Using duct tape and a hole saw to install swing arm bushings.

[sailchef]

I just replaced my swing arm bushings with a set of Neatrix bushings that
I’ve had on the shelf for the better part of 3 or 4 years. Rear spring plate removal – question

In those years I have read every forum article dealing with bushing replacement,
swing arm installation, DIY toe/camber and ride height adjustment at least twice.
Some have said you can do it in an afternoon, I don’t doubt it, if you have the space,
time, Energy, someone to hand you tools and know what you are doing.
It took me 6 weeks. I spent an entire day getting the car level on my perfectly
level garage floor. I may have even taken a short nap on the concrete. Don’t remember.
Not a big deal as I work 60-70 hours a week and on most days off
I sleep until noon and anytime I get to work on my car is a holiday.

I chose to glue the bushings on, don’t have a press and wanted to stick
to the DIY concept. In all the articles it seemed that the 5 seconds it takes
for the super glue to harden was the subject of many success/failure stories.
I pondered this 5 second window for days at a time. I could have borrowed a
press or muscled it on but I came up with a solution that, for me, worked like
a charm and actually surprised me how effective it was. I used a 2 ½ inch hole saw,
which I already had, a role of duct tape and a couple pieces of scrap wood.




I think the pictures show the idea pretty well. For the inboard side the circle
that was cut out made a perfect “press plate”. I started the bushing onto the
tube about ¼ inch just enough to hold it in place.






I used a couple short pieces of 2x4 to make a jig and level everything.



I applied the super glue all the way around the tube, let it run for a second, set the
swing arm onto the table/2x4 blocks and smacked it with a hammer. Fast. No issues.
Easy breezy. 2 years of reading, 6 weeks of dis-assembly and cleaning, and it all
came down to 5 seconds. I laughed it was so easy.

For the outboard side I used the piece that had the hole cut into it with a role of
duct tape sandwiched between it and a short section of 2x4. Same concept. The
roll of duct tape allowed for the extra length of the outboard tube. I was initially
going to use several pieces of wood stacked up to create the depth I needed
to push the bushing all the way down but eventually stumbled onto using the
roll itself to create what I needed. Again, I started the bushing a bit to hold it in place,
got the glue on, set it down on the table, and whacked it with a hammer, done.













So, after all the prep and pondering it only took a split second to install the bushing.

[Rich Gas]

Nice job! The prep and thinking it through was key. This ones on my list.

[will hung]

I love it when a plan comes together.

[doswald]

Perfect timing, Sailchef! I will be doing this next week and have been pondering the 5 second window. Thanks for the post and photos.

dho