So I'm working on making the underside of the LE as pretty as the topside, pull the end links off the rear sway bar & the bushings just disintegrate into yellow crumbs. Yes, I'm changing all my suspension bushings! No big deal, been sitting on new bushings for 3 years & I need to use them now. So how the hell do they get pressed in? I'm having much difficulty in this step & I have a press! I also foresee much difficulty getting them onto the ball mounts on the end of the sway bar. Any thoughts, ideas, recommendations? Thanks
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I let them get warm in the sun and then put them in a vise and squeeze them in. I lube them up with silicone spray on the metal and the bushing.
Warm all of the components up in a 200 degree oven for a few minutes...
Then (with silicone oven gloves!) carefully press the bushings into the drop links, using a bench vise and a bit of dish soap to lube things up... I like Dawn!
To get the bushings back onto the suspension points, I used a large "C" Clamp, with the screw type jaws, and after careful aligning, just kept tightening until it popped on!
Have fun!
The toughest part is trying to keep the darned bushing cups aligned onto the "Balls" while you get the Clamp into position...
I tried every Clamp I had before I finally got one to fit and work...
There is probably a much better Porsche approved way to do this, but I don't know it! You will get to know your Hardware Store personnel very well by the time you find the correct Clamp!
It's 10:49 AM & we're done. I'd like to thank the "World" for this momenteous occasion, that of proving the old cliche': "the right tool for the right job." I used a padded vise, teflon instead of silicone, a big screwdriver & I simmered the bushings in well water on the stove. Thank you Teeners!
(now comes the hard part- getting them over those damned ball ends! )
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I had used a vise to push the bushings in, and a screwdriver to poke at the edges to get them started.
At one point, I had picked up one of those "squeeze the handle to tighten" clamps, and that worked pretty well for installing the link onto the trailing arm. I could use two hands to keep the clamp in position, and at the same time tighten it up until it popped onto the ball.
--DD
I now wonder if a large jawed "Welding" Visegrip type tool could be used to pop the Bushings over the Balls???
Be sure to lube your "Balls" before you try an "Pop" them!!!
BF Channel-Locks work just fine for installing the sockets on the balls. The Cap'n
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