How to press bushing into control arms?
 

So I took my 2008 E350 4Matic in for alignment and they said lower control arm bushings are broken.

It looks like the arms are $500/each, but there is a bushing kit for $80/each.
I am assuming they will need to be pressed into the arms.

What type of tool will I need to press them in and will it be difficult to do? (Or is it a better choice to simply pay a local euro shop to press them in for me?)
Looking to avoid the $980 they quoted to replace the LCA bushings.

Thanks,

We use a hydraulic press. With the correct arbors its not that bad of a job. Without the arbors it will be a chore. The bushings are pretty soft and I dont think it would be too hard to destroy one trying to install it. I prefer to replace the whole arms, esp when the arm also has a captured ball joint.

The price difference is so large I still want to try the bushings. I will also replace the ball joints while it's out. It will save me 600 doing it this way. The arms are 450 each while bj is 35 and bushing is 80. so 900 for both sides is pretty steep...vs 220 and tool

is there any reason why I can't get a generic bushing press?

Upper Control Arm Bushing Service Remover Installer Set C Frame Screw Kit w Case | eBay

I would let NAPA or any machine shop press them in for you.

as duxthe1 mentioned, they are easy on a press with the correct arbors and are very soft. make sure the shop you hand it to for pressing out does not treat them like chevy truck items.

OTOH - now is the best reason to buy a HF hydraulic press.

I didn't know NAPA can do that. So they could do the bushings and ball joints for me? That would make my life easy...

The aluminum sleeves that you press against are real soft. The correct arbors account for this. Just trying to push them will crush them before installing them.

What about the trick with a few different sized sockets and some all thread? Lube it up and put some brass in between?

EDIT: Decided I will just take the bushings, ball joints and removed arm to a local machine shop...there's no way they wouldn't do a better job that I can do. There's no point in me buying a specific tool to probably never use it again since it will be chassis specific. Doesn't make sense.

I have ordered 2 transverse bushing kit's (2203309807) and 2 ball joints (2113300335). Cost about $220 total. It'll be easy on time and stress. Unbolt, hand off to the shop and reinstall then ready for alignment.
Through my research I have read that the ball joints both upper and lower tend to fail sooner on the 4matic's due to the extra weight so I may as well just do it.

I just did this on my W202 chassis. I went ahead and bought the specific bushing press tool as well as a spring compressor (should have gotten this long ago). Since I maintain 3 W202s I figured it was worth it.

Some unexpected complications. One one side when pressing out the rear bushing, it got cocked a little bit so I had to resort to the "cut it out with a hacksaw blade method". Other side came out easily. Pressing in the rear one is impossible without the right tool. The front bushings were a chore to punch out. It took awhile. Pressing in the fronts is a snap with the tool.

If it were a one time deal, I would have bought complete new LCAs. If you have the right tools this repair is perfect for DIYers because the main component is labor, and my cost for that is pretty cheap!

I will be removing the arms this week and I am reconsidering buying the HF press as who doesn't want more tools!

Can I buy the correct Arbors for it or can a good socket work as well?
like this
http://m.ebay.com/itm/111666522511?nav=SEARCH

Any chance you want to put the tools in the rental forum?
http://www.peachparts.com/shopforum/tool-rental-program/291660-tool-rental-master-member-list.html

The hf 20 ton press is totally worth it(not much more than the 12 ton either). Plus it is realy easy to convert to air over hydralic. Makes bushings cake. My press has saved me way over $300 in the 6 months I have owned it. I've found that having a decent collection large sockets make pretty good bearing and bushing press tools. Carefull with cheap cast sockets for really heavy loads though. I like to use scraps of hardwood underneath as it fails more gracefully and can be easily shaped to make a nest for whatever you are pressing.