fun with the new press

[Dave WM]

got a 20t harbor freight press yesterday, put it together and wanted to try it out.

I had a spare front control arm for my 75 Z, and had tried various other techniques with no success. This included a BFH and a some large sockets, then a large All rod to act as a puller, all I managed to do was muck up the inner race a bit, prob from the BFH to the socket. For the press attempt I found a large pipe that was used as a wrench on a hot water tank (used to remove the electrical heating element).

the round end of that fit the outer part of the control arm. One of the issues is getting a good fit due to the welding around that area. you have to get something that fits just right to keep the receiving tube square to the pushing of the press. Next was to find a socket that was used to push the bush out, that was pretty easy. After careful setup I started pressing. Could tell it was really not wanting to go and I did not want to over stress the hydraulics, so I got out the map gas torch and started heating up the outer part of the control arm.

I could see it start to move without adding any more pressure, a few seconds later I was able to pump more (it had relaxed) and the movement continued. a few more pumps and it popped right out.

Anyway seems like the way to go and I am sure I will have more use for the press later. pretty low cost as well, think it was about 150$ after the coupons that HF always has. Its has a small foot print so I was able to move it out of sight.

I will use this on the Z for my control arms which still have the old bushes in them. I have some new ones to put in (rubber), just wanted to see how hard it would be to do it.

 

 

 

[JSM]

Hey Dave my new friend!

[Captain Obvious]

Told ya so! And it's about time!! I have the A-Frame design, but I don't think they even sell that one anymore. You have the H-Frame, right? I hope the fit and stability is better than the A-frame I got. I spent a bunch of time making modifications and improvements to mine before I considered it stable. And as for overloading the hydraulics, there is an overpressure relief built into the jack. I would assume that the rest of the frame was designed and built to some safety factor over what the jack can produce. Assume. Get yourself a face shield. There are times when it just gives me some emotional comfort when the pressure really gets up there.

Now you need to start saving all those old bearings and bushings and anything else that might possibly be useful in the future to use as a drift or an anvil. Short stubs of PVC tubing, bolts of assorted length and diameter.

Then you need a lathe to make the other sizes that you can't repurpose from anything else.

Then you need a milling machine or two to make the things that you can't do on the lathe.

It's a slippery slope...   

[Dave WM]

that's what retirement is for!

[Captain Obvious]

No, no, no!! Haven't you heard any of the advice about retirement?

You need to start saving BEFORE retirement. If you wait until then to start saving old bearing races and pieces of tubing, then by the time you get to retirement, it'll be too late.

You need to start working on that junk drawer of assorted shite NOW. If you start now, it will grow. And by the time you get to retirement, it'll be full and you'll have every size you need!

[Dave WM]

retirement is about 6 months away! JK, never know when.

[Dave WM]

3 hours ago, JSM said:

Hey Dave my new friend!

bring it over, press party!! I will fire up the grill and cook some burgers.

[Dave WM]

press action

 

[Hardway]

Hey Dave MW.  Not to hijack your thread but I wanted to offer some additional info.  Question, what kind of bushing are you planning to replace the old one with?  If you planning to run an original rubber bushing then you are correct, you will need to press it in as they are all one unit.  However, if you are planning to run a poly bushing, there is not need to press it in.  The bushing's two halves enter from each side and the center barrel can be pushed in with some silicon grease and a bench vise.

Another and possibly easier way to remove front control arm bushings is to drill or burn out the rubber bushing material and center barrel.  Then to remove the the bushing shell is to take a reciprocating saw aka sawzall, put the blade in the shell and saw outward a little at a time.  Have to be careful as you can start going through the control arm once you go through the shell.  Once you have cut through shell it will have room to collapse on it self and will either fall out or can be tapped out. 

Rubber bushing removed and shell cleaned up.  I didn't know at the time I needed to remove the shell to install the new poly bushings

Bushing shell removed.  You can see the line I cut in it.  This one literally fell out once I got done cutting.

[Dave WM]

Yes I plan to use OE bushings. I have seen the cut and remove, good method if no press available, I had started that method (burned out the rubber) but after getting the press I wanted to try it out. Good to have other options noted.