UCA BUSHING REMOVAL/BALL JOINT BOOT QUESTION

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71340Duster

71340Duster

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I got a bearing press thinking I'd press my UCA bushings out with them, rethinking that now as pressing them from inside to out the A arm gets in the way (other side). I don't see how any jig/rig can avoid this, so I tried using my 5 1/2 Craftsman bench vise and sockets. With a 4 foot pipe and quite a bit of pressure I moved the bushing, but got nervous about my socket selection as I used an All trade 11/16's cheapo for the inside and a good 1 1/4 on the outside.
Any comments on using sockets or how to use a straight down press to do this work? Also, I saw the threaded pipe tool, I may go this route, looks safer than the vise with sockets.
I also got nowhere on my ball joint removal as don't have a 3/4 inch breaker bar BUT a buddy is loaning me his. Saw today that I trashed the boot on the upper ball joint with the pickle fork, don't know if just the boot can be purchased? A learning curve here for me, I appreciate all of the comments so far in related posts.
 
I've done many many uca bushings in a 6" bench vise. Just make sure the shells are really clean and support the area around the bushing well. I bead blast them clean first. A little WD-40 helps, too. I use pieces of pipe that cradle around the area to distribute the load. I also press them in using the same set up. If the are really crusty and look like they will fight you you can always gut the bushings and split the outer shell with a hacksaw from the inside of the shell, and/or with an air chisel. Just don't cut into the uca.
 
On the Upper BJ an 1/2 " impact wrench and a real 60 gallon air compressor usually will do the trick. The repeated blows from the impact have a way of working the BJs free. I have had to use a BF piece of pipe though in the past, as well as heat. Make sure someone didn't tack weld it to the arm. As far as the BJ boot, I haven't seen them for sale separate, and as there are many types (some with a metal band around the big end, some without) it may be easier just to replace. Next time get yourself a HF tie rod separator and save your boot. This is the large one for pitman arms but there's also a smaller one the right size for tie rods and ball joints.

Tie Rod and Pitman Arm Puller
 
Mancini sells a tool for bushing removal of the bushings and the upper ball joint is removed with a special socket.
 
I got one out, did not borrow the kit from parts store instead built my own. I used the pipe tool and bench vise, man them suckers are in there. I'm wondering what to use to clean out the remaining bushing material, dremel?
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You only got half of it out. That outer shell needs to come out. Loosen the spindle nut. A few raps with a bfh on the spindle at the stud location and the spindle usually drops right off. Really don't need a pickle fork.
 
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Soaked in PB blast, it is one sold piece, pressed in? Since you said spindle nut I'm guessing not, threaded? Sorry, don't have the replacement bushing in hand, first one of these.
 
On the control arm, the replacement bushings are molded together one piece and install as one piece. I usually do a little wire brush action before trying to push the old ones out. If you haven't already, look into the Moog problem solver ones installed for max caster. Ball joint nut. I was talking of using the bfh to separate the spindle from the BJ instead of wedging a pickle fork in there and tearing up the boot. A couple raps and the spindle/knuckle usually falls free from the stud.
 
Yes, the outer sleeve is 1 piece. If you have an air hammer you can rattle it loose or use your bench vise to press it out....
 
I think you got two sets of direction there in GeorgeH's post, the first was you need to remove the bushing's outer shell yet, the second was to knock the UBJ from the knuckle.
You appear to have accomplished the latter, and just cut and split the outer shell, they'll curl right in and pop thru. I can burn that out w/a torch, but even just heating a line one
end to the other till she glows will shrink it when it cools, then an easy knock out. An air chisel works well & quick, but can mar & nick the crap out of your arm if you're not careful.
Some HD app. arms had a "back-up" ring also over the bushing on the inside of the arm, which makes it a little trickier, and it's not a joy to attempt to re-install said ring.
 
GeorgeH said:
On the control arm, the replacement bushings are molded together one piece and install as one piece. I usually do a little wire brush action before trying to push the old ones out. If you haven't already, look into the Moog problem solver ones installed for max caster. Ball joint nut. I was talking of using the bfh to separate the spindle from the BJ instead of wedging a pickle fork in there and tearing up the boot. A couple raps and the spindle/knuckle usually falls free from the stud.
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I plan on using Moog K7103's and orienting the arrow out towards the ball joint for max caster. The arm is already off and I did tear up the boot, have a new one for when everything goes back together. Thanks for the post!
 
6pk2goDemon said:
Yes, the outer sleeve is 1 piece. If you have an air hammer you can rattle it loose or use your bench vise to press it out....
Click to expand...

I have an air hammer, will try to get on it from the back side of the outer bushing flange. If not I'll try cutting it/folding it. Sure seems easy to mess one of these arms up in the vice while working on it!
 
71340Duster said:
I plan on using Moog K7103's and orienting the arrow out towards the ball joint for max caster. The arm is already off and I did tear up the boot, have a new one for when everything goes back together. Thanks for the post!
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Good deal. Sorry if I wasn't clear.
 
Killer6 said:
I think you got two sets of direction there in GeorgeH's post, the first was you need to remove the bushing's outer shell yet, the second was to knock the UBJ from the knuckle.
You appear to have accomplished the latter, and just cut and split the outer shell, they'll curl right in and pop thru. I can burn that out w/a torch, but even just heating a line one
end to the other till she glows will shrink it when it cools, then an easy knock out. An air chisel works well & quick, but can mar & nick the crap out of your arm if you're not careful.
Some HD app. arms had a "back-up" ring also over the bushing on the inside of the arm, which makes it a little trickier, and it's not a joy to attempt to re-install said ring.
Click to expand...

Yeah I got a little confused at first by the post but I get it. I think I'll try an air hammer, want to stay away from the torch. Thanks for the post.
 
I got my bushings out and in using a piece of 1/2" x 13 threaded rod long enough to pass through both bushings plus a few inches, two 1/2" x 13 nuts and some heavy washers that were larger that the diameter od the bushings. To remove, I placed nuts well inside the bushings on both sides of the CA and placed the large, heavy washers against the bushings. Then (after soaking the metal part of the bushing with some penetrant), I slowly turned the nuts towards the bushings. They slowly came out quite easily. I sucked the new ones into the CA with the reverse process. Worked great and the supplies only cost a few dollars.
 
harrisonm said:
I got my bushings out and in using a piece of 1/2" x 13 threaded rod long enough to pass through both bushings plus a few inches, two 1/2" x 13 nuts and some heavy washers that were larger that the diameter od the bushings. To remove, I placed nuts well inside the bushings on both sides of the CA and placed the large, heavy washers against the bushings. Then (after soaking the metal part of the bushing with some penetrant), I slowly turned the nuts towards the bushings. They slowly came out quite easily. I sucked the new ones into the CA with the reverse process. Worked great and the supplies only cost a few dollars.
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I was trying the exact same hardware but when things got tight and the "inside" nut pulled inside the bushing housing and the all thread started to spin. I didn't want to vice onto the all thread so I went to trying other hardware combinations.
 
harrisonm said:
, two 1/2" x 13 nuts and some heavy washers that were larger that the diameter od the bushings and placed the large, heavy washers against the bushings.
Click to expand...

Heavy washers,....large heavy washers.............. Oh, and get two more nuts, lock them together and use them to keep the threaded rod from turning.
 
71340Duster said:
I have an air hammer, will try to get on it from the back side of the outer bushing flange. If not I'll try cutting it/folding it. Sure seems easy to mess one of these arms up in the vice while working on it!
Click to expand...
Killer6 said:
Heavy washers,....large heavy washers.............. Oh, and get two more nuts, lock them together and use them to keep the threaded rod from turning.
Click to expand...
yep double nut it
 
Good idea, I kinda hammered my all thread piece, went back to the bolt cause it's grade 8. Drove the outer shell out with air hammer. Thanks for all the tips everyone. Now that I've got the arm stripped down, I'm wondering best way to clean it up. Thinking about media blasting it but guessing powder coat is not a good idea because of ball joint threads?
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A good coater will protect all the threads for you. If it's done right, all you'll need to do is take them out of the box, drool a little and install them on your car.
 
A word of advice about using K7103's - I had to really wail on those UCA cam nuts to get the cams to stay in place. Because of the extreme angles you can put the control arm in if you use those bushings they may have a tendency to move unless the nuts are 100% good and real tight. I have stripped out a few nuts as well trying to get them tight. Best to use new hardware if you can for the cams and nuts. I have come across some cam nuts that are longer than stock and those would give more threads to hold onto the alignment bolt, but I can't remember which company made them. They were like 3/4" - 7/8" long.
 
When they show up here with leftover bushing parts, I just use the torch, set them on fire and let it burn. It's a time and knuckle saver.
But I'm just violent like that. :D
 
Got the arm back from blast, sure fits in there good without the bushings!!!
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Okay, phone didn't want to send pics for awhile. Got the bushings pressed in and with only a little persuasion this arm fits into the frame. I made sure I let the misses see me using my new press as I didn't realize I couldn't use it to get the bushings out and was getting the old stink eye : ) I have blasted cam bolts, I'll check them for wear and make sure they are TIGHT, thanks for all the advice everyone!

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