OT: Removing rubber suspension bushings

Motomoron · Oct 15, 2007

I've got the control arms off my '99 Dodge Dakota while I'm rebuilding the front suspension and steering gear. I have a full set of Energy Suspension urethane bushings and need to get the crusty, split, dried up old rubber ones out. These are in way more solidly than any of the myriad Hondas I've done this on.

The metal shells are reused on the uppers, and the pivot shafts have washers on the insides of the bushings so they stay in place and the bushings leave and re-enter fron the outsides.

Anyone have a magic bullet suggestion?

Burn 'em out with the heat wrench? drill 'em to swiss cheese *then* burn 'em out? Buy a Toyota truck and be done?

Thanks in advance for any advice.

GregSY · Oct 15, 2007

I did that job on my '99 Dakota years ago. But I don't remember any special measures.

You won't want to hear this, but your dilemma is precisely why I think polyurethane bushings are junk. For what they charge you think they'd at least give you new metal. Actually, I think they're junk for a number of other reasons, too.

Some guys who have a lot of air pressure and a good air chisel can drive them out that way.

As I recall you need to support the arm so that when you drive or press the bushing out it doesn't collapse the two sides.

I think I pressed the shaft one way to drive out one bushing, then pressed it the other way to drive out the remaining bushing. The pivot shaft washers are not so large they can't fit through the arm holes when you press them in either direction.

Piek · Oct 15, 2007

I have no idea what a dodge dakota looks like, so if my answer is of no use I'm sorry.
On my cars(volvos) the parts with the bushings are easily removed from the car. I use a small hydraulic press for the really stubborn ones and a sturdy bench vise for the others.
A socket set (or bushings made on the lathe) serves as bushing to press them out.

Mad Dad · Oct 15, 2007

I would try to burn them out, but with just enought heat to get the job done. You don't want to change the properties of the metal holding the busings in.

HelicalCut · Oct 15, 2007

3 ways I have used in decending order of ease

Burn them out with an oxy fuel cutting torch, hit the cut button and expect a very bright light. do in bursts to avoid overheating the housing. Slight problem is that it leaves in the steel shell, collapse the shell with a chisel.

Collapse the shell with a pnuematic chisel with the rubber still present.

Machine a mandril and backing bush and press them out, by far the best method as the tool can be used to install the new bushings as well if made properly

GregSY · Oct 15, 2007

He can't collapse the steel shell - he has to reuse it. So not only does he have to remove the bushing, he has to keep the shell in good shape.

The good news is he doesn't have to remove the shell at all, he could just leave it in place and 'refill' it with the polyurethane.

I've also used a 1/4" drill bit and drilled a bunch of holes around the perimeter of the rubber - that's probably the best method as it has no heating.

Mud · Oct 15, 2007

Soak the bushings in gasoline and set fire to the rubber. After a while the rubber will fall out. We did that on large truck bushings in order to get to the shell to press it out. It's faster if you poke holes in the rubber to let the gasoline and fire inside.

Honest!

Motomoron · Oct 15, 2007

I've got a 20 ton H-frame press, oxy-acetylene, and everything I need to make arbors. I'll measure when I get home, but it looked under casual observation like the inner washers were a bit bigger than the ID of the steel bushing shells. I'm going to drill a bunch of holes in to reduce the amount of rubber, then burn 'em out.

Regarding Energy urethane bushings, I've had nothing but good results and they essentially last forever. They ride a little firmer, which is fine with me. It's a truck, after all, even though it's a small one.

Thanks all for the tips.

Freeman · Oct 15, 2007

Compressed CO2 gas or dry ice.

GregSY · Oct 15, 2007

My Dakota R/T rode pretty rough to start with, so I wouldn't want to make it any firmer.

I've seen plenty of urethane bushings squeeze themselves out over time. You also lose the elastic effect that rubber bushings provide - the urethane is not bonded to anything so you are essentially turning an active suspension joint into a simple pin joint.

Motomoron · Oct 16, 2007

I did the uppers last night. I heated w/ a mapp gas torch, leaving oxy-acetylene as an additional resource. The rubber inside the shell squirted out and burned like those little black creosote snakes we'd mess up the driveway with on the 4th of july. It all pressed apart easily after that.

The residue from burnt rubber, BTW, is the most concentrated black inky substance I've ever encountered. Cleanup is gonna be a b1tch.

drew_dst · Oct 12, 2015

Motomoron said:
I did the uppers last night. I heated w/ a mapp gas torch, leaving oxy-acetylene as an additional resource. The rubber inside the shell squirted out and burned like those little black creosote snakes we'd mess up the driveway with on the 4th of july. It all pressed apart easily after that.

The residue from burnt rubber, BTW, is the most concentrated black inky substance I've ever encountered. Cleanup is gonna be a b1tch.

I know I'm super late to the party, but I thought it would be nice to put in my two cents. In my experience if you put the flame directly on the rubber you get that smell and smoke and flames. But if you instead heat the housing, you can break the bond between the rubber and metal shell and the bushing just pops out. And you are correct sir, that burnt rubber is tacky and hard to get off everything. Especially your hands.

I took some detailed pictures and video and put it in an article:
How-To Burn out Suspension Bushings: The Right Way - AftermarketSuspensionParts.com

Now that it's been a few years (7), did anyone have any negative experiences with burning out bushings? Other than the stench.

Scottl · Oct 12, 2015

If you need to leave the metal shells in this is what I would do.

Use a hole saw without the drill bit to cut out as much of the core as possible or jam a wood dowel in the center and use the hole saw with the drill bit.

Using a propane torch and maybe a little lighter fluid - NEVER GASOLINE, light the remaining rubber on fire. Most automotive rubber will stay burning once lit. Watch out for the nasty smoke and drips of liquid burning rubber - both make a mess!

While it is still hot you should be able to stuff a rag through to wipe out most of it. Then a small wire brush used with some kind of rotary tool should get down to metal.

I also am not a fan of polyurethane bushings although I have found polyurethane dust boots work well if the factory boot on something like a tie rod end splits. With a good re-greasing they can delay the need to replace them until a more convenient time.

If you light your old bushings on fire I would only do it outside with a fire extinguisher handy. The smoke will put oily soot on everything it touches.

Edit: Just read the posts before mine - I'm also late to the party.

lars66 · Oct 12, 2015

Exactly what we done in the shop when changing radius rod bushings on trailer suspension.

crossthread · Oct 13, 2015

I chewed out a set last year with a very coarse carbide burr in a die grinder. It worked surprisingly well and fast.

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OT: Removing rubber suspension bushings

Motomoron

Stainless

GregSY

Diamond

Piek

Cast Iron

Mad Dad

Hot Rolled

HelicalCut

Stainless

GregSY

Diamond

Mud

Diamond

Motomoron

Stainless

Freeman

Cast Iron

GregSY

Diamond

Motomoron

Stainless

drew_dst

Plastic

Scottl

Diamond

lars66

Aluminum

crossthread

Titanium

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