Changing Bushings on AE92 Front Suspension Arm

[GeeEss]

I need to change the bushings in the front A-arm of the AE92. Can I get away with a ghetto fix (i.e. bashing it out with a socket) or will I need a press?

If so what size Press will I need? < I hear some bushings (i.e. Honda) are a bitch and need a 20t press to remove >

[LeeRoy]

You wont be able to hit them out using a socket. A press is ideal but you can use a few bits of pipe and a long bolt, and by tightening it will push them out, or pull them in.

I did mine using a normal press - similar in quality to those cheap supercheap, local markets, etc engine cranes. I think it's only a couple of ton in pressing capacity.

[td42gq]

The alternative if you don't have a press and its tight is to cut the centre (rubber part) of the bush out and put a cut with a hacksaw in the outer sleeve of the bush, then you will be able to knock it out by putting a punch or a screwdriver between the bush and the arm and knocking it through.

[dangdang]

Replacing with urethane GeeEss?

If you have a new factory bush does it have a steel jacket on its outside?

From memory the front lower control arm bushes do not have an outside steel jacket pressed into the arm to which the rubber is bonded.

As I remember it the factory rubber bush simply sits in the arms tube, has been a while since I did an ae92 though, I did do a customers ae82 last week and it was like that.

I wack them out with the ball end of a ball pein hammer.

[td42gq]

Dangdang, you may very well be right it has been some time since I did an AE92, I know the older corolla's and celica's have a metal outside jacket but not 100% on the later ones. If it is only rubber than it is a really easy job .

[GeeEss]

Nope . . .unfortunately it does have an outside steel jacket, and its proving a bitch to remove - I'd get a 20t press (~ $200 online) but have no room to put it in - Looking at 2t presses but they're nearly as much. . . Everyone's shut this W/E too which isn't helping - I'd rather pay someone to do them - beats swearing & cursing for 2 hours.

[CELICASUPRA7M]

burn the rubber out then cut through the steel jacket with a hack saw.

[TERRA Operative]

When I did the bushes in my old AE92, I don't remember an outside sleeve on the stock bushes. The rubber just slid into a bit of pipe that was welded on the A arm.

I just cut the edge off one side of the bush with a sharp Stanley knife than heated the metal tube around the bush with a gas torch just enough to melt the rubber a bit and allow it to be pressed out with the handle of a hammer, without heating the metal too much so it wasn't weakened.
I then used a small wire wheel on a battery drill to clean out the hole ready for a set of Super-pro urethane bushes.

[GeeEss]

Almost embarrased to say this - the front crossmember & arms (and various other stuff) was looking really skanky so I decided to powdercoat them before putting the car back together - I wanted it done before Easter so I could do some stuff on the car & needed to get the stuff to the Coater ASAP to get it back Thur PM; . . tried to get bushes out before his deadline but couldn't - gave him the arms anyway as I knew I'd be replacing the bushings.

That's why I don't feel like taking a blow torch to the things. . . I'll wait till Tuesday then run em up to Pedders.

[litldv8]

I'll wait till Tuesday then run em up to Pedders.

wednesday in qld

[BLK_20v]

Rears are painful to source... Mostly because the inner / outer control arm... Allot of companies don't do both bushes

[fandio]

I was able to remove the bushes using 2 sockets and an ordinary bench vice. It's alot easier with 2 people to make sure the sockets don't go flying

[GeeEss]

Yes I know; I changed mine (on Transverse arms) to Superpro and started getting a really annoying drumming through the rear end*. . . so I decided the change them back to OEM. I went to Toyota AUS thinking I'd just buy the OEM bushings and re-insert them - no dice; only available as 4 new arms at $220 EA - I ordered SX ones from wreckers thinking they'd be the same but they weren't < you can't cross reference JDM Vs AuDM in ToyoDIY as SX doesn't come up > and got dudded twice with Arms that wouldn't fit. At the time I didn't know any better - for the money I spent I could have got new OEM units from Amayama < ~ AUD $85-90 EA >

*Body structure design (pushed along by safety regulations**) has come a long way in 20 years - the poor old AE92 Bodyshell is nowhere near as stiff as the current (pug-ugly) Corolla - I noticed flexing in the seams at the top of the Hatch opening, even though < or maybe because? > I've got 4-point Suspension, 3-point Fender and rear strut braces on the thing - the body's got to give somewhere I guess. . . .