I'm in the process of prepping all of the rear suspension pieces to be sent out for powder coating. These are the donor organs from Betty. All of her parts are being 100% refurbished before placing them in Puff-TMD.
I started out with the intentions to use all of WhiskeyDan's idea for a homemade tool to remove the bushings from the trailing arms.
http://www.peachparts.com/shopforum/showthread.php?t=266324
I decided to go to Lowe's for all the parts, as they have threaded rod and associated hardware and they were the source for his 1-1/2" galv coupling. Unfortunately, my Lowes had nothing larger than 1-1/4". SOL.
I then decided that instead of cutting the lip off and pulling the bushing into a cup of some sort, why don't I just push both bushings out from the inside of the arm?
So, I grabbed the following parts:
- 5/8"x24" threaded rod
- 3x 5/8" nuts
- 2x hardened 5/8" washers (same drawer @ Lowes)
- 1/2"x3" nipple
1. Insert the threaded rod into the bushings from the outside, before inserting into the second bushing, spin/thread the following parts in this order: Nipple, washer, nut, nut, nut, washer
2. Move all parts into the middle of the rod, so you can manipulate everything into the right place. And then set according to pictures
3. Working the inner-most of the double nuts and the single nut on the opposite end, rotate nuts outward with 24mm open-end wrenches or crescent wrenches. One bushing should start to move, I never got both to go at the same time.
4. When one bushing is out, move parts back to middle of rod and flip it over. Repeat pushing nuts outward on threaded rod.
I haven't run through re-installation yet, as I haven't sent them off for powder coating yet. The three large pieces, rear sway and brake shields are all being zinc-primered and black powder coated. Everything else in the rear end will pretty much be new or refurbished. The hyd shocks and spheres were near-new on Betty, the SLS valve has been rebuilt using Andrew's kit, all new brake pads, rotors, hoses, shoes and p-brake cables. All new bushings, subframe mounts and diff mount.
I don't want to have to pull this back end apart for another 200k miles...