rubber bushing problem

[cybermca]

i took out my spring today to cut a coil, so i undid the the upper a arm pin. i pulled on it to get the upright out and the rubber came out with it. now i am struggling to get the bushings back in. i tried putting them on the studs inside the a arms and leaving them on the uprights like in the picture,but either way seems to just smash the rubber up... any reccomendations? the bushings are about 3/4" wide. thanks..

[desoto1939]

I would thin that you can put the rubber bushings into the braket first then install the control arm into the opening and then thread the ends onto the control arm.

Give that a try.

Rich Hartung

Desoto1939@aol.com

[Dodgeb4ya]

There is a special factory Miller tool that sqeezes one bushing to do this job easily but you can carefully use a narrow screw driver and a small hook tool to help the rubbers ease over the pin bushing.

Put them inside the control arm first. Then lube the outside of the rubber bushings with oil or grease-a small amount then carefully work/push the knuckle support into the bushings while manipulating the rubbers slow and easy does it! It's easier if the control arm is not bolted to the care so you can twist and angle the arm onto the threaded pin bushing in the knuckle support.

Bob

[BobT-47P15]

It would look as if someone with a little patience and a piece of metal

could fab up that Miller tool at home.

[cybermca]

the schematic of the miller tool is helpful and i will try to make one with some thin metal. thanks bob

[Young Ed]

Bob it doesn't have to be anything fancy. When I did mine I had no idea about the special tool but I used an old piece of aluminum house trim bent into a U to do that same thing. You are right its quite a challenge otherwise. I tried a few times before I "invented" that tool.

[Dodgeb4ya]

I never had that tool till about 15 years ago-always got them in ok with manipulation and patience.

[Dan Hiebert]

When I did mine many years ago, I used an old metal shoe-horn. I flattened out the wide curved end, and left the "hook" on the narrow end to help pull it out. Just had to be careful that the bushing stayed centered.

[Mark D]

The following images are excerpted from page 7 of the service manual. This is from the manual that was given to new car owners.

If you send me a private message with your email address I will send you a PDF copy of the manual.

[cybermca]

i bent some 20 guage steel into a u shape and it worked out with a little manipulation.

thanks for everyones efforts

[Mark D]

Excellent! Glad to hear it worked out.