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Bottom A-Arm bushes

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Bottom A-Arm bushes

Postby tealz83 » Wed Nov 21, 2012 5:46 pm

I'm replacing the bottom A-Arm in the front of my UBS69 Bighorn. Some people might might call it the Lower control arm.
After removing the arm and torsion bar etc.. I now have to press out the bushes that are in the mounts connected/welded to the chassis.
Bloody tight!!!! :x
Making up a puller by machining down a 1" 3/8 socket to suit. The front and rear bushes are different sizes if anyone needs to know.
Anyone else changed these?

Reason for changing bushes is because my drivers side front wheel moves up and down as per normal, BUT is moving backward a fair bit too. :shock:
Tyre rubs on inner gaurd sometimes and the left side isn't as bad.
I've had someone else driving it a hill while I was watching and backward movment is very noticeable :shock: :shock:
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Re: Bottom A-Arm bushes

Postby isuzurob » Wed Nov 21, 2012 6:25 pm

i have done the top arm and bottom arm bushes in my ubs55 did them in my press with a socket and different size exhaust pipe cut to fit, a few bad words were said, good luck
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Re: Bottom A-Arm bushes

Postby geeves » Thu Nov 22, 2012 2:34 pm

these get tested every wof. I would of said hydrolic press required and take the arms to your local garage. Nitedemon did his upper bushes at home and used a 12mm plate on top of the socket to pull it through with a fine thread 14mm bolt. plate looked like a tin can that had been hit with a sledge hammer afterwards
Sanding your knuckles before starting work can help. That way you cant skin them
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Re: Bottom A-Arm bushes

Postby tealz83 » Fri Nov 23, 2012 3:39 am

Started with the bottom rear bush first. So bloody tight it was bending 12mm plate steel I used as part of my puller.
It hasn't moved even a little bit :?
Using the gas plant I burnt out the inner rubber bush and now just have the outter steel casing to remove.
Plan is to cut the outter with a hacksaw in 3 places and knock it out.
Doing it after work at night so its taking a few days to do it.Wishing I had taken it to a suspension shop now haha.
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Re: Bottom A-Arm bushes

Postby slightlydodgy » Fri Nov 23, 2012 5:15 am

Not to late to go to a shop just don't go to your local - go at least an hour away and wear a disguise. I did my own once ---never again!!!
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Re: Bottom A-Arm bushes

Postby NateDog » Sat Nov 24, 2012 4:06 pm

I know the feeling :evil: ...I did my lower left hand a arm bushes at home in the garage and it was a tuff old battle. I used a gas burner to melt the center bushes out first. Then used a hacksaw to make two cuts the outer shell. The bushes dropped out with a hammer and punch. That was the easy bit. I then made a home made threaded rod puller out of a standard scissor car jack (google it there bloody handy). But I managed to break the threaded rod due to the new style nylon bushings being very tight and it basically binded up 3/4 way in :evil: So i removed the bushing trying not to damage it and then took a grinder and flap wheel to the outer shell very lightly removing a few thou of metal so as to not melt the bushing material. I also thoroughly cleaned and buffed the bores of the bushing housings again. After making a new threaded rod puller out of high tensile rod and welded 2 extra long rod joiner nuts together to increase the surface area on the rod (one nut will strip out to easy). Lubed everything up and they both pulled in easier the second time round. I had a mate with a lathe skim the right hand side bushes up for me, knocking off a few thou and they still were tight to get in.....but there in and working a treat. Just on Nolathane bushes they dont flex as good as rubber and tend to squeak when the assembly lube wears off. But they do last longer. If you could get a hollow centre porta power you might get them in with out having to remove some bushing outer shell material?? but they are expensive to buy and hire. Good luck to those who give it a go! Cheers
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Re: Bottom A-Arm bushes

Postby tealz83 » Tue Nov 27, 2012 7:48 pm

Last saturday I finished off replacing that bootm back a arm bush. Never again!!!
I did what NateDog did also, gas out rubber centre, cut out outer steel section with air hacksaw. Pressed in new bush with made up puller. Bloody tight after
it got about 1/2 way in.
Its done now and with new 33" Slivertone 117 xtreams on the truck goes anywhere :D
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Re: Bottom A-Arm bushes

Postby damo667 » Wed Jun 07, 2017 8:39 pm

I've just failed a warrant on my lower control arm bushes
I've done the upper ones, took the arms off and used my mates 15t press just had to cut a few spacers if I remember so I didn't bend the arm.

the lowers look like more fun.. the bushes aren't in the arm so that method wont work, I'll have to get under there with a puller I guess.
I presume the torsion bars have to come off? is there a knack to it to get them off and back on with the same tension?
I dont want to stuff my tracking up?

Cheers Guys

Damo
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Re: Bottom A-Arm bushes

Postby stardog » Wed Jun 07, 2017 9:55 pm

I remember when I done the mu a while back top and bottom what a fun job it was to do.
What a nightmare doing them the bottom ones I ended up drilling the rubber out then had to cut the metal sleeve and used drill punch and hammer them to get them out very fine wet and dry sand paper to clean the holes up and they pressed in very easy then.
The top arms was worst to do I nearly bent them out of shape but I got them in the end.
But now im about to do the same on the wizard but this time I have a bush removing kit for GM- Isuzu I got sent over from the states to do them so should be pretty easy this time round.
Im cheating doing the top bushes I bought new top control arms complete with bushes and ball joints already installed I think they was about $ 130 each delivered.
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Re: Bottom A-Arm bushes

Postby damo667 » Thu Jun 08, 2017 6:31 pm

Yeah its a great way to spend a weekend :)
I already did the top ones, using a hydraulic press helped, I had to put a bit of angle iron between the two bushes to stop the arm from bending.
But 130 each isn't bad when you consider all the labour its going to save you!

I was thinking about getting a bush/bearing press for the job but cant find a good one, where did you get your GM/ Isuzu one from? was it expensive?
vroom..._____________...........
vroom./---------|--------\.......
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Re: Bottom A-Arm bushes

Postby stardog » Thu Jun 08, 2017 9:30 pm

If I remember it was summit racing in the USA under $200 delivered I think when I bought the kit a while back now.
I'm just hoping to get some time to do the bushes this weekend if the weather is ok been pouring rain lately here.
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Re: Bottom A-Arm bushes

Postby damo667 » Fri Jun 09, 2017 11:53 pm

Well good luck!
Its supposed to snow here so I'm aiming for next weekend,
I dont think Ive got time to wait for a US delivery so I think I'll have to go the bush way..
I do have two lengths of M16 threaded rod so I might be able to make a press out of them
Is it easy to take the Torsion bars off? I've never done it, I guess I'll have to release the tension off them first?

Cheers
vroom..._____________...........
vroom./---------|--------\.......
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........=\/-----\__________/-----\_|...
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Re: Bottom A-Arm bushes

Postby stardog » Sat Jun 10, 2017 9:56 am

Jack the car up put chassis stands under the chassis take front wheels off lower on to stands to let the tension off the torsion bars.
Mark the position of the bars with a dab of white paint then undo the 27mm bolts counting how many turns it takes to fully take the bolt out for when you reassemble them.
If you have download the manuals it will tell you how to do it.
Good luck in doing the bushes its not a good job to do if you don't have the right tools I found that out the hard way a few years ago but still managed to get them done in the end.
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Re: Bottom A-Arm bushes

Postby damo667 » Sat Jun 10, 2017 6:42 pm

Cheers I do have the manual on another computer.. I'll dig it out before next weekend
Yeah it sounds like a real pig from what I've read on here, a garage quoted me $400 and I nearly took them up on it but it feels like cheating :)
would be great to see a pic of your genuine press in action!
vroom..._____________...........
vroom./---------|--------\.......
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........=\/-----\__________/-----\_|...
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Boost,EGT gauge
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Re: Bottom A-Arm bushes

Postby stardog » Sun Jun 11, 2017 6:00 pm

400 if they supply the bushes is not a bad price could save you a lot of swearing and skin doing them yourself.
A few years ago when I bought the MU pedders quoted me about 700 to do the bottom bushes and another 800 to do the top ones so I got the bushes for around 150 top and bottom and done them myself.
I was not going to pay that for them to do it highway robbery I thought they think the everyone's a mug here in Sydney .
I do have a decent tool box full of different tools to work on my Isuzu's but then I know the job has ben done properly as well when I do it myself not some kid apprentice .
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Re: Bottom A-Arm bushes

Postby damo667 » Mon Jun 12, 2017 7:17 pm

That $400 was based on 1.5 hrs a side which sounds do-able if you got all the gear!!
I've got a few other bits to do aswell so I'm going to try and save the money, ordered the bushes today $26 each..

If its all too hard I can always put it on a trailer and bring it to mechanic..
Having trouble finding a front driveshaft, It also failed on worn splines and U-joint on the front driveshaft so i'm on lookout for a second hand one but no luck so far.
Do you know if the holden or MU ones are the same?
vroom..._____________...........
vroom./---------|--------\.......
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........=\/-----\__________/-----\_|...
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DIY Snorkel & K&N cotton filter,
Boost,EGT gauge
Adjusted boost,
Adjusted fuel,
High-flow muffler 2'5" pipe
2" suspension lift
EFS shocks

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Re: Bottom A-Arm bushes

Postby stardog » Mon Jun 12, 2017 8:20 pm

I don't know if the tail shafts are the same length you will have to get a tape measure to see the how long it is.
And compere it to a mu or rodeo one just give strongs a ring they mite be able to help you out.
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Re: Bottom A-Arm bushes

Postby geeves » Tue Jun 13, 2017 6:27 am

With the driveshaft I think Rob has bought up all the broken ubs55's
One trick that will get you through the wof would be really clean botgh sides of the spline then lightly grease the female side. The cover the male side with epoxy and assemble It should take up the play long enough to get a wof and you will be able to take it apart to regrease properly afterwards.
Sanding your knuckles before starting work can help. That way you cant skin them
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Re: Bottom A-Arm bushes

Postby isuzurob » Tue Jun 13, 2017 3:51 pm

I will probably have 1 around, mu is the same that i know of, have moved on to buying ra rodeos now have 4 of them
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Re: Bottom A-Arm bushes

Postby damo667 » Tue Jun 13, 2017 7:19 pm

Cheers I'll have a look
Ah I wondered where they all had gone!!
Your driveway must be getting pretty full Rob!!!
Do you think you'd have one spare lying around?
vroom..._____________...........
vroom./---------|--------\.......
..&.....||______|_____O-\______....
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........=\/-----\__________/-----\_|...
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Roof rack,
31/10.5/15 Hankook Dynapro AT-M tyres,
6" speakers front and back, Sony head unit,
DIY Snorkel & K&N cotton filter,
Boost,EGT gauge
Adjusted boost,
Adjusted fuel,
High-flow muffler 2'5" pipe
2" suspension lift
EFS shocks

"the little rihno"

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