I am changing the bushing on they idler arm of my '85 300TD, and I am having a serious problem. I got the bolt out without any problem, but I can't get the bushings out. I have sufficiently damaged them in the process so that I can't just re-assemble it.

Does anyone have any suggestions on how to get those bushings out? I don't have any fancy tools... Is there something I need to buy?

Please help, I am pretty much stranded until I get this fixed.

Thanks,
Erik

Take a look at the new parts that you have. You will see that the bushing is made of upper and lower halves. Each halve is composed of a metal inner piece surrounded by a rubber cushion. On the new pieces these parts come apart with very little effort.

The first thing you need to do is to drive the upper inner metal sleeve out. Often the rubber will come with it. To accomplish this I use a long punch and drive on the inner parting line between the upper and lower halves. If you stick your finger in the hole you should be able to feel this point. The punch will have to have a crisp sharp edge to catch this line and the punch should be held hard against the other side to force it to stay against this small edge. If the metal comes out without the rubber it will be easy to get the rubber out after.

We use an impact driver and this first step takes about 10-20 seconds unless you can't find the tool (bg).

The bottom half isn't as easy since you can't drive from the other side. We usually use a seal remover. This is a tool with a hook on the end that is designed to be placed through the hole and caught on the edge. It has a handle to be held and a area designed to be hit with a hammer. The object being to do a similar impact as the upper seal but from the opposite direction. Since this type of tool is kind of specific and may not be in your box try this: Take a piece of threaded rod (available at hardware store - I would suggest 3/8in). Put the rod through the bushing and place a washer (that will fit inside the tube but not through the bushing hole) and nut on the top. Now you will need to design the rest of the puller. I would suggest a slide hammer made of something heavy with a 3/8 hole in it. A cylinder head might be awkward (bg). A large washer placed on the bottom of the rod allows more options as to the size of the hole in your hammer. Smack the H out of it.

If this doesn't work then I will give you the emergency procedure, best not published in open forum.

__________________
Steve Brotherton
Continental Imports
Gainesville FL
Bosch Master, ASE Master, L1
33 years MB technician

Thanks. I got them out. If I had known the amount of effort it would have taken, I probably wouldn't have done it, but the steering is much better now. Well worth it.

Is there a torque spec. for that idler arm bolt? I tightened it about as much as I could without putting a 3 ft bar on the wrench. Are there serious safety issues if that bolt loosens? I am planning on driving it for a few days and then re-tightening that bolt.

Thanks again.

-Erik