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Control Arm Bushing Weld Removal

Discussion in '308/328' started by waymar, May 9, 2011.

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  1. waymar

    waymar Formula 3

    Sep 2, 2008
    1,354
    Northeast, PA - USA
    Full Name:
    Wayne Martin
    #1 waymar, May 9, 2011
    Front control arms are out of the car ('82 308 GSTi) - What are some of the succesful ways that the welds have been removed to allow the bushings to be pressed out of the front arms - thank you -Wayne
     
  2. Owens84QV

    Owens84QV F1 Rookie

    Oct 2, 2001
    4,486
    Somewhere in NC
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    Greg
    #2 Owens84QV, May 9, 2011
    Many (could be most) on here have not touched the welds. Rather, they've pushed out the rubber bushing with a press and then pressed-in a fresh Energy Suspension bushing. When I did mine, I had all the old bushings out and new pressed in within 3-4 hours.

    Birdman has a DIY using this method and seems to work pretty well.
     
  3. lonnie77

    lonnie77 Karting

    Feb 17, 2011
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    Lonnie Harrison
    #3 lonnie77, May 9, 2011
    Dremel with a cutoff wheel. But I use a dremel on almost everything.
     
  4. Birdman

    Birdman F1 Veteran

    Jun 20, 2003
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    North shore, MA
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    THE Birdman
    #4 Birdman, May 9, 2011
  5. viper_driver

    viper_driver Formula Junior

    Jan 1, 2009
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    Vegas
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    Jason
    #5 viper_driver, May 9, 2011
    Last edited by a moderator: Sep 7, 2017
    Grinder, took about 30 seconds each. There was a tiny bit of weld left that the press just broke when I pressed the old ones out. Easy.
    Image Unavailable, Please Login
     
  6. waymar

    waymar Formula 3

    Sep 2, 2008
    1,354
    Northeast, PA - USA
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    Wayne Martin
    #6 waymar, May 9, 2011
    Many thanks for all the comments and direction - I will post my results in a few days time - thanks again - Wayne
     

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  7. thecarreaper

    thecarreaper F1 World Champ
    Silver Subscribed

    Sep 30, 2003
    17,963
    Savannah
    #7 thecarreaper, May 10, 2011
    +1. dont want to leave the old ones in.
     
  8. Iain

    Iain F1 Rookie

    Jan 21, 2005
    3,302
    UK
    #8 Iain, May 10, 2011
    I quite like the idea of the insert replacement if for no other reason than if you take your wishbones off, then powdercoat them & then have to weld in new bushes its going to damage the powdercoat surely?
     
  9. Badman

    Badman Formula 3

    Mar 4, 2007
    1,116
    Gotham City
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    Bruce Wayne
    #9 Badman, May 10, 2011
    I just re-did all mine with the energy suspensions bushings. It was convenient not to have to worry about the welds, but I was more interested in the poly bushings themselves. Should be a tighter ride (I don't actually have the car on the road yet), and they should last a heck of a lot longer than the rubber bushings. Some folks have complained that they can squeak though.
     
  10. phrogs

    phrogs F1 Veteran
    Silver Subscribed

    Apr 13, 2004
    7,312
    Michigan
    #10 phrogs, May 10, 2011
    any welding will need to have bare metal to bare metal so powder coating in that area would have to be removed.
     
  11. Iain

    Iain F1 Rookie

    Jan 21, 2005
    3,302
    UK
    #11 Iain, May 10, 2011
    That was my point...you get the whole thing cleaned up, sealed up & nicely finished & then you have to burn a hole in it!! :)
     
  12. maurice70

    maurice70 F1 Rookie

    Jan 25, 2004
    4,332
    Sydney
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    maurice T
    #12 maurice70, May 10, 2011
    When l did mine on the GT4,l ground away the weld with a Dremel,pressed out the old bush,pressed in the new bush,spot welded it,masked up the bush and sent to be powdercoated.They came out good.I have a front and rear suspension bush kit including upper and lower ball joints waiting to fit on my 328.Just waiting to find some time to do it though.
     
  13. Badman

    Badman Formula 3

    Mar 4, 2007
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    Bruce Wayne
    #13 Badman, May 10, 2011
    I used epoxy based chassis and suspension paint instead of powder coating. Pretty tough paint, and that would avoid the problem you're describing as you could paint after installing the bushings without worrying about heating the bushing up.
     
  14. ramosel

    ramosel Formula 3

    Sep 11, 2004
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    Meadow Vista, CA
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    R Moseley
    #14 ramosel, May 10, 2011
    But they are only tack welds... Grind a small spot, feather back the edges, tack the bushing, paint over it with a matching POR-15 color and you are hard pressed to find it.

    Rick
     
  15. waymar

    waymar Formula 3

    Sep 2, 2008
    1,354
    Northeast, PA - USA
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    Wayne Martin
    #15 waymar, May 14, 2011
    Okay - Thanks again for the comments -

    I used a small Dremel like tool to touch off the tack welds - then used a short 1-1/2" black pipe couple as a support block behind the bushing and used a bench vise and very easy pushed them all out - simple - very little effort -

    To install the new bushings I used a short 1-1/4" black pipe couple and press the new ones in - (the 1-1/4" fits over the bushing and presses on the bushing flange only to allow a clean press on just the outer bushing sleeve)

    Just need to tack weld them in today and paint with POR-15

    Very simple and to think I worried about this for sometime -

    The sway bar arm bushing was also removed and installed with a bench vise-

    The shock bushings rubber was pressed out with a vise - just need to press out the sleave now, need to find the right arbor to press it with -

    Many thanks - Wayne
     

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