I have been trying to replace the lower control arm bushings on our '85 TWagon for longer than I am willing to admit.

 

NAPA does not show part numbers at all for these bushings, and Checker/Schucks/Kragen shows part#s for just about every vehicle EXCEPT TWagons...

 

(The Subaru dealer here is next to hopeless for getting parts: You have to speak with a Service person, who walks back to the Parts guy, who looks stuff up, but isn't sure what was originally asked for, so Service guy comes back and asks you... reminds me of the mythology of the Oracle: Speak into a hole, wait a day or so and get a cryptic answer back!)

 

I digress...

 

So, I order from CSK parts that are listed for all the other EA82's in the world, and they are a B**** to press in! They are metal bolt-tube bonded (kinda) to rubber, with a metal casing around the outside which I PRESUME the bushing is pressed out of and into the lower control arm. But the rubber bulges out each end of the metal casing. I have spent around 10 hours at my press trying to change these bushings, and only ended up frustrated, covered in rubber lubricant, and with several shredded bushings.

 

Now, a smart man (or any woman, by default smarter than me!) would just take the control arms to a machine shop and let THEM do the deed. I am neither smart nor willing to give up, no matter how many years it may take!!! Sooooo...

 

Q#1: Am I using the wrong part?

Q#2: Any idea how to make pressing these bushings easier?

 

Thanks for any ideas.

you do know that subaru doesn't sell that bushing sepperately..you can only get it as part of a lower control arm assembly..might be welded in place.. but if it isn't put heat on the bushing area while pressing...

No, I did not know that the dealer sold these only as control arm assemblies. Its that Oracle thing again. (Tangent: Local dealer Parts dept. acted ignorant of 3AT governor problems; I was ignorant too, but we all were at one time. I tried to get a replacement for an apple-cored governor driven-gear, and they had no idea what it was. It took me an hour to get it ordered and to find out if they thought that the drive-gear also needed inspection. They charged me $75 for new steel gear. Later, I found that another dealer in region only charged $30 for same steel gear.)

 

As stated earlier, I have spent ca. 10 hrs at my press trying to change these bushings. I have used lube, heat, and just plain brute force. (A shipyard guy suggested that I use KY, says that it works wonders. Still haven't tried it yet.) What I ended up with were bushings pushed out of containment tube, but usually without the center bolt-tube, or one of the bulges of rubber, or both (neither?). I have shredded 5 of these bushngs so far.

 

So... any idea what the dealer charges for the control arm assembly? I would ask mine, but I am not sure that I would get an answer....

 

Pat

is the bushings outer sleeve the same thickness and length as the sleeve welded to the control arm?

Diameter and length are pretty close, as I recall. I will check later...

Finally got back to this...

yeah, the metal tube that is around the bushing looks to be same length and diameter, and pretty much same thickness, as tube welded to control arm. I REALLY can't imagine cutting out old tube and welding new in place. (kind of the implication???)

I wonder, because I would think that welding would fry the bushing unless you were really careful, doing a stitch and letting it cool, and repeating. I would give up and buy some new control arms or get some from the junkyard.