I am rebuilding a 12-bolt for my 71 SS, and I need to remove the old stock bushings on the top of the differential case for the upper control arms. These are very old and rusted into place. I don`t have any special tools to press them out. Any ideas, please! Thanks!

When I changed mine, I sprayed them with liquid wrench then let them sit for a few days. Then I used a cold chisel to crimp them in a bit, and then tapped them out using a ball pien hammer and a block of wood. Kind of a hillbilly way to do it but it worked for me. Heating the diff. case where the bushings are located might help also.

Do you have an air-hammer? This work good - they kinda shock the bushing free from the diff. If its really stuck, you'll just have to do your best to destroy it. The air-hammer does both. Any method that uses a regular hammer and chisel will take forever.

Do you have an air-hammer? This work good - they kinda shock the bushing free from the diff. If its really stuck, you'll just have to do your best to destroy it. The air-hammer does both. Any method that uses a regular hammer and chisel will take forever.

bumblebee,
as previously posted, i drilled the rubber out in numerous places, then knocked out the center.
used my sawzall to cut thru the outer steel sleeve, cave it in and it fell out.

david

You can build a tool for $5 to remove and replace them. Just don't beat on them with a hammer. You could snap an ear off. Air chisel works great too. SEARCH in the suspension forum for how to build the tool.

Thanks for all the great ideas! I do have a compressor and an air hammer, and that sounds like a good idea. I never thought of that route. I also may make one of those tools so I could use it to install the new bushings. I will give this all a try tonight and let you know how it works out. Thanks again!

I ended up drilling out the rubber, removing the inner sleeve, crimping in the end of the bushing, and then tapping it out with a hammer. I also used about half a can of PB Blaster in the process! At they least the bushings are out with no damage to the ears. Thanks again to everyone for the help!

Thanks for the great idea on the axle bushings! I ended up drilling out the rubber and removing the inner sleeve, then collapsing them and it worked great!

Don't forget to tighten everything down w/the weight of the car on the suspension.

I forgot to :sad:

1/2 a can of PB Blaster! Your lucky the car didn't disassemble itself! That stuff works great doesn't it!