Need help installing Elephant front A arm bushings...

[Iciclehead]

Ok, I must be doing something wrong here.

Got my A arms powder coated, no powder coating on the surfaces where the rubber runs (Wurth zinc paint on that part).

Have done 5 attempts, latest one I have warmed the bushings in hot water, lubed heavily with soap as per instructions, used a 3/8' rod down the middle instead of a large clamp (my clamp did not even begin to work on attempt 1-3) and no matter what I do, the thing gets so tight that it will not slide onto the arm, begins to crinkle the rubber and I worry about destroying it.

Am I doing something wrong here?

What is the trick? The instructions seem so easy!

Dennis

[McLaren-TAG]

Control Arm Bushing Install Made Easy !!

[Iciclehead]

Originally Posted by McLaren-TAG

Control Arm Bushing Install Made Easy !!

That is exactly what I did.....just tried again, warmed bushings, lots of soap....stripped the threads on the 3/8" rod. Luckily it only went about 20% of the way on so I could take it off fairly easily and try again.

Going to get some 5/8 rod....maybe what I have is just not strong enough, but the hole in the Elephant tool is 3/8 so I assumed that would be a sufficiently large rod.

Dennis

[74-911]

I used the threaded rod on my ER bushings and they went on with no problem. However, I did not warm the bushings. Maybe that is the problem? Assume you have the ER tool for installing the bushings?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=85-Enx4bKUE

[Iciclehead]

Originally Posted by 74-911

I used the threaded rod on my ER bushings and they went on with no problem. However, I did not warm the bushings. Maybe that is the problem? Assume you have the ER tool for installing the bushings?

Yes, I have the ER tool, I soaked the bushings in hot water (not boiling however) and poured enough soap on it to clean an elephant....last attempt I just bulled forward until the 3/8" rod threads stripped.

I will get 5/8" and try again....

Dennis

[bivenator]

I used the method seen in the 3rd post of the link provided. Do you have a picture of your setup?

[74-911]

Originally Posted by Iciclehead

......... I soaked the bushings in hot water (not boiling however)

Dennis, I wonder if heating the bushings is making them expand and become to pliable letting them grip the control arm and deform rather than just sliding onto the control arm ??

[gtc]

If you can get them started, just whack them on the rest of the way with a dead blow hammer. I used the neon orange, shot-filled one from harbor freight.
Not Elephant's recommended method, but worked for me, and was a lot easier than when I helped a friend with the clamp method.

[pete3799]

Wire wheel the Wurth paint off and put the bushing on cold.

[DaveMcKenz]

I just did this today. I am a hobbyist woodworker, so I used a very heavy I-beam style 4-foot bar clamp. It has 3/4" acme thread screw head. Even with this and good lubrication with liquid soap, I had to apply a decent amount of twisting force to seat the bushings. I can well imagine that a 3/8" all thread rod would not stand up to the forces involved. If you can, borrow a heavy bar clamp or buy some 3/4" threaded rod to make your own pressing fixture, although you will have to knock out the front end cap to use a through the arm method.
Good luck,
Dave

[wildcat077]

They can be a real pain to install,even with the ER tool ... i stripped the threads on a brand new bar clamp and had to return it and get another one to finish the job !

Cheers
Phil

[RSTarga]

try freezing the bushings instead of heating them

[Iciclehead]

Jut for closure, finally got the bushings on...I probably had several problems but here are my remedies.

First, I probably did not soak the bushings in hot water long enough. I basically dumped them into a pot of hot water and a few minutes later I tried to put them on. I suspect heat travels slowly through rubber and while the outside was warm, the inner rubber was probably still pretty cool and stiff. Solution was to soak them in hot tap water for a couple of hours and then immerse them in very hot water just before and during the process of installation. Seemed to make a difference.

The 3/8 inch rod is definitely too small....went up to 5/8", used double nuts on the far end of the assembly and a long nut (I think the technical name is coupling nut) for the drive. Here is a photo just so y'all know what I mean.



Zero chance of stripping that little bugger on a 5/8 coarse threaded rod.

I used an impact wrench to torque it all on after I soaped the living crap out of everything. I had aligned it all so that the long nut was just starting, so I had plenty of travel with my impact socket to run it all the way to the end.

Alignment went fine, one small trick I figured out was on the rear mount, when you do the rotation to align it properly, it does tend to want to wind out of the rubber. I just did the alignment with the 5/8 rod in place, slightly loosened and I could rotate the rear mount without any fear of it backing out.

And here is the final result...they will sit for a couple of days before I put on the ball joints and such.



Final result, not a dead easy install, but I had no material problems today with the heavier rod and softer rubber. I actually don't think I have the arm strength to do it as Elephant recommended, using a large clamp. I did do fine adjustment with my long handle ratchet, torque levels were fine and certainly I believe I could have dispensed with the impact wrench and just used my ratchet, but since I have one...why not? Zip zip! Took about 90 minutes all in....

Nice kit Chuck!

Dennis

[Craig_D]

Good job, Dennis.

I didn't see this post until today, otherwise I would have suggested to take a look at how I installed them, here: '78 SC Elephant Racing Suspension Rebuild

[Iciclehead]

Originally Posted by Craig_D

Good job, Dennis.

I didn't see this post until today, otherwise I would have suggested to take a look at how I installed them, here: '78 SC Elephant Racing Suspension Rebuild

Yes, that would have been a good idea....probably didn't search hard enough.

You must have wrists like Tarzan to be able to do one with the wood clamp! I gave up pretty early on my attempt using that.

I suspect, and judging from your success as well, 5/8 is overkill....1/2" rod, as yours appears to be and as Elephant drilled the hole in the tool, is more than likely sufficient.

Dennis