Advice needed on strut rod bushings

[The73vetteman]

I need to replace these bushings. My problem is that I cannot disassemble the rod at the wheel end. The piece that mounts the lower end of the shock is rusted in solid. Tried days of PB Blaster and a gas torch but still can't budge it.

Any suggestions?

 

[bradfordsvettes]

there are tools out there that mount on the shock threads . then you have to beat the s--t out of it to loosen it up .I have also used an air hammer on the tool with some results it is not easy if they are frozen Steve

 

[dk1977]

Do you have a tie rod end / pittman puller? You have to hammer it in between the rubber bushing and the mount then tighten the screw onto the end of the shock mount. I pulled both mine using this method. Maybe I just got lucky. You will mess up the a bit of the rubber on the bushing. Good luck!

 

[74bigblock]

there are tools out there that mount on the shock threads . then you have to beat the s--t out of it to loosen it up .I have also used an air hammer on the tool with some results it is not easy if they are frozen Steve

Ditto to the above.

 

[Bob Chadwick]

Rather than buy the tool, take your castle nuts to the hardware store and buy two nuts of the same size. Lock these together and beat on them. If you beat on your castle nut you will destroy it. I know because I did it and they are hard to find unless you want to pay a hefty price from the vendors.

 

[JohnZ]

If you use an air hammer with a blunt-end shank (after double-nutting it like Bob noted or use the "knocker" tool), it will come out faster than with a big hammer, and with less likelihood of damaging/breaking the front leg off the spindle support. Use lots of PB Blaster or Kroil on it ahead of time too, and use anti-seize on it when you put it back together so you won't have to fight it next time.

 

[bradfordsvettes]

the tool you buy from venders is machined to a depth that bottoms out on the threaded end and you will not damage threads. if you use nuts you could damage the threads or the end of the shank only my 2 cents Steve

 

[81 Corvette]

be careful when smacking around the shock mount. the shop that did my diff. rebuild busted the one tounge on the support holder. damn, i forget the technical name

 

[Stingray6974]

The lower shock mounts lock into the bearing support. It's best to drive them out with a good air hammer. There's always a chance of breaking the support with a hammer. In many cases the shock mount rusts itself to the strut rod bushing. Sometimes you have to sacrifce the strut rod to get it apart.
I sell new shock mounts for $38.00 each if you do damage one.

Mike

 

[corvetjerryd]

I got mine loose with a gear puller....Hook it on the bearing support,tighten it up on the end of the threaded shaft,spray it and beat the crap out of the gear puller and mine finally let go.....

 

[Grizzly]

I've always been a big fan of air tools to get things loose. The vibration shakes things lose when a big wrench or hammer will just break it off. Use low power to start and just move up if you have to. Give the tool a few minutes to loosen things up.

 

[The73vetteman]

Done it! Well one side of the car anyway. As I don't have compressed air in my garage I went with the gear puller approach and a can of PB. And a big hammer.

Thanks for all the tips guys.

Now I just have to get the strut rod off and replace the bushings. And repeat for the other side of the car.:eyerole

 

[corvetjerryd]

Learning to make fine adjustments with a BFH makes you a genuine corvette mechanic..........Good job

 

[matthud]

How hard are those bushings to replace once you get the strut rods out? Do you need a special press or anything?

 

[The73vetteman]

I bouht the Ecklers bushing replacement tool. Yeah I know, I must have more money than sense, but having wrestled with control arm bushings two years ago I wanted to make life easier.

The Ecklers tool - which costs $60 and could probably be produced pretty quickly by anyone with a decent lathe - helped with getting the old bushings out but I haven't put the new ones in yet. I'll let you know how that goes.

By the way, I went with the two piece poly bushings. Info in the CAC suggested they'd be easier to install. Watch this space!

John

 

[matthud]

I bought some of the 2 piece poly bushings myself. Went and burned out the old bushings today. After getting all of them out went and got the new bushings I got from VBP. I bought the ones for a 69, because thats what my car is. Apparently the previous owner, smart man that he was, must have replaced the strut rods somewhere along the line. So now I have a package of bushings that are too small for the strut rods that I have.