So I took my G35 coupe to get an alignment and the shop pointed out that my bushings in my lower control arms are toast. Of course they wanted to replace both arms and it would have been close to $600. I like to do my own work because I don't trust other people to work on my car, it's cheaper, and I love doing it. So I've decided to replace all of the front and rear bushings. Anyhow, I was wondering if anybody has any experience with using a rented bushing press from a local store like Auto Zone and what they thought of it? I just want to see if it's something realistic to do at home?

 

This post looks identical to one I read a couple months ago..is there someone out there just creating accounts and reposting the same questions? Anywho...

There's no such thing as a rentable bushing press. There are ball joint presses, but that would never work. You need a shop press. You also need the right dies. I have one!

Haha, best thing to do is bring all your control arms to a shop and have em pressed out. If you want to go stock rubber, I have some extra brand new compression rod bushings lying around. $20/pair+ shipping.

 

I was worried somebody had posted this question, but I promise, I did search for a while before I posted lol. I just didn't want to spend multiple hours looking for it when I could use that time to be working on the car.

But... I do appreciate the response. The gentleman at Auto Zone told me the press would work for bushings but I was a little skeptical, hence why I asked on here.

As far as what I'm using to replace the bushings, I'm going to go with Whiteline. Thanks for offering though!

 

Cool. Polyurethane is the only way to go on these, but no, I've tried to use autozones press and concluded that there is no way in hell to keep the die straight enough when you're screwing down the clamp (their press is just a giant c-clamp). You need a shop press (which is basically just a bottle jack on an H-frame), cuz it can press straight down with no deviation.

As I said, find a shop to press em out. They'll probably charge you $50 or so to do the compression rods and lower control arms. Do them all at once if you can; C-rods and both bushings on the LCA.

 

Ok, I'll start calling around to see what shops are going to charge. But yeah I'm definitely going to do all the bushings at once since I'm going to be down there pulling it apart.

 

Dude just get a Harbor Freight coupon and buy one there for <$100. Will last for all your future vehicle and other needs.

 

I like that idea! I'm never one to pass up buying new toys. They are actually having a sale that ends today if I remember correctly.

 

This is true! However! Finding the proper dies and learning to use it properly could end up costing you a lot of money! Forged steel dies (or sockets, or whatever you use) can be expensive. Also, if you aren't careful you can bind and break parts. If you just want a simple bushing job, and have no other interest in the tool (especially because of the space it takes up) $50 is well worth it to just have someone else do it.

However, if you have one, you can find stuff for which to use it. Haha I just used it the other day to press out by cycle chain links. Totally unnecessary, but sure made it easy! Haha

 

So realistically, for somebody that's never done it before, how difficult is it? I'm all about learning how to do it.

 

Well, its not rocket science, in fact its fairly simple, but if you screw up one little bit, its a hell of a time.

Basically, you put your press die against the race (metal ring of the bushing) of the bushing, have a reviewing cup underneath and start pumping. If you take precaution, go slowly and monitor how straight it is as it presses the bushing out, it should come out like butter. The major risk is it going sideways, cuz if it starts going sideways and binding you can break ****. Somtimes its correctable, sometimes its not, but either way its a pain. If you choose a die that's even SLIGHTLY too big tho, and it binds, you won't get it back.

For the compression rods you need a 2-3/8 socket to catch the bushing and a 1-11/16 to press it out. Not sure what the LCAs are.

 

Ok, I think I'm going to go ahead and try it. Like I said, I want to do as much as possible on my own. I'm sure the wife is going to love finding the press in the garage, but she's pretty easy going so I'm going to pull the trigger. Lol

 

Sweet! Like I said, you'll find other stuff to use it for. And you can charge your buddies beers to use it. Make sure you get a 12ton. The 6 ton is garbage and the 20ton is overkill. Of course the 20 ton is bada$$, but its a lot bigger too.

And as dEn said, get that 20% off coupon HF is always sending out to grab it for about $100.

 

You beat me to the punch! Which one you recommended was my next question. I'm ordering it tonight, and there's gonna be a whole mess of pressing! This may get out of hand quick! Lol

 

Yeah, you can use it for bearings, bushings, like I said, I used it to push pins out of a bike chain..you could do the same to motorcycle chains. We used it to press a siezed CV axle out of my buddies cars hub..umm..crush cans..you get the picture.

You can use it to shape steel. It will crush most metals. Iron and forged steel are the only things mine hasn't crushed. That's why I say you need forged steel dies. Ive crushed 1/4" steel.

 

So when I put my suspension back together, do I need to compress it before I tighten everything to specs? I have been getting mixed answers on it.