How-to for replacing the rear suspension bushings?

[Chuck Tribolet]

I'm about to replace all the rear suspension bushings with 4x4parts split bushings. I'm not too concerned with getting
the trailing links out and back in (I've done the uppers before with stock bushings), but is there a how-to on getting
the bushings out of the arms and such? And does anything in there get lubed?

Yes, I've searched.

[fueler]

Wish i had R50 specific advice - i paid a shop to do mine and after all was said and done, they told me they never wanted to see my truck again and that it broke their press when trying to get the old bushing out. They bought a new press and used a section of scrap pipe that fit just right to get the job done...

ive helped my buddy do his 95 (slightly smaller bushings) and we did it using a torch, a couple big screwdrivers and a couple of big hammers. It wasn't fun but we got it done in one night using a weak air gun and hand tools.

[Chuck Tribolet]

I've gotten started on this over the last couple of days. I'm going to collect notes in this thread, and then put it all
together with pictures in a nice how-to thread when I get done.

I'm using the 4x4 parts split bushings. I had a spare upper trailing link with shot stock bushings to experiment with.

Step 1 was to get the metal insert (the bit around the bolt) out of the stock bushings. I chucked the trailing link in my vice, with the insert pointing down. I put a bucket of water under it, and fired up my MAPP gas torch and blew the
flame through the center of the insert until the rubber melted and the hot insert dropped into the bucket. The rubber will catch fire just before the insert drops out. Note that your are playing with fire. Just outside the garage, I had a garden hose with a spray nozzle on the end, and the hose bib turned on, just in case.

Step 2 is to get the outer metal part of the bushing out of the trailing link. I used my Bosch reciprocating saw (everybody calls these "Sawzall", but that's Milwaukee's trademark) to cut ALMOST all the way through the outer part. You don't want to cut into the trailing link because that will create a stress riser. First I cleared the remaining rubber away so there was a gap about 1/4" wide to bare metal, and I cut. Cut a little, look, cut again. When you look, check both ends and the middle. The blade is important. I started with a Bosch carbide blade and that didn't work well. Then I tried a Lenox 6" 14 tpi thick metal cutting blade (hey, effectively, you are cutting a 2" piece of metal, just not very deep). and that worked well. Have some spare blades. Keep the saw foot against the trailing arm, otherwise you are just vibrating the saw and not cutting well.

Once you've cut ALMOST through the outer part (ALMOST means all but the thickness of a Coors can), you can tap the
outer part out with a punch. Tap one side, then the other, keep alternating.

That's where I am -- one upper trailing link ready to go. Next step is to check the junk yards to see if I can find an upper trailing link. I'd really like to have one set of new arms ready to go before I jack the truck up.

One more thing: the melted rubber is really sticky stuff. I'm going to have to find somebody to run the camera as I don't want that goo all (or the general road grime from under the truck) all over my Nikon.

[Chuck Tribolet]

I just discovered a package of grease in with the bushings. Where does it go? Between the bolt and the inner metal sleeve? Between the sleeve and the poly bushing? Between the poly bushing and the trailing link?

[Chuck Tribolet]

I got an e-mail back from 4x4 parts about 10 minutes after I used their contact us web page:

The grease is used on entire bushing, the surface that is touching the walls of the tube and the inner surface that the sleeve slides into. If you have any further assistance please let us know.

[Revthese]

LOLOLOLOL!!!! The shop that did my bushings mean mugged me when I came back to pick it up as well. They told me that if they knew it was going to be such a b**** to replace, they would have charged me twice as much! I put in poly U's... Rides like knew afterwards.

[ottofalcon]

i need to change these bushings on my qx, but i don't know if I should use the poly or just normal bushings, what are the advantages of these? and where can i get the whole set for the whole rear end. and cheap because when I went to buy the bushings for my montero each was about 8 or 10 dollars, and it used 6, so im guessing the qx will be more expensive.

[Chuck Tribolet]

Left and right are as you are sitting in the driver's seat.

Drop the spare tire and put it the back of the truck. You
want the weight back there when you torque things down.

Jack up the rear of the truck and put on jack stands. The
jack stands should be placed just in front of the rear lower
trailing links.

Remove tires.

Remove four bolts at the upper mounting points for the sway
bar (14mm socket).

On top of the lower trailing links are three brackets, two
on the left and one on right They hold the parking brake
cable and a wire (I think for the ABS system sensor). It
seems strange that there wasn't one on the right, but
there's no sign of it ever being there. Each is held on by
two nuts (10mm socket). Remove the nuts.

Each trailing link is held by two big bolts (17mm socket)
and nuts (19 mm socket). When I did the uppers a while ago,
I was unable to get any of them loose with hand tools, even
a 24" breaker bar. Ingersol-Rand's baddest impact wrench
got three loose. The fourth had to be cut off. A 17mm
ratcheting box wrench would be handy to back out the bolt
once the nut is off. All four lower bolts came off with the
impact wrench.

There are four ways to put the lower trailing link back.
Three are wrong. The "fork" (you'll see what I mean), goes
forward and up.

The shorter bolts on the lower arm go on the forward end.
The forward bolt on the lower arm has the nut on the
outside, the aft bolt has the nut on the inside.

The axle wanted to be about an inch too far back to get the
bolts in the lower arm, so I pulled the axle forward with a 2-ton
come-along

On the upper arms, both nuts are on the inside. The longer
bolt goes forward.

Threre are four ways to put the upper trailing link back.
Three are wrong. The "hammerhead" (you'll see what I mean)
goes aft and up.

OK, so how to get the old bushings out. One option is to
have somebody with a press do it, and I've done that in the
past when I was just doing one arm. What I did this time
was to clamp the arm in a vise, and heat the center metal
part with a MAPP gas torch until the rubber melted. The rubber
will melt just about the same time it catches fire. I put a
bucket of water under the arm to catch the hot center part
so it wouldn't bounce off my foot or leg. Remember, you are
playing with fire. I got the big fire extinguisher that I
keep in the garage and kept it close at hand. Be careful
about what's underneath. The molten rubber is MESSY. I
threw out the bucket when I got done. And the molten rubber
is often on fire, so make sure there's nothing flamable down
there.

About six posts ago, I talked about how to get the outer metal
part out. The one thing I'd add is that you want to saw
towards the middle of the arm.

[JonathanPrem]

I did mine in 2-3 hrs with help of the hoist. Take the torch around the housing instead of directly at the bushing. You a air hammer if you have one. Makes life easier. I wouldn't try this at home unless you have the proper tools and compressor.

[Chuck Tribolet]

I wouldn't want to mess up any heat treat on the arm.