Strut rod bushing removal help needed.

[Mike65 475]

I removed the old strut rods when I removed the old front suspension, & now the new strut rods & my disc brake conversion kit are due here by Monday & I tried to pry out the old strut rod bushings & they will not budge. I tried spraying them with PB blaster & still no go, any ideas?.

[RPM 1,190]

Are the bushings stuck to the brace on the body w/o the strut rods? There is a sleeve which fits between the o.d. of the bushing hole and the strut rod. Have you used a pry bar between the body brace and business?

[Mike65 475]

Bob,

   Yes I removed the strut rods & the bushings are stuck at the frame & do not want to come off. I have tried to pry them off, but I guess I will try a bigger pry bar or cut them off. Maybe they are just stuck on the rusted sleeve?.

[1969_Mach1 333]

I think you are right, the rubber bushings are probably stuck to the sleeve.  You can try heating the inside of the sleeve with a propane torch until the rubber starts to smoke a little then quickly pry of the rubber.  The thought is to melt only the rubber that is contacting the inner sleeve.

[mauleta 10]

Try grinding out the end of the sleeve on either the front or the back of the bushing.  That's what I had to do.  The sleeve is mushroomed out over the edge of the metal discs on either end of the bushing if you still have the factory bushings installed.  Should pop out pretty easily after that.  Mine did.

 

Mike

[Mike65 475]

Thanks Mike I will give that a try over the weekend, if that does not work out comes the torch. Thanks for the ideas.

[Rcodenewf 44]

_{I had to resort to heat and my air chisel with the punch to get mine out. They rust to that center bushing bad.}

 

_...John

[1969_Mach1 333]

Thanks Mike I will give that a try over the weekend, if that does not work out comes the torch. Thanks for the ideas.

If you are going to try trimming off the end of the metal sleeve, here is another option.  If a drill with a large enough bit will fit in that area you can simply cut the end of the sleeve off by drilling into it.  It's a lot less messy than grinding on it.  I've removed many body mounts with inner sleeves that had a flared end using a drill and a large bit.

[Mike65 475]

Try grinding out the end of the sleeve on either the front or the back of the bushing.  That's what I had to do.  The sleeve is mushroomed out over the edge of the metal discs on either end of the bushing if you still have the factory bushings installed.  Should pop out pretty easily after that.  Mine did.

 

Mike

Mike,

That was the problem, I pried out on the rubber bushing & cut them with a knife & removed them so I could get enough angle on them to grind away the end of the sleeve that was in fact mushroomed over the washer. Once I did that on both of them using a large BFH & a cold chisel, a couple whacks they came right out.

 

Thanks to everyone who took time to offer suggestions to help resolve my issue.

Mike.

[Mach1 Driver 560]

Are you replacing with stock bushings or are you going to use adjustable strut rods like in this video?

youtube.com/watch?v=GX27dN2fBpo

Does anyone have any experience/pros/cons with these?

[Mike65 475]

I am using the Street Or Track adjustable strut rods.

 

[mauleta 10]

Mike,

That was the problem, I pried out on the rubber bushing & cut them with a knife & removed them so I could get enough angle on them to grind away the end of the sleeve that was in fact mushroomed over the washer. Once I did that on both of them using a large BFH & a cold chisel, a couple whacks they came right out.

 

Thanks to everyone who took time to offer suggestions to help resolve my issue.

Mike.

 

Glad it worked for you.  Where in South Jersey are you?

[Ridge Runner 1,112]

If they are the original bushings the sleeve is crimped  over the washer ,you have to cut them out .I use a air chisel to blow the end off ,they can be a pain in the butt to remove 

[Mike65 475]

If they are the original bushings the sleeve is crimped  over the washer ,you have to cut them out .I use a air chisel to blow the end off ,they can be a pain in the butt to remove 

 

Thanks, did not know that. I guess they were original from 69. mauleta I am in Toms River west of the GSP.

[mauleta 10]

Originally from Middletown, where I owned my first Mach1.  A 69 390, 4 speed.  Before I bought it, a friend of mine I met slot car racing at the Collingwood auction looked at it for me.  Never knew his last name, but his first name was Ken.  He lived in Toms River and had a 67 GT 350.  Now I live in Gibbstown, closer to Philly, working on my second.

[Rcodenewf 44]

^{Hey Mike those strut rods look like nice pieces. Post a pic when they're installed.}

 

^John