Removing a stuck rubber bushing..from a stuck housing

[marlinspike]

Having cleaned up the lower control arm I bought for my project car, I now can't: 1. get the housing off the control arm nor 2. get the rubber bushing out of the housing so I can then get the housing off.

The housing should pull and twist off with the bushing inside. It won't. Tried levering, hammer etc. I decided to drill down into the rubber to destroy the bushing but this is taking forever to gouge out the 30 year old rubber chunk by chunk.

Any ideas? Do I just keep gouging the rubber away? If the housing would come off obviously there's better ways of removing the bush but the housing is very stuck.

We have an induction heat tool. Would heating the threaded bit soften the rubber and make it easier to remove? Or expand the rubber and make it harder?

Everything on this car, every little thing, turns out to take weeks. So frustrating.

Any ideas welcome.

 

[jo1010]

Yep, I normally burn those out with a torch - they're right ba******rds. But beware of the toxic smoke released - it doesn't last long though

 

[dieselsamurai]

Last time i had an issue like this it was on my Chevy truck , from memory it was a front spring hanger bushing . I used the oxy/acetylene torch on it , burnt really well but thick black smoke

 

[OJCar]

The similar Metalastic bushes on Land Rovers I use a hole saw, without the central pilot drill, to cut through the rubber.
This sort of hole saw

Then use a hacksaw to slit the metal sleeve on the diagonal.
Or a grinder...

 

[Erie Fred]

In the factory where they make bonded rubber/metal parts, I'm told that with the mistake ones, they dip in liquid nitrogen to destroy the rubber.

 

[tigdlo]

Tyre soap is very good for lubricating blades, drills and hole saws in rubber, WD-40 or similar can make the rubber sticky and harder work.

 

[zzr1200]

Whereabouts are you based?

A press would be my choice...

 

[julianf]

I don't think it will work if you've still got something through the middle, but my choice is an air chissle.

 

[tom2207]

first check and see what comes with the new part , that mount looks thin in places

 

[Brad93]

Burn it ojt

 

[MetalMonkey]

Heat, Air hammer, and perseverance. Worst case you can try burning them out, but that's usually easier said than done.

 

[oldbikedavey]

Usual way on Norton Isolastic bushings, or BSA A.10 Silentbloc swinging arm bushes is to burn the buggers out.

 

[frank horton]

that bush n bracket is replaceable as a complete unit...wouldn't bother trying to save the bracket....
I remember the bracket but not the vehicle....

 

[reb78]

Weirdly I found a broken drill bit would cut into and around these rubbers better than a whole bit. I only tried it as I didn't want to break a decent bit doing it and have done this ever since. The rough end seems to grab the rubber and then it seems to cut sideways as it pulls through.

Failing that, burn it as the others have said,

then air chisel to knock the collars out.

 

[jenki]

SAAB by any chance? on a land rover I burnt them out with a plumbers torch but i'm not so sure with that alloy housing I quite like the idea of the hole saw for OJcar. Good luck.

 

[doubleboost]

Set it on fire
The smoke is nasty stuff

 

[anto44]

I normally burn them with a cutting torch, I'd advise doing it outdoors and being mindful of your neighbours and where the smoke is going.

 

[DanZac]

Is it out yet?

 

[marlinspike]

As of 5 minutes ago, yes it is. The Olympic Torch comes to Lancashire.

I tried a hole saw but didn't have one that was long enough to do enough. After going back to the drilling method to remove more rubber, OH managed to pull off the housing, leaving a lot of rubber which we scraped off then burnt off the rest. Cleaned it up further with sandpaper and brake cleaner. Lot of residue left inside the housing so doing the same with that.

Bit more cleaning to do but finally getting there.

SAAB by any chance? on a land rover I burnt them out with a plumbers torch but i'm not so sure with that alloy housing I quite like the idea of the hole saw for OJcar. Good luck.

Yes, Saab 900, so likely a 35 to 40 year old part which hasn't been changed since new. Many parts are no longer available. Funnily enough the lower control arms are around £50 each and I wonder now if I should have just bought a pair.

As always guys, thanks for the advice. This forum is the best.

 

[badabec]

Buy a pair anyway. They won't eat anything.