trailing arm bushings - The 1947 - Present Chevrolet & GMC Truck Message Board Network

miket · 03-08-2005, 10:26 AM

What level of effort is required to change these on a 1/2 ton long bed?

Tx Firefighter · 03-08-2005, 10:39 AM

Remove the arm and clamp it into a vice. Then, run them out with an air hammer and flat bit.

Getting the big bolt out to remove the arm is the hardest part.

*Gee_Emm* · 03-08-2005, 10:39 AM

A fair bit, the sleeve for the bushing in stuck in the arm real good, and the rubber is stuck in the sleeve even better. What I always end up doing is basically setting the rubber on fire with a cutting torch until it shrinks enough to slide out, by that time the arm is good and hot so it will help getting the sleeve out but sometimes I still have to cut it in half and work it out. BTW you can get the bushings from your local GM dealer still.

junkyardjohn · 03-08-2005, 12:09 PM

I Usually Just Take My Trailing Arms & New Bushings Down To My Local Driveline Shop. He Presses My Old Ones Out, & My New Ones In In About 3 Minutes. I Buy Him A 12 Pack, & Were Both Happy.

John
(any Good Sized Arbor Press Will Do The Job Lickety Split)

**COBALT** · 03-08-2005, 03:04 PM

I took mine, turned them on their side, and burned them out with a propane torch. Once the arm was cooled I cleaned it up with some brake cleaner, put some lube in there, and drove in the new ones.

chevyfarmer · 03-08-2005, 03:47 PM

I have set fire to them as well before and it works fine. However, the last time I did this I had just parted out a truck and my torches were out of gas

. I simply took a small drill bit in the cordless drill and drilled through the rubber on the outside edge a couple times and hammered them out. It wasn't as cool as setting them on fire but it worked. Just my .02

bucket · 03-08-2005, 04:15 PM

i second the pyro technique. then you get to upgrade to poly bushings by using the existing shells.

03-08-2005, 10:26 AM	#1
miket Registered User Join Date: Jan 2003 Location: Seattle WA Posts: 1,466	trailing arm bushings What level of effort is required to change these on a 1/2 ton long bed? __________________ FocuzTech Performance Evergreen Protective Coatings Gatorhyde...the best kept secret in spray in bed lining & protection

03-08-2005, 10:39 AM	#2
Tx Firefighter Watch out for your cornhole ! Join Date: Jun 2003 Location: Azle, Texas Posts: 14,162	Remove the arm and clamp it into a vice. Then, run them out with an air hammer and flat bit. Getting the big bolt out to remove the arm is the hardest part. __________________ I'm on the Instagram- @Gearhead_Kevin

03-08-2005, 12:09 PM	#4
junkyardjohn Registered User Join Date: Aug 2001 Location: SOMERSET KY. Posts: 6,425	I Usually Just Take My Trailing Arms & New Bushings Down To My Local Driveline Shop. He Presses My Old Ones Out, & My New Ones In In About 3 Minutes. I Buy Him A 12 Pack, & Were Both Happy. John (any Good Sized Arbor Press Will Do The Job Lickety Split) __________________ junkyardjohn 69 1 TON TOW TRUCK // 84 4WD CUCV BLAZER// 85 1 TON 4WD STAKE TRUCK// 86 M1031 5/4 TON 4WD CUCV// ALOT OF OLD TRUCKS FOR ONE OLD MAN TO DRIVE. THERES ROOM FOR ALL OF GODS CREATURES RIGHT NEXT TO MY MASHED POTATOES// LIFE MEMBER OF P.E.T.A (PEOPLE EATING TASTY ANIMALS) DON'T RENT U-HAUL ALWAYS TELL THE TRUTH IT WILL AMAZE PART OF THE PEOPLE & ASTONISH THE REST

03-08-2005, 03:04 PM	#5
COBALT Senior Member Join Date: Sep 2001 Location: Seattle, WA, USA Posts: 5,817	I took mine, turned them on their side, and burned them out with a propane torch. Once the arm was cooled I cleaned it up with some brake cleaner, put some lube in there, and drove in the new ones. __________________ '69 3/4 ton C20 2wd-350ci/TH400 '69 3/4 ton Custom 20 2wd-350ci/4sp Manual '99 2wd 5.7 Chevy Tahoe Seattle, WA.

03-08-2005, 03:47 PM	#6
chevyfarmer Registered User Join Date: Feb 2005 Location: Owosso, Mi Posts: 242	fire?? I have set fire to them as well before and it works fine. However, the last time I did this I had just parted out a truck and my torches were out of gas . I simply took a small drill bit in the cordless drill and drilled through the rubber on the outside edge a couple times and hammered them out. It wasn't as cool as setting them on fire but it worked. Just my .02 __________________ 67 short wide 355ci 3 on tree 69 short wide 250ci 3 on tree 68 long wide 283 3 on tree 72 2wd Blazer project 454 5 speed

03-08-2005, 10:39 AM	#3
Gee_Emm Account Suspended Join Date: Sep 2000 Posts: 3,991	A fair bit, the sleeve for the bushing in stuck in the arm real good, and the rubber is stuck in the sleeve even better. What I always end up doing is basically setting the rubber on fire with a cutting torch until it shrinks enough to slide out, by that time the arm is good and hot so it will help getting the sleeve out but sometimes I still have to cut it in half and work it out. BTW you can get the bushings from your local GM dealer still.

03-08-2005, 04:15 PM	#7
bucket Registered User Join Date: Aug 2001 Location: Shawnee, KS Posts: 923	i second the pyro technique. then you get to upgrade to poly bushings by using the existing shells.

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