Upper Raft Bushing Removal Tips?

[TorqueHorse]

Anyone got any tips on how to remove the raft mounting bushings (D100C6018F) that are in the longerons?


For the other back-to-back bushings that have "top hat" collars on both outsides, I've been able to put the assembly in a vice, hole saw drill out the center, hacksaw into one collar to break it, and then wail on it with a hammer and screwdriver to crumple the collar in on itself. Once the first one is started, its easy enough to press it out the rest of the way and then press the other one. Buuuutttt doing that in-situ in the wheel well on these doesn't sound fun. Hoping someone has tips on an easier way to do it here (or in general too).

[dapinky]

I find that bonded bushes are a pain to remove, but the least painful way is to stick the bush in the flame from a blowtorch until it burns away enough to pull the centre sleeve away with a pair of pliers, then use an old screwdriver to scrape the burnt rubber away every minute or so until it is clean enough to get to just the metal outer collar.

Then I use an air-powered hacksaw to make a cut, and a second cut opposite it so the collar will come out with a much more gentle whack with a hammer/chisel.

Replacement is done with a 6-ton press.

Of course, none of this is any good at all on the top raft bushes, and about the only thing that remains the same is the cutting with a hacksaw blade!

I decided that getting a hole saw in there wasn't easy - with the clam removed it would be, but it is what it is, so maybe revert to a drilled hole through the rubber to get a jigsaw blade in and used that to cut round the rubber, then business as usual, but with more rubber in the way of the hacksaw blade.....

.... and then I wondered how I was going to get the new bush in from the engine bay side as there is no room to swing a hammer.

A quick look through the bottom drawer of the toolbox (where I keep stuff that I'll probably never need again, but refuse to throw out just in case) revealed the exact tool that I was looking for - a bit of kit which I purchased in 1981 to change the axle void bushes on a Mk3 Cortina....

Basically, it is a bolt (looks about M12, but due to its age/use, it is 7/16") which goes through a sleeve, then threads onto a round plate - the sleeve sits against the axle housing, the bolt goes through the bush and screws into the plate.... then by tightening up the bolt it draws the plate forward, and thus pushes (or is it pulls?) the old bush out into the sleeve.

Clearly this will work!

Okay, it's not quite as easy as when I did my other car (with the clam off!), but it did work to get the inner bush fitted - not so good on the outer one, so that was back to a combination of using this system, and a hammer.... the 'press' held it square, and the hammer got it in.

It is one of those jobs that with the engine out and the clam off, would be easy - and with it all in place is a bit of a bugger. I have never seen these bushes to be destroyed in any car, and can see why they are rarely swapped for new (due to need and desire). Mine looked pretty much as new, but as I had the bushes, they were changed.

Unless you happen to have an obscure tool used only on a series of British cars between 1970 and 1982, then the same system can be improvised. As there is a reasonably clear flat face to the chassis leg,you need a metal tube larger than the sleeve of the bush (or larger than the flange if you already have to other bush fitted) which you can weld a 4mm thick plate across one end, then drill a 1/2" hole through the centre of the plate.... the tube needs to be only an inch or so long, and is only necessary if you are pulling the old bushes out, otherwise just a metal plate will do the job.

Then you need an M12 bolt (don't use a 1/2" as it needs to go through the new bush - but I suppose 7/16" will be fine) which goes through the drilled hole, and sleeve.

This mechanism is placed against the chassis leg, with the bold through the hole, then place the new bush over the bolt thread and up against the chassis - then add a big washer (I used the Ford bit which is close enough to be workable, but would have used an old socket set to find something suitable, or just a flat disc of metal would probably be easiest, with a 1/2" hole through it) - add an M12 washer and nut.

Simply tighten the nut/bolt assembly and the new bush will be drawn into place - simples!

That was a bloody long answer to say something like "make a simple puller using 2 metal washers and an M12 bolt".

[TorqueHorse]

...It is one of those jobs that with the engine out and the clam off, would be easy - and with it all in place is a bit of a bugger. I have never seen these bushes to be destroyed in any car, and can see why they are rarely swapped for new (due to need and desire)...

Sooo, as a full frontal assault seems to just be what it takes (on these at least), I'm sheepishly going to pass on this one for now. I'll have the clam off for painting at some point in the future and can tackle this then.

...That was a bloody long answer to say something like "make a simple puller using 2 metal washers and an M12 bolt".

haha, no worries. Thanks for the detailed answer, as always. It helps add the perspective of what's been tried before and why what works, "works"

[dapinky]

Don't be so negative - it is perfectly possible with the engine in, and the clam on - I have recently done it that way...... but.... if you'll be taking the clam off in the future, it is certainly a lot easier!

[FunElan]

Today I learned that I probably won't be changing these during my upcoming suspension refresh What a pain...

[TorqueHorse]

Ok Ok, I wasn't trying to scare anyone off from attempting it, so now I feel bad. Now armed with Dave's info, if the rain ever lets up, I'll give it a go and take some photos. Can't have FunElan getting all gun shy about some little old bushes (because I know you aren't planning on taking your clam off anytime soon as an excuse )

[basher]

Recently did this job myself and it wasn't too bad really.
First thing is once you can see it, put a screwdriver in, waggle it around and confirm that the old bushes are shot. Mine varied in wear, from the rubber being perished being slightly detached from the central cylinder to being totally detached from the central cylinder and almost falling out.
Of course if they are OK, then you have the pleasure of walking away from the job, if they're worn then you have the satisfaction of realising the big difference this will make- especially if you do it in tandem with the raft bushes and others, which you may want to consider if you have got this far..

You are totally right regarding using the hole saw, this will rip through the rubber in seconds, making the job easy, although it will wreck your sawbit, so be aware of that and try to avoid inhaling the burning rubber. I didn't find using this on the upper raft a problem, just don't go too mad and push clean through the other side too hard as there are wires mounted quite close and other bits you probably don't want to put a hole in.
Once the rubber is out, is the tricky bit of collapsing the metal collar of the bush, by cutting two parallel channels in it, then knocking these out with a hammer chisel or similar and collapse the remains of the bush in on itself and it will come out. Again, be cautious as you just want to cut the collar not the mount. I used a hacksaw blade out of the holder but there will be quicker/better ways. There are two bushes back to back - I would work on the outer one first, not two at once, because if you can get the outer out, then simply place your best fitting socket into the hole (from memory its about 30mm- get it to fit snugly so it touches the metal of the collar) put in the short extension and tap it out with a hammer.- That one is easy.
Again, don't go mad here as there are bits engine other side you don't want to smash with a socket.

Fitting the new ones for us wasn't so bad either. Much the same as the others, we got a threaded bar, as big as you can to fit through the central cylinder about 12mm from memory. Get several nuts to go on it and some big washers(big enough to match the diameter of the bush) with a central hole big enough for the bar. Put a nut, washer and then your new bush on the end of the bar, thread it through the hole, put another big socket on, large enough to go over the mounting hole, another washer and then another nut.
Make sure bush is lined up to go in the hole nicely and then start to tighten the nuts and with luck everything should pull in correctly. We also put a bit of grease in first to help it on its way.
If you are feeling brave/confident, you can try to put two in at once.
Check they are the correct bushes first though, we got sent ones that were way too big and consequently stripped the thread on the bar before we realised!
Then stand back and admire your work, go have a cup of tea.