Practical Automotive Maintenance: How To Use A Bushing Press
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How To Use A Bushing Press
02.32
| 00:00 | Because bushings are usually press fit into place, they're extremely tight and can't be removed or installed without the use of significant force. |
| 00:07 | While some of us might have access to a hydraulic shop press, many won't, and that's fine because there's an affordable alternative known as a bushing press that does the same job using mechanical power, similar to how the ball joint separator works. |
| 00:20 | Let's take a look at what this tool is and how it works. |
| 00:23 | There are a few variations of the bushing press tool, however the concept remains much the same. |
| 00:28 | Working in much the same way as a C-clamp with upper and lower arms and a threaded rod that can be wound in and out, opening and closing the arms which have circular cups fitted. |
| 00:38 | A kit will generally come with a range of different cup sizes to suit different bushing diameters. |
| 00:43 | Once we've removed the component from the vehicle, we can then get into removing the bushing itself using this tool. |
| 00:49 | Putting the part on a flat surface like a bench top, before we start it's a good idea to spray some penetrating oil around the edge of the bushing to make extraction a little easier. |
| 00:57 | There's also no harm in using a little more as we go through the job, especially if it's noisy. |
| 01:02 | We'll choose a cup size that corresponds to the outer shell diameter of the bushing. |
| 01:06 | If it's too big, we'll just be trying to squeeze metal together. |
| 01:10 | Too small and it'll push through the bushing material, ripping it into pieces without actually, removing it. |
| 01:15 | Now, we can insert the threaded rod through the tool and add washers and nuts to each end. |
| 01:20 | Using a pair of wrenches or a wrench and an impact gun, we'll tighten the nut and observe that the bushing is slowly being pushed out of the housing. |
| 01:28 | We just need to make sure the cup isn't on an angle as it progresses. |
| 01:32 | With that complete, it's time to prep the housing for it's new bushing by thoroughly cleaning up the surfaces and applying some grease to ensure the replacement bushing is able to slide in smoothly and evenly without doing damage. |
| 01:43 | Again, using the same cup size that corresponds to the outer shell of the bushing as we never want to push on the rubber itself. |
| 01:50 | We'll align the new bushing with the top of the housing and then slowly begin turning the nut, ensuring the bushing is going in straight to avoid damage. |
| 01:58 | Now, all we need to do is keep going until the new bushing is fully seated and sitting flush in it's housing and that's it, job done. |
| 02:05 | Let's summarise what we've learnt before we move on. |
| 02:08 | Bushings are press fit and require significant force to remove or install. |
| 02:12 | But a mechanical bushing press, a C-clamp style tool with threaded rods and interchangeable cups offers an affordable, effective alternative to a hydraulic press. |
| 02:20 | By selecting the correct cup size, the tool can press out the old bushing and install the new one by tightening nuts on either end of the threaded rod. |
