Installing poly/delrin bushings in alu control arms
05-10-2009, 10:09 PM
#1
Former Vendor
Thread Starter
Installing poly/delrin bushings in alu control arms
I'm planning to get started on my suspension rebuild this week. I already have the old rubber bushings removed, but in order to install the poly / delrin bushings, I need to also remove the two-piece metal sleeves that are pressed into the front a-arms and rear control arms (both late offset aluminum versions). I read some instructions on Clarks Garage that said to drive them out with a drift, but when I tried to do it, it just seems to chew up the sleeve, and doesn't actually move it out at all. Is there anyway to do this at home, or am I going to need to take this somewhere and have them pressed out?
05-10-2009, 10:13 PM
#2
Resistance is Futile
Lifetime Rennlist
Member
Lifetime Rennlist
Member
If memory serves correct based upon my investigation many months ago... I think you need to actually cut them out. I may be wrong here...
05-11-2009, 12:19 AM
#4
Race Director
Man - I just did this and luckily one was already done for me (thanks Ben), the other one took me over an hour of banging the crap out of it with a sledge and a large punch...as it deformed (away from the lip/edge) it started to move. Took forever...glad that job is complete!
05-11-2009, 01:12 AM
#5
Herr Unmöglich
Rennlist Member
Rennlist Member
I took mine to a machine shop after I could not get the trailing arm ones out... and watched him just beat the thing out. Still worth the $20 cause it wasn't moving at all for me.
05-11-2009, 01:20 AM
#6
Addict
Rennlist Member
Rennlist Member
Take the blade out of your hacksaw, put it through the opening, and re-attach it. Use the saw to cut a line almost all the way through the steel but be very careful not to cut the aluminum. It is easy at first but then requires you to do one pull on the saw and recheck. Once you are all or just about all the way through, remove the saw and cut a slot in the steal liner, flush with the face of arm but not into the aluminum, but in line with the long slot you just cut. Then get your punch and hammer on just to the side of the short slot. The steel will break, if you have made good cuts, and the inside of the steel collar will fold towards the center of the arm and make a G shape.
Once you have this shape formed, the collar is much easier to hammer out from the opposite side without putting a buch of hammer marks into the aluminum inner diameter. If it does not break free easily, hammer the other side of the short slot with the punch and fold it towards the center, the collar should about fall out at that point.
The key to doing this easily, without damaging the soft aluminum, is to be precise and even with your cuts.
Once you have this shape formed, the collar is much easier to hammer out from the opposite side without putting a buch of hammer marks into the aluminum inner diameter. If it does not break free easily, hammer the other side of the short slot with the punch and fold it towards the center, the collar should about fall out at that point.
The key to doing this easily, without damaging the soft aluminum, is to be precise and even with your cuts.
Last edited by tjbreen; 05-11-2009 at 02:51 PM.
05-11-2009, 07:34 AM
#7
Nordschleife Master
Take the blade out of your hacksaw, put it through the opening, and re-attach it. Use the saw to cut a line almost all the way through the steel but be very careful not to cut the aluminum. It is easy at first but then requires you to do one pull on the saw and recheck. Once you are all or just about all the way through, remove the saw and cut a slot in the steal liner, flush with the face of arm but not into the aluminum, but in line with the long slot you just cut. Then get your punch and hammer on just to the side of the short slot. The steel will break, if you have made good cuts, and the inside of the steel collar will fold towards the center of the arm and mak e a G shape.
Once you have this shape formed, the collar is much easier to hammer out from the opposite side without putting a buch of hammer marks into the aluminum inner diameter. If it does not break free easily, hammer the other side of the short slot with the punch and fold it towards the center, the collar should about fall out at that point.
The key to doing this easily, without damaging the soft aluminum, is to be precise and even with your cuts.
Once you have this shape formed, the collar is much easier to hammer out from the opposite side without putting a buch of hammer marks into the aluminum inner diameter. If it does not break free easily, hammer the other side of the short slot with the punch and fold it towards the center, the collar should about fall out at that point.
The key to doing this easily, without damaging the soft aluminum, is to be precise and even with your cuts.
Trending Topics
05-11-2009, 05:46 PM
#9
Former Vendor
Thread Starter
The hacksaw method worked beautiful. One thing I figured out after doing it once is that once you have the sleeve in a G shape, you don't have to keep trying to pry it out, you can simply use an appropriately sized socket and drive the one half out from the back side. On the second half, you can continue to cut it if you want, or you can just get the next sized socket and drive it out. This technique worked for both A-arms and rear trailing arms. Took me about 1 hour for the first one. I got the other three done in the next hour.
Now to get the rear trailing arm wheel bearing races removed :roll: This is gonna be fun.
Now to get the rear trailing arm wheel bearing races removed :roll: This is gonna be fun.
05-11-2009, 06:19 PM
#10
Addict
Rennlist Member
Rennlist Member
You must be working through the same project list I just went through this winter. I removed the rear trailing arms and put in the Elephant Racing monoballs and spring plate bearings. While the arms were out I did the rear wheel bearings too.
Removing those races is not easy. I thought about buying the tool Arnnworks bearing tool for a while but decided to take the arms to a machine shop to get the old ones pressed out and the new ones pressed in. It was too easy and nothing was damaged in the process. I have done the fronts many times but the rears are in a different class in terms of force required.
Removing those races is not easy. I thought about buying the tool Arnnworks bearing tool for a while but decided to take the arms to a machine shop to get the old ones pressed out and the new ones pressed in. It was too easy and nothing was damaged in the process. I have done the fronts many times but the rears are in a different class in terms of force required.
05-11-2009, 06:48 PM
#11
Former Vendor
Thread Starter
FYI, my project is for converting an early 931 over to all-alu '86 951 setup with the Brembo calipers...
I may be in the same boat regarding the rear bearings. The old bearings in the trailing arms literally disintegrated, so all that is left is the race itself. I can see it's going to be a bugger to get out with the tools I have...may just do what you did.
On a related question, I've also acquired the geometry-correcting front ball joints. I have two late offset front A-arms, but they're not the same. When I removed the goop on the bottom of the ball joint as per the instructions at Clark's Garage, one of them has the circlip, and the other one doesn't Then I looked at the part numbers, one ends in 149.10 the other in 150.01. The one with the circlip also has a grease fitting, while the other does not. So, my question is, am I screwed with the A-arm without the circlip? Is it not rebuildable? If so, how do I get the old ball joint out?
I may be in the same boat regarding the rear bearings. The old bearings in the trailing arms literally disintegrated, so all that is left is the race itself. I can see it's going to be a bugger to get out with the tools I have...may just do what you did.
On a related question, I've also acquired the geometry-correcting front ball joints. I have two late offset front A-arms, but they're not the same. When I removed the goop on the bottom of the ball joint as per the instructions at Clark's Garage, one of them has the circlip, and the other one doesn't Then I looked at the part numbers, one ends in 149.10 the other in 150.01. The one with the circlip also has a grease fitting, while the other does not. So, my question is, am I screwed with the A-arm without the circlip? Is it not rebuildable? If so, how do I get the old ball joint out?
05-11-2009, 09:35 PM
#12
Nordschleife Master
FYI, my project is for converting an early 931 over to all-alu '86 951 setup with the Brembo calipers...
I may be in the same boat regarding the rear bearings. The old bearings in the trailing arms literally disintegrated, so all that is left is the race itself. I can see it's going to be a bugger to get out with the tools I have...may just do what you did.
On a related question, I've also acquired the geometry-correcting front ball joints. I have two late offset front A-arms, but they're not the same. When I removed the goop on the bottom of the ball joint as per the instructions at Clark's Garage, one of them has the circlip, and the other one doesn't Then I looked at the part numbers, one ends in 149.10 the other in 150.01. The one with the circlip also has a grease fitting, while the other does not. So, my question is, am I screwed with the A-arm without the circlip? Is it not rebuildable? If so, how do I get the old ball joint out?
I may be in the same boat regarding the rear bearings. The old bearings in the trailing arms literally disintegrated, so all that is left is the race itself. I can see it's going to be a bugger to get out with the tools I have...may just do what you did.
On a related question, I've also acquired the geometry-correcting front ball joints. I have two late offset front A-arms, but they're not the same. When I removed the goop on the bottom of the ball joint as per the instructions at Clark's Garage, one of them has the circlip, and the other one doesn't Then I looked at the part numbers, one ends in 149.10 the other in 150.01. The one with the circlip also has a grease fitting, while the other does not. So, my question is, am I screwed with the A-arm without the circlip? Is it not rebuildable? If so, how do I get the old ball joint out?
05-12-2009, 10:12 AM
#15
Former Vendor
Thread Starter
See here: http://www.924board.org/viewtopic.php?t=28272
And for the whole story, see more here: http://www.924board.org/viewtopic.php?t=23070
************************************
OK, so now I am officially confused on these control arms I have. One is stamped with part number 944.341.150.02 (RHS). This is the one that has the non-serviceable ball joint. It does not have FEBI stamped on it anywhere. The other one is stamped with part number 951.341.149.10 (LHS), it has a serviceable ball joint. Both parts were purportedly removed from the same 1987 944S. Now, the strange part is that neither of those part numbers show up in the parts catalog.
So, it appears that I need a late offset, RHS alu control arm with a serviceable ball joint. Anybody have a spare they'd be willing to trade for (I have lots of trade bait) or sell CHEAP?
And for the whole story, see more here: http://www.924board.org/viewtopic.php?t=23070
************************************
OK, so now I am officially confused on these control arms I have. One is stamped with part number 944.341.150.02 (RHS). This is the one that has the non-serviceable ball joint. It does not have FEBI stamped on it anywhere. The other one is stamped with part number 951.341.149.10 (LHS), it has a serviceable ball joint. Both parts were purportedly removed from the same 1987 944S. Now, the strange part is that neither of those part numbers show up in the parts catalog.
So, it appears that I need a late offset, RHS alu control arm with a serviceable ball joint. Anybody have a spare they'd be willing to trade for (I have lots of trade bait) or sell CHEAP?
