfortunately have still not summoned the courage to do the job. waiting on a set of axle stands aswell. but anyway, the best ideas i got were to burn out the inner cylinder of the original, then hacksaw the out and knock it out. getting a new one in, either using a hammer softly, or making up some sort of press. i bought a couple of really strong bolts about 120ml long, which i will hopefully be able to use to slowly pull the bush in.

not sure how your "Also, I think, of jacking the Land Rover up, then letting it down slowly on the jack to press the new bush using the weight of the vehicle." idea will work, as from memory, the bushes sit horizontally. unless you are going to tip the land-rover onto its side (probably not reccomending it) i cant quite see how you're going to do this.

Sam. "

I have just put polybush all round on my 90, and they popped in place using only my hands! I got the Deflex kit from Paddocks, which was only just more expensive than the LR rubber items, and made the wagon feel like new.

I agree that getting the old bushes out was a trial, especially since we broke the bushwacker on the first bush. We ended up drilling holes around the rubber until we could remove the middle. We then hacksaw'ed the outside metal sheath, and collapsed it.

"Badger" wrote in news:d9ggcm$ltt$ snipped-for-privacy@nwrdmz01.dmz.ncs.ea.ibs-infra.bt.com:

Well, I took the last ones to a local garage where they have a HUGE antique press. The guy could not get them in and said I must have been given the wrong size. I did a bit of measuring at home, ground a chamfer, and started them with a hammer and socket. One red faced mechanic! I don't think he had them lined up correctly. But it still took a fair bit of force. (These were trailing arm bushes. If the others have to be done in situ, that IS going to be fun!).

Getting the old ones out is

Removal wasn't too bad, possibly because a local lad took all day doing one side on his LR and that got me thinking I wasn't going to get caught the same way! So I did my research and learnt about burning them out. Then used the hacksaw and chisel method for the liners. Did not take long at all.

Derry

Hi Derry,

Suprised google didn't come up with a lot, you can't be searching on the right kind of words used when changing bushes ;-)

Depends what bushes! Some are easier than others. Threaded rod is generally a no-no as it strips pretty easily, but it may work for you. Jacking up a LR I can't see working well as it's not all that heavy and pretty difficult to get everything positioned right. Didn't work when I tried it, anyway!

Pretty substantial frame needed, but that would be a hydraulic press, yes.

Last time we put genuine bushes back into a radius arm, we got a friend to do it :-)

All he used was a 3/4" socket set, heavy mell, anvil and large heavy vice. Bushes out and in within 20 minutes.

If you get stuck Derry, you have my mobile, we can easily arrange to get you mobile!

Regards

William MacLeod

" snipped-for-privacy@macleod-group.com" wrote in news: snipped-for-privacy@g43g2000cwa.googlegroups.com:

Well, it is going to have to be done. The steering seems a bit spongey and I've done the swivels so it isn't that. The effect is like slightly deflated tyres. Had the same problem on the 200Tdi but a lot worse and that was the trailing arm bushes, but I think Mc&D did them on the 300. I'll need to get busy with the crow bar!

Derry

When i did the chassis bushes in my 2A, i did it with a big nut and bolt and a selection of washers and bits of tube/spacers. Didnt take me that long. I think i got through a couple of the big nuts and bolts though - the threads wear out after a while.

I did try hammering one in, but found that it was hard to keep it all straight and ended up messing one bush up by bending it when i didnt hit it quite straight. Using the nut and bolt was much tidier.

Also - if you leave the new bushes in the freezer for a couple of hours before you come to use them they will shrink slightly! I also cleaned the hole in the chassis up with some sandpaper first and used some oil on the bush as i fitted it.

Tom Woods wrote in news: snipped-for-privacy@4ax.com:

Excellent! I never would have thought of that. And, presumably, heating the hole it is meant to go into would be no bad thing.

Derry (Still putting off replacing bushes. Steering is getting "interesting").