PeachParts Mercedes-Benz Forum - View Single Post - Write up - Ball Joints & Lower Control Arm Bushings & Tool Review (PICS!)

bodyart27 · #9 02-13-2007, 10:13 PM

In comparison, I thought replacing the bushings on the lower control arm was more difficult of a job. I used a reciprocating saw to slice the cap off the control arm. I then used another S-K puller (4”) with some washers to push out the center bushing. That worked pretty well the first time. I’ll call this the pindelski.com technique, as that is where I learned that trick. The second time around I cut off both ends (Rashakor thinks very logically and two brains work faster than one) and just used the press (much easier). As you will see from the pic, the first time I cut the end off, I did not cut close enough to the control arm, and sliced through the cap’s metal. If you can slice close enough to the control arm so you get past the pressed on cap and expose just the cylinder that runs through the center of the control arm, then you can use the press on the cylinder to drive out the inner cylinder and the cap off the other side. There was a receiver in the Harbor Frieght Master Ball kit that cradled the arm and still had enough room to allow the bushing to press out (hope that made some sense – I know, a pic would have helped).

Remember to install the lower control arm bushings with the flats of the bushing in parallel with the control arm (just stop and think for a second what type of motion the inner bushing is trying to prevent on that side of the control arm – the arm being yanked in and out of the chassis mount).

PIC 1 - cutting the cap off the lower control arm bushing with the recipricating saw
PIC 2 - inside bushing exposed - I needed to cut closer in to the arm - you can barely see the two tones of metal - inner cylinder and the cap
PIC 3 - using a 4" SK puller - I didn't cut close enough past the cap for this method to work (worked on one arm, not the second). I'll end up cutting off the cap closer to expose the cylinder on the other side and using the press.
PIC 4 - holding up the inner bushing next to a new bushing installed. Notice how the cylinder extends past the ends of the lower control arm - ideally you want to cut the caps off to expose that cylinder. Also notice how much the caps crush down in size.