Okay... I spent the weekend disassembly the rear suspension.

Oh yeah, my suspension was all off the car.

F-ING CASTELATED NUTS!!!!! It took quite a few sessions with a propane torch and a high-torque impact wrench on max setting to remove each one.

It's real fun removing this nut without the car mounted to anything. The hub and axle just rotate away!!!

I ended up placing the hub (still mounted on the trailing arm with the axle attached into a vise on my bench). I tried removing it with a socket extension and 24" breaker bar. No such luck. The heat and impact wrench worked after many repeated attempts. My teeth are sore from clamping down.

Okay.. so now I just have to remove the hub and bearings. No problem.

What about the bushings? I plan on installing Muellers needle bearings in the rear, but I have no idea how to get the old stuff out.

Any advice?

Press. Or its a mess with propane torch/burning them out...

It takes 10 minutes per side with a press. Your going to need the press to install Muellers new tube anyway (hammer can be used.. but it screws up the end of the tube)


B

Since, I don't have a press... just find a shop and tell them to press the rods out?

Any "special instructions" to tell them?

Not really.. just ask them to press them out.

You dont have a "mechanics shop" that you work with on this crap ??

B

I did not want to hear that. I'll probably give myself a hernia.

Charles

I took a hammer (BFH) and beat the shit of of them to get 'em out. Took days.

Take 'em to a shop.

Paul

Heres how I did it:

Get the trailing arm on a bench with the buskings in vertical orientation and dso they are haning off the edge of said bench. Have a helper hold the hub end of something.

Take a blow torch. Light it, and get it running extremely hot. Heat the bushing tube at both ends. You have things close to hot enough when the busing flashes and catches fire. Then hit the threaded bar (sticking out of the bushings) with a plastic mallet or a hammer (protect the threads with a bit of wood). Repeat until the bar drops out. You should then be able to take a bar or something and hammer the two busings out from the opposite sides.

This method stinks like a mo-fo, but it does work. Don't be afraid of the rubber cathing fire - it really doesn't burn very well.

Take all the usual precautions you should take when using a blow torch.

Fiid.

Invite Jenna Jamison over...

burned mine out in less than 20 min each. get them really hot and take a screwdriver to it. work at puncturing straight through in one spot and then the rest is easy.

Did you puncture through the rubber or just whack the metal shaft?

Fire is gud.

Protect the threads & whack the mofoin' shaft.

I have found it easiest to cut off the rubber bushing flange first.

Who's Jenna Jaminson?

puncture through the rubber.

Karl,
when Mueller changed my Bushings last weekend, he used a Press that he bought
from Harbour Freight.

IIRC, Mike said it was $60.00

Good luck with the bushings.

FYI:

Protect the threads on the shaft (if you plan to keep the shafts) with a steel 911 lug nut when your smacking the end with a hammer.

I know Karl wont be reusing his shafts.... but I thought everyone should know... dont F-up the threads. You will hate life.

Which is why I dont hammer on the shafts...



B

a three arm gear puller and a bunch-o-sockets worked well on the teener to get the shaft and bushings out. a hammer just bounced and was fruitless.

mapp gas was the tool of choice on the 911, but i was trying to avoid that smell.