What to use when pressing out/in new rear subframe/trailing arm bushings?

[KenC]

Glad it worked!

The tool is a functional replica of the one AKG sells. Except the hardware store one is 1/4 the price.

[Jand3rson]

Yep. And as far as the subframe bushings go, the press didn't work. There's no solid way to hold the subframe crossmember in place while you put that much pressure down on the bushing, they didn't even move at all.

I know when I'm beaten, and this much effort and pain-in-the-assery just isn't worth it when I can probably just take the subframe crossmember and the bushings to a machine shop and have them pressed out/in for around $20.

[george graves]

Stock bushings? I think I did mine in my vice (aka "big red") with a cheater bar on the handle that is now is all bent back and forth.

I'm afraid to even say how many hours it took me to do a full rebuild of the front and rear suspension - I'm sure there are guys that claim they can do it in a day....but when it's your first time and you don't have the right tool, it takes FOREVER.

[Jand3rson]

Yeah, they're stockers. No need for urethane. It is my first time doing rear subframe stuff, and I know that if I DID have the $200-something tool, it would be a piece of cake. But for a mere fraction of that, I'll have someone with the proper tools and equipment to just do it for me. I've done enough work on my own, I figured I've earned a few mulligans. :D

[StereoInstaller1]

Josh, I used a 3 jaw puller with a round hunk of metal. Clamped the 3 jaw over the subframe and just pressed them in like nothing

[Jand3rson]

I'm too fucking stubborn to let something like this beat me, so I took the subframe over to Andrew's house today. We tried cutting the flanges off and pressing the bushings out with a tool we made (just like the one I used on the trailing arm bushings), but that didn't work. So we finally got the torch, burned and hammered the old bushings out, and used the tool we made to draw the new ones in. Done.

[KenC]

Word. You'll notice a nice difference.

[Jand3rson]

Word. You'll notice a nice difference.

Definitely. The old bushings weren't terrible, but they were definitely squishy and brittle/cracking. The new ones hardly had any give at all. Combined with new rear wheel bearings, my car is really going to feel like a totally different animal.

[KenC]

It should be quieter too.

[blueapplesoda]

i was gonna say...using a press on the e30 rear suspension is a pita

[Jand3rson]

It should be quieter too.

For real, there has been some mad whine/metallic spinning noise coming from the back of my car ever since I got it. I know the diff always had a little noise, but I'm pretty sure when I tear into these rear wheel bearings, they're going to be pretty awful looking.

[GDA]

I'm too fucking stubborn to let something like this beat me, so I took the subframe over to Andrew's house today. We tried cutting the flanges off and pressing the bushings out with a tool we made (just like the one I used on the trailing arm bushings), but that didn't work. So we finally got the torch, burned and hammered the old bushings out, and used the tool we made to draw the new ones in. Done.

I like this attitude. Never let one take you down... might have to resort to rough methods but it add more skills to your arsenal at the end of the day.

Nice work.