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Removing Upper Control Arm Bushing

J

jeepster_259

NAXJA Forum User
Location
West Palm Beach, FL
So, I'm installing a long arm and I need to removed the axle mount upper control arm bushing on the driver's side. I've beat the crap out of the thing and it won't budge.

Anybody have any tricks or suggestions on how to get it out?
 
a ball joint press? or remove the rubber then whack the metal sleeve out?
 
Go get a balljoint press. Autozone, Advanced, O'reilleys all have them in their loan a tool section. They are a breeze to get removed and replaced with the right tool...
 
I just did these on my MJ. I fought and fought with them for a while, then I figured it out.
  • Take the coils out - you'll need the extra room to work
  • Use a power drill to drill the rubber bushing - it won't look like you are drilling any of the rubber out, but you just want to loosen it up around the inner sleeve. The bit will want to "run" around the inner sleeve - let it.
  • Pound out the inner sleave.
  • Pry out the rubber.
  • Use sawzall to make one cut in outer sleeve - try not to cut into the housing.
  • Pop out the sleeve.
This seems like a lot - but once the coils springs were out - it took me about 5 minutes per bushing.

To pound in the new bushings, I got a 2" pipe cap from Lowes. It was the perfect size to fit on the new bushing, and it has a nice flat surface to pound on.
 
I made my own bushing tool out of a short piece of 2.5" exhaust tubing and a very large flat washer. Weld the washer to one end of the tube, then with some all thread and washers put the tool up against the bushing, put the all thread through the bushing with the washers and a couple nuts, tighten the nut and pull the bushing out of the axle bracket and into the bushing tool. Reverse the tool and pull the new bushing in. I replaced upper arm axle bushings in about 10 min. A ball joint press works the same.

Of course, I haven't had UCA bushings for many years. :)
 
MrSimon said:
I just did these on my MJ. I fought and fought with them for a while, then I figured it out.
  • Take the coils out - you'll need the extra room to work
  • Use a power drill to drill the rubber bushing - it won't look like you are drilling any of the rubber out, but you just want to loosen it up around the inner sleeve. The bit will want to "run" around the inner sleeve - let it.
  • Pound out the inner sleave.
  • Pry out the rubber.
  • Use sawzall to make one cut in outer sleeve - try not to cut into the housing.
  • Pop out the sleeve.
This seems like a lot - but once the coils springs were out - it took me about 5 minutes per bushing.

To pound in the new bushings, I got a 2" pipe cap from Lowes. It was the perfect size to fit on the new bushing, and it has a nice flat surface to pound on.
Click to expand...

X2 - I posted up about two weeks ago wondering about this. The above approach is what I ended up using. Technically, I drilled out some of the rubber, pryed out the sleeve, and then used an air hammer to dent up and pop out the outer sleeve.

Coils out helps. I also had my steering off and that made it more enjoyable.

I used a BJ press and a mixture of adapters to press the driver's side one in. The passenger side is tricker because the mount is relatively fragile (compared to the cast one of the driver's side). I tweaked mine up and had to tweak it all back. Eck.
 
well, i tried the ball joint press, didn't work. I eventually had to just tear of the rubber part piece by piece with a screwdriver. It was seized to the metal sleeve. Still haven't gotten the sleeve out. Need a sawzall for that. Thanks for all the input!
 
Melt the rubber out, then sawzall the metal housing.. Then chisel it out.
Putting the new one in is just as horrible.. You need to make a press out of some steel plate and a long Grade 8 bolt & grade 8 nut. Grease the new bushing, press it in... Then tack weld the new busing in place on low heat carefull not to melt the rubber.
 
After I get it out, I'm putting in a build-a-ball joing from Rock Krawler, looks pretty easy to get that one in. Getting the old one out is the problem. I think the sawzall will solve that though!
 
the UCA bushing are one on the frame end of the arm and the other is in the axle itself. so even changing out the arm would have no effect on the bushing that remains on the axle.
 
We did a Rk L/A lift yesterday and needed to remove the stock bushing on driverside diff. Scott took a air chisle placed it on the bushing sleeve and pushed it out about a 1/2". then placed it on the outer steel casing lip and it came right out. took about 1 minute.
 
jeepster_259 said:
After I get it out, I'm putting in a build-a-ball joing from Rock Krawler, looks pretty easy to get that one in. Getting the old one out is the problem. I think the sawzall will solve that though!
Click to expand...

Actually, check out the TNT Dana 30 truss. Hobestly, the TNT truss comes with a totally different style of new poly bushings... It's by far, the BEST bang for buck for those of you who want to avoid the UCA bushing headache. TNT also known ad Trek.. Now-a-days.

Rock Krawker's flex joint replacement things Put you in the same position ad you're in now... You'll have to press them in.
And... Eventually try to get them out. Get the TNT.. It's well worth it.
 
Last edited:
igotanxj said:
Would you guys say its easier to buy new factory replacement control arms or replace all 8 bushings? All of mine are shot, my rig rides like a jeep now haha.
Click to expand...

were talking about the two UCA axle bushings, the front of the upper control arms don't have busings in them.. They have a fork. I don't think you can change the bushings in the stock lower control arms... They're formed into the arm.

Buy aftermarket LCAs from www.suicidedoors.com, you can order any length adjustable DOM arm for $100 a pair.
 
igotanxj said:
Would you guys say its easier to buy new factory replacement control arms or replace all 8 bushings? All of mine are shot, my rig rides like a jeep now haha.
Click to expand...


I did that - had the axle out to do the bushings on that side of the uppers and it still sucked. If you're going the "new arm" route do yourself a favor and buy heavier arms to put back - I used stock, took them out two months later and replaced with Rusty's fabricated arms because my tires were rubbing - fixed that quick!

Mark
 
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