Poly bushing woes (front LCA)? Options

[HectortheRican]

For those of you who have successfully installed poly suspension bushings, did you run into this issue?


Basically, since this bushing is a two-piece and a steel collar, I think there's an air bubble that won't give when I press in the steel collar. I've tried 3-jaw pullers, c-clamps, a vise, and a press. I can't get this bushing further in than the image shows. Any tips?

[jordisonjr]

Strange, mine fit tight. However I didn't press them in myself, I had someone do it.

Take a look through this thread: http://www.6gc.net/forums/index.php?showtopic=68134 I recall there being useful information when I did mine, maybe someones had this issue as well.

[HectortheRican]

I was able to stuff it in by getting it close enough. Didn't bend or deform anything, so I think my work is done. Now doing the same thing to the passenger side. Taking this opportunity to install some TwosRUs endlinks. Also new bearings, ball joints, and outer tie rods. The latter components' boots were torn.

[Bitter]

I never had that issue with my Celica, you can cut a tiny tiny little V into one of the bushings to let the air out I suppose or drill a hole on the arm and install a grease fitting so you can add silicone grease via gun later on which actually is a pretty darn good idea!

[HectortheRican]

I never had that issue with my Celica, you can cut a tiny tiny little V into one of the bushings to let the air out I suppose or drill a hole on the arm and install a grease fitting so you can add silicone grease via gun later on which actually is a pretty darn good idea!

That is a really good idea, but I don't think there's enough room for a grease fitting on the arm since that bushing fits into such a tight slot, surrounded on three sides while the actual control arm is welded to the fourth. I think cutting a V would've worked, but I was able to massage the bushings enough to get them into the slot and got them bolted up. I'm glad I bought new bolts b/c the old ones were NASTY.

[Bitter]

Ah yep, my 00 up here in salt country needed many hours of cutting torch time to get it all apart because the OE bushing steel sleeves had cold welded themselves to the shanks of the bolts. Not fun at all!


Generally if you press it down really hard and just let it sit for a few hours it'll release most of the air slowly, I want to say that heating it will soften the grease and rubber and let the air out too since it increases the air pressure at the same time the softening is happening, at least according to science that should work. For whatever reason I never had air-locked bushings doing all the work to the Celica, but I have ran into it with brake caliper parts and the solution is to hold pressure or take it out, remove the excess grease, apply sparingly, and reassemble. Usually just holding pressure on it for a minute or two gets it out of a caliper pin bore.

[ILoveMySilly97]

I ran into the same problem. Sent it to a machining shop to get it pressed in. He ended up drilling a hole to make it work also.

[HectortheRican]

I do have one worry about the poly bushings for the front. The forward bushing (bolt runs parallel to ground) is fine - the steel collar fits the bolt perfectly. However, the rear bushing has a steel collar that is about 1/8" wider (radius) than the bolt. I'm worried that might cause problems down the road. I'm considering making a bung or collar for the bolt to keep it centered within the steel collar of the bushing.

[Bitter]

That's not a bad idea, maybe you can size a bit of steel fuel line that'll take up the slack?

[richee3]

Mine did the same thing. I struggled for a while, said some choice words, and fixed it with a bench vice.

[HectortheRican]

That's not a bad idea, maybe you can size a bit of steel fuel line that'll take up the slack?

I'm thinking along those lines. The stock bushings have that retaining lip/collar that makes it a PITA to remove the LCA... but it does its job. I'm hoping to find something similar in diameter to just cut to size and slip in.