Polyurethane bushings for front 4 control arms

I'm installing Daystar polyurethane bushings at both ends of all 4 control arms to my D30 in the front of my '92 XJ I6 auto.

Am I doing a good thing? Any pros/cons?

I've removed the two lower arms. The old rubber bushings were in there really tight. I'm blessed with a 20 ton press so I could get them out but I don't know what I would have done without the press. The upper arms have bushings in the end that goes to the body, but at the opposite end the bushings are in the axle. Of course I can't get the axle under my press. Any advice on getting the axle bushings out?

The arms don't seem to allign exactly with the axle. It looks like I'll have to move the axle from side to side when I install the arms so I can get the bolts thru the holes. Any suggestions how I can jack the axle sideways?

This is turning out to be a lot of work...

Thanks!

Try a ratcheting tie down strap to pull the axel left or right. be careful, keep your head up.

How do you have the rig supported now?? wheels touching the ground or totally off?? If touching then turn the steering wheel.

As for the removal and install of your bushings on the axle there is a tool to buy/rent but if not here is this one you can build

http://jeep.off-road.com/jeep/article/articleDetail.jsp?id=360764

or buy/rent this one

http://www.maximummotorsports.com/index.html?http&&&www.maximummotorsports.com/store/index.php?main_page=index&cPath=21_99

And as for using Poly-U bushings, they will last longer and have less resistance to rot but I have heard that they are a lot stiffer and reduce flex quite a bit.

I've used a come along attached to a tow hook and the panhard-bar bracket to align it.

Thanks for input. Wheels are completely off, jeep is on stands. The tool is a great idea! I'll go thru my collection of old muffler tubes and sockets to see if I can't cobble something together.

Rachet strap is anoter good one if it can apply sufficient force. I think I can connect it to a hole in the frame back aft of the door, then pass it over the wheel hub and connect it to the winch at front. This is about the correct level so that it will place mostly sideways force and not too much upward force on the axle.

I'm kinda scared since my arms don't seem to line up very well. I worry that I won't be able to get the bolts back in.

I'd like to meet the engineer who decided to use torx headed bolts to connect the upper arms to the axle. What a pain!

Oh well... here I go to try. Lucky it's mutha's day since it may take just that.

I purchased about 3' of 3/8" all thread rod with fine threads. Got this from NAPA since Home Depot had only the coarse threaded rod. Cut 8" from this and made a tool to pull bushings. Found a socket with the right OD for the press piece and an old wheel bearing race with the correct ID to press the bushing into. Worked well. Thanks for the tool idea.

I couldn't get the bushing out of the track arm so I'm still stuck there. Pressed it up to what I thought was max torque on my tool but no dice. I noticed that if you leave the pressure on the rubber seems to give after about 10 minutes. Worked well for the bushings on the axle but not on the track bar.

Had to apply substantial force to the axle to allign the arms. I have chain come-along which I rigged. I'm afraid that a simple strap would not have had enough.

It's easier to put the track arm on while the vehicle is on the ground rather than with the vehicle on stands and the axle hanging free. I put it on in this condition anyway but it took a lot of force. Put the 4 control arms on in this condition but I think it wouldn't matter if the vehicle were on the ground or on stands.

It was a fun project but I still have to figure out how to get the bushing out of the track arm.

The poly bushings will make it handle better on the road. Could limit flex offroad due to the stiffness though. They have a tendency to squeak if they're not the graphite impregneted ones. Some dry graphite will help this...

Oops, no graphite. I used a combination of grease and anti-sieze. No squeaks yet!

Using mineral-based grease on poly is going to lead to eventual break down of the poly. You really should have used a synthetic grease, as it is compatible with the synthetic material of the poly.

Oops, it's in there now... Now I notice that Quadratec has the proper grease available right on the same page as the poly bushings. Drat! Might as well leave it go until they squeak or fall apart. Bushings aren't terribly expensive compared to all the work to put them in. Will be easier next time since the polys should press out more easily than the rubber ones did.

Mike