Lower control arm bushing questions

[SD Blue]

I am looking at tackling the replacement of lower control arm bushings on the '84 300SD. (The rubber is starting to bulge and crack, the car does a tango when going over uneven pavement ) So far in the search on this, I have found this info:
I need to rent a coil compressor. (Cost?)
K-Y Jelly is the best assembly lube.
Marking the position of the eccentric bolt for alignment purposes. (which, I understand is very tough to remove )

If there is no corrosion, does the eccentric bolt need to be replaced? Or is this a "might as well"?
Any hints on how to remove the old bushing?
I'm thinking of using a "longer" bolt to press the new ones in. Does anyone have a better method?

[Eric Eliel]

You need to rent the proper coil compressor OR make sure you life insurance is paid up.

[Hatterasguy]

Autozone rents spring compressor's in my area.

[gsxr]

You need a SirTools compressor, Klann, or Klann copy. Rusty rents one pretty cheap, call him at 800-741-5252. I would not recommend the AutoZone type compressors. You can buy the Klann copy on eBay for ~$250, last I saw.

[gsxr]

Oh yeah:

1) Eccentric bolt can be re-used if in good shape.

2) The old bushings come out with a hammer and/or torch.

3) I used a large vise to press in the new bushings. A long bolt would work too. It's a pain.

4) Might as well replace all the other rubber stuff while you're in there! Do it all at once (including steering, ball joints, etc) and you are set for the next 200kmi...

[SD Blue]

Having seen before the photos you just posted with the "made in china" spring compressors, that is why I am definitely looking in to renting the proper tool!

I have replaced nearly every other bushing and joint on the front end (350K+ miles) but waited on the lower control arm and guide rod ends until I obtained a good spring compressor.

GSXR, when you changed yours did you need any special bushing press to get the old ones out? Torch?

So far I have been able to do everything else with a 4# sledge and long drift punch. Hopefully they will do the trick.

[gsxr]

My old bushings were totally shot on my 123 (not a 126). They came out pretty easily. There is a flared metal tube holding them together, I drilled that lightly to eliminate the chamfer, then tried punching them out through the center hole. Various hammering methods should work. The torch (Berz-O-Matic type, to burn the rubber out) is a last resort as it's smelly and smoky - but it will work.

[Gilly]

You could also price out a new lower control arm, which will have the bushings installed plus new balljoints.
MB sells hardware kits for the control arms, price those out too. If you want to go cheaper, sure you can reuse anything salveageable, but I'd count on having to torch a few things, at least if you were up here in the rust belt.
MB sells an assembly paste for installing these things, may have to buy too much to make it worth it. Alternatively I recommend dish soap as an installation lube, never heard of using KY, but hey, that stuff is rather multi-purpose (but so is dishsoap I suppose). But dish soap I know works. The MB stuff is like a thick white lithium grease in a small brown jar. On new cars you can see small traces of it where bushings are inserted, so I am sure it's what MB actually does use in the factory.

Gilly

[Eric Eliel]

Make sure you use good parts. Factory or Lemforder (which makes the factory bushings). Please stay away from Meyle.