I'm thinking of changeing the lower control arm bushes in my 71 bug. Is there any thing I should be careful of. Any advise, tips, tricks. I'm using home garage only type tools. Or is this a shop job.
thanks........:jesus

TO REMOVE
1. Raise the front and support.
2. Remove the split pin and castellated nut from the outer end of the stabiliser bar on the side concerned and withdraw the flat washer from the end of the bar.
3. Remove the self locking nut from the lower ball joint swivel and using a suitable extractor, seperate the lower control arm from the lower ball joint.
4. Working at the opposite end of the lower control arm, using a suitable punch, mark the camber eccentrics and lower control arm support bracket. This is most important, so it goes back exactly the way it came out.
5. Remove the self-locking nut from the rear side of the control arm support bracket. Lift off the eccentric washer, withdraw the eccentric pivot bolt and pull the control arm down to clear the mounting and free it from the stabiliser bar and ball joint stud.
6. Using a hydraulic press, remove the bushes from the control arm.
IMPORTANT. The rubber bush supporting the stabiliser bar is pressed out of the control arm eye from the rear.
It sounds difficult, but it really isn't.
TO INSTAL
1. Lubricate the rubber bushes with liquid soap.
2. Press (hydraulic) the new rubber bush in the inner eye of the control arm ensuring that the forward face of the bush is flush with the face of the control arm. The slotted section of the bush must face the outer end of the control arm.
3. Instal the rubber bush for the stabiliser bar in the control arm, (middle hole of the control arm) ensuring that the 2 bosses on the bush are parallel to the control arm and to the rear when the arm is in the mounted position.
4. Instal the control arm onto the stabiliser bar, ensuring that the inner retaining washer is fitted, instal the outer retaining washer and secure with the castellated nut. Do not tighten to the specified torque until the full weight of the car is supported by the suspension.
5. Position the outer end of the control arm on the lower ball joint bolt on the lower end of the suspension unit, instal the self locking nut and tighten.
6. Position the inner end of the control arm in the support bracket on the frame head. Insert the pivot bolt, aligning the markings you made at the start. This is why it's most important to do it first.
Place the eccentric washer on the opposite end of the bolt and retain with the self locking nut. Don't tighten yet, until full weight of car is on the suspension.
7. Fit the wheel and lower the car to the ground.
8. Tighten the inner control arm pivot bolt.
9. Tighten the stabiliser bar castellated nut and fit the split pin.
10. Check the camber and toe-in.
Regards,
Mark
:thumb

I used a drill to drill out the old bushes. Becareful not to damage the control arms though. Also a small chisel works well to join the holes drilled thru the rubber bush. The other thing I did was to use a hacksaw to cut thru the metal part of one of the bushes.

The new ones I installed were the urethane type so are 2 piece and just slot in.

It was one of the best mods/ repairs I've done

Cheers
Jeremy

many thanks

use urethane inners and both roll bar lots they make a huge difference dont worry about a hyd press just stick em in the vice and wind em in piece of p oh and use a vice and socket to shove the old ones out