front control arm bushings - BMW Forum

saltshaker185 · 08-11-2007, 01:03 PM

so after some hard work i managed to get the old ones off... but now im having the worst time getting the new ones on... my cars been on the jacks for 4 days now and ive tried just about anything i can think of or heard of in DIY's... dawn dish soap and windex to lube it, hit it on with a sledge hammer with a piece of wood buffing it, push it on with your hands?? i mean i think i may end up building a tool of some sort of clamp to get it on... any ideas from anyone??

-salts

///M Power · 08-11-2007, 03:08 PM

BMW "special" tool necessary

drz · 08-11-2007, 04:34 PM

Take it to a machine shop and have them press them in using a hydraulic press. Next best thing is using a bench vice, but I can't guarantee that would work. I thought you knew that.

Starmavin · 08-11-2007, 11:22 PM

Take the bushings and put them in the freezer to sit over night, next place a section of 2X4 on your kitchen floor and put the bushing housings into boiling water for 5 min. then remove one bushing from the freezer then with heavy gloves or oven mitts remove one housing with thongs and immediately push the two together on the floor, have a mallet to assist. I have had good success with this technique, so long as the bushings are not already messed up. If that doesn't work, a press (and someone that knows what he/she is doing) is your only hope.

saltshaker185 · 08-12-2007, 01:43 AM

i have the bushings in the brackets already... just cant get them on the arms...

SHAHAB323IS · 08-12-2007, 08:43 AM

i was able to get them on the arms using just my hands, try bolting up inner and outer ball joints, then try to push the bushing and bracket assembly on the arms, using some dish soap, once that's done make sure to get the car back on the ground before the dish soap fully drys

also go to understeer.com their write up includes a homemade tool for putting the bushing assembly on the arm, you can try that too

if all else fails just take it to a shop with a hydraulic press, i'm sure they would be able to get it on no problem

saltshaker185 · 08-12-2007, 03:05 PM

problem is, its up on jacks in my garage so i couldnt even tow it if i wanted to... im probibly going to try and build that tool today after trying to push it on for another 4 hours and get no where... i think i need some roids... :\

SHAHAB323IS · 08-12-2007, 07:22 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by saltshaker185

problem is, its up on jacks in my garage so i couldnt even tow it if i wanted to... im probibly going to try and build that tool today after trying to push it on for another 4 hours and get no where... i think i need some roids... :\

come on! what are you a little girl, jk man, it is a biggity bitch, I've changed control arms on my car and two e46's, not fun at all

good luck with the tool, it should work out just fine

hyper_cool · 08-12-2007, 10:17 PM

If you can manage to get a small tripod i think u can buy em in autoshop it will make your life easier. I just did my frame work done & freaking rust ate the part on were the bushings were holding. Took me 2 hours to do the whole thing

.

saltshaker185 · 08-12-2007, 10:23 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by hyper_cool

If you can manage to get a small tripod i think u can buy em in autoshop it will make your life easier. I just did my frame work done & freaking rust ate the part on were the bushings were holding. Took me 2 hours to do the whole thing

.

i have no idea what you are talking about... a gear puller to get them off?? i already got them off... just cant get them on.... not sure how a tripod (im pictureing a camera tripod) would help??

hyper_cool · 08-12-2007, 10:42 PM

Go to a car shop and ask them what kind of tripod they use and you'll see what I mean. I'm not referring for a camera tripod; duh it's obvious it's not gonna hold your car's weight. It's hard to explain cuz I don't have a pix but it uses the same idea as the hoist. The idea is to push the sway bar on where the bushing is connected. Trust me those bushings are hard as hell; the only way to put it back is to apply a force up ward against the frame while you're putting the screws back. If you have a big car jacks; you can use them to push the bushing all the way up. I hope this gives you some ideas.

hyper_cool · 08-12-2007, 10:43 PM

hmmmmm I would recommend post some pix; so we know which part you're referring to. I'll try my best to help and also ask my car mechanic about it

SHAHAB323IS · 08-12-2007, 11:25 PM

i don't know what you're talking about hyper_cool, but i don't think you know what's we're all talking about either

SHAHAB323IS · 08-12-2007, 11:27 PM

here you go salty, just in case you're totally retarded i decided to post the link i was talking about, jk on the retarded part

u n d e r s t e e r . c o m

hyper_cool · 08-12-2007, 11:48 PM

Hmmmmmmm those bushings are hard as hell to put back. I had my mechanic call his buddy to replace those. Sorry about the other part I was referring. I kind of got mixed up with the sway bar. Anyhow, can't you bring her to a shop for a hoist? Otherwise you'll really need some high jack or high stand to have enough space underneath. I'll try to get a hold of my mechanic for some info & msg once I have it.