[s-cars] Help with rear control arm replacement

[David Kase]

Are you replacing the entire control arm or the bushings?

The bushings are a PIA to remove but there are ways...

I took mine, used a torch to burn the rubber out and remove the inner 
sleeve.  Then I used a die grinder with a rotary file to cut the outer 
sleeve out.

You have to be careful not to go through the outer sleeve and bitch up 
the arm itself.  You just grind a slot across the outer sleeve until it 
is thin the whole way across.  Then take a chisel and crush the sleeve 
inward.

Clean the hole in the control arm well, freeze the new bushings and use 
a vice or press to install (carefully).

HTH,
Dave Kase

Kent McLean wrote:

>Dave Ellis wrote:
>  
>
>>Is replacing the rear control arms do-able with only hand tools, and are 
>>any special tools required (Bentley manual refers to tool VW267a to 
>>"press joint out of crossmember")?  Any BTDT or useful hints I should be 
>>aware of?
>>    
>>
>
>Not having done it, I think that means it needs a hydraulic
>shop press to press the bushing in and out.  You may be able
>to jury rig something with a long bolt and some thick washers
>or socket wrench sockets, or try the Harbor Freight wheel
>bearing tool -- go to www.harborfreight.com and search for
>part/item number: 45210-3VGA
>
>  
>
>>Grepping through the S-car archives ...
>>    
>>
>
>Now *there* is a Unix guy. :)
>
>  
>