Yup, I did a search :flipoff2:

Has anyone replaced the rubber in their RE control arms without the use of a press? I'm pretty confident I can get the old rubber out, but how about getting the new rubber in?

A hi-lift ? :smokin:

Thanks,
Jay

Originally posted by JayH
Has anyone replaced the rubber in their RE control arms without the use of a press? I'm pretty confident I can get the old rubber out, but how about getting the new rubber in?


A: Yulp

B: With cofidence comes success.

cm "confuscious say grasshoppa' get stepped on" k

Originally posted by cmk


A: Yulp

B: With cofidence comes success.

cm "confuscious say grasshoppa' get stepped on" k

It fingers... :rolleyes:

OK, if so, how'd you do it? what'd you use? I'm sure it wasn't your Johnson (that would be Valley for all you sick fawkers out there :p )

Jay

CMK, if you've done it, let me here it! 'Cause my bushings (All of 1 year old), look like they're about to disintegrate at any moment :D. I was gonna take wind up taking the arms somewhere and getting my factory CA bushings pressed in, but if I can do it myself, even better. I would think that taking a bench grinder to the bushings to knock a little material off would make it much easier to put in with a vise. Or do they have to be put in with a press? I mean, once they're in there, they aren't going anywhere, so what's the difference if it's a 12 ton press fit or not? :confused:

Welb-dude,

I haven't done it on OE arms. I don't know if you can even get those out (with a press or otherwise) without mangling the sheetmetal arm. Someone out there should have some OE arms lying around from their lift kit install. I know I've thrown out about a dozen of them or so ... many of which had life in the bushings yet. If I were you, I'd hunt down a set of them and trade some dude a sixer for 'em.

As for RE arms, back in the day, I've gotten them out using a BFH, a punch, and some icy hot the next day. To "press" them in, I cleaned everything up real well with scotchbrite and gave the barrel a LIGHT coat of grease ... then just pound away.

Now that I have access to a press and bearing splitters, life is a lot less painful.

IMO, don't bother changing them if you don't have a press unless you HAVE to. Find some dude with a press or ante up the $150 for a cheap one.

cmk

Originally posted by cmk

IMO, don't bother changing them if you don't have a press unless you HAVE to. Find some dude with a press or ante up the $150 for a cheap one.

cmk

Exactly! Not worth the effort to pound them in.



Originally posted by Welby

'Cause my bushings (All of 1 year old), look like they're about to disintegrate at any moment

One year? Damn, a lot longer than I get out of them.

Easiest way to get them out that I have found is to heat up the arbor in the middle with a torch (if they are really worn out that might come out without heat), tap that out, then pound away with a hammer. The rubber portion of the bushing will come right out. Then I use an airsaw and cut a line through the metal shell (not too deep, avoid scarring the ID of the arm) then pry it out with a screwdriver or something.

Like mentioned above, when putting in the new bushings, use a press. It will make life a lot easier and less chance of fawking up the new bushing.

That's what I ended up deciding - too much trouble without a press. Rather than go buy a press, I ended up using some two-piece GM shackle bushings and replacing the whole end when I fabbed my long arms. buh-bye factory rubber.

Jay

Originally posted by cmk
Welb-dude,

I haven't done it on OE arms. I don't know if you can even get those out (with a press or otherwise) without mangling the sheetmetal arm. Someone out there should have some OE arms lying around from their lift kit install. I know I've thrown out about a dozen of them or so ... many of which had life in the bushings yet. If I were you, I'd hunt down a set of them and trade some dude a sixer for 'em.

Here is how to get the OE units out.

http://www.stu-offroad.com/images/jeepsite.jpg (http://www.stu-offroad.com/bushing/bushing-1.htm)

Looks like those stockpiles are worth something afterall.

CYA!!!

I just whacked the rubber ones out of the stock control arms and then did a little bit of grinding on the to take the bump out, then hammered them into the RE control arms.

Getting the one out of the RE control arm took awhile, I ended up destroying it (The old bushing) with the air hammer and had to clean the inside with the die grinder.

damn rust...

CMK,
Sorry, I should have stated, I do have the RE arms. I kept my stock arms, so I can just cut those bushings out. Sounds like something I can tackle without a press. I don't care if I have to spend a whole day doing it, I'm cheap :D

For $20, you can get a brand new pair of Moog bushings from Napa or wherever. Moog P/N K3131.

If you're looking to swap new bushings into RE arms, don't waste your time with worn out bushings that have to be cut out of OE arms.

cm "there's a reasonable limit to being cheap" k

cmk - just to clarify, that's an OEM replacement bushing for TJ control arms?

Paul

Yes. And that is the same exact bushing that RE used in their old heim jointed control arms. I'm assuming that they still use the same bushings in their spherical bearing arms, but I can't back that up with first hand info.

cmk

Thanks, Fruit Tosser!

Originally posted by cmk
For $20, you can get a brand new pair of Moog bushings from Napa or wherever. Moog P/N K3131.

If you're looking to swap new bushings into RE arms, don't waste your time with worn out bushings that have to be cut out of OE arms.

cm "there's a reasonable limit to being cheap" k

CMK,
Thanks for the tip, but the stock arm bushings are far from worn out. There were only 3,000 miles on the Jeep when I took all the stock junk out :flipoff2: :D

Originally posted by cmk
Yes. And that is the same exact bushing that RE used in their old heim jointed control arms. I'm assuming that they still use the same bushings in their spherical bearing arms, but I can't back that up with first hand info.

cmk

This is true...
Jay

Originally posted by cmk
Yes. And that is the same exact bushing that RE used in their old heim jointed control arms. I'm assuming that they still use the same bushings in their spherical bearing arms, but I can't back that up with first hand info.

cmk

Hay I think he made a joke,

Heims are spherical bearings:D

anyways, good luck.

I just checked mine yesterday and there crapped. Im thinking Ill just cut the bushing end off and weld it up to accept some spherical bearings from polyperformance, so then I dont have to replace that crap every few months.

PP-MB16T and the PP-MM16T,are spherical bearings 1.25in-12 threads per inch and accept a 1in bolt, then you can weld in the PP-TA16LH and PP-TA16RH Tube adaptors if your control arms are about 1.75 ID, Is that what the RE arms are, mine are not REs so it may or may not help. ($130) and a welder and I guess its not a cheep fix but it will be an upgrade and a fix!


have fun. :D

Originally posted by ashmanjeepXJ


...PP-MB16T and the PP-MM16T,are spherical bearings 1.25in-12 threads per inch and accept a 1in bolt, then you can weld in the PP-TA16LH and PP-TA16RH Tube adaptors if your control arms are about 1.75 ID, Is that what the RE arms are, mine are not REs so it may or may not help. ($130) and a welder and I guess its not a cheep fix but it will be an upgrade and a fix!


have fun. :D

The short RE arms I have are 1.5" O.D. 0.125" wall.

Jay

Originally posted by ashmanjeepXJ
Hay I think he made a joke,

Heims are spherical bearings:D


Call up Rubicon Express and order a "spherical bearing." When it arrives in the mail, post up and tell us if it looks anything remotely like a heim joint.

cmk