Removing sleeves from lower control arm

Dmcbrass · 10-17-2005

I have successfully removed both control arms from the driver side of my 1970 GT. The upper control arm has been sandblasted, painted and is ready to mount the new bushings. The lower control arm is a different story. The ball joint has been removed and the control arm sandblasted; however, I've got a problem. I can't remove the cast iron piece from the arm because the inner sleeves appear to be permanently attached to the cast iron. Both sleeves are seriously pitted and deformed so they will have to be replaced. How do I remove them so that I can replace with new ones from OGTS? I hope you guys have some great ideas because I'm clueless.

GT Tim · 10-17-2005

I torched mine out.It took a minute but it finally worked.

opeldean · 10-17-2005

its in my gallery , page 2

i was unable to paste a link to it.

go to gallery, opeldean, page 2

grease the shaft to the sleeve on reassembly

jtb · 10-18-2005

I used a hydraulic press to remove the old ones. (make sure the arm is well supported so that you don't bend it). You may still have to torch out the remaining rubber.
With this method there is not so much smoke!

jtb

Dmcbrass · 10-18-2005

The rubber bushings are out. The problem I am having is seperating the inner metal sleeves from the cast iron piece.

Paul · 10-18-2005

I just had the same problem on mine. Disassembled the bushing, LCA and pivot left me with the metal sleeves stuck on the pivot. One sleeve came off with a pipe wrench twisting it off. Another I had to use a dremmel and cutoff wheel to split lengthwise.

Thats two ways that worked for me, there could be more....

GT Tim · 10-18-2005

Sorry I misunderstood the question.I didn't have that problem.

Dmcbrass · 10-18-2005

Paul,
I'm going to try heat (suggested by opeldean) and a pipe wrench (suggested by you). How did you cut the one off with a dremel tool? There doesn't look like there is enough room to get a tool into the area where the bushing was. Were you able to remove the cast iron piece from the control arm after the first sleeve was removed with the pipe wrench? I'm curious about how common it is for the inner metal sleeves to be pitted. Has anyone else had this problem? I'm wondering if I'm going to have the same problem on the passenger side when I get to that one.

Dmcbrass · 10-18-2005

They're out! Heat and pipe wrench wouldn't touch it.
I used a dremel cut off wheel to slice the tapered base and then a very sharp 5/16" wide chisel from the other end. They were completely rusted to the shaft. (total length) Time to order new inner sleeves from OGTS. Guess I'll have to send my bushings back and get the ones that fit the new, larger sleeves. Working on a GT is so exciting. You never know what you're going to run into.

10-17-2005	#1 (permalink)
Dmcbrass Member Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: Virginia Posts: 392	Unanswered: Removing sleeves from lower control arm I have successfully removed both control arms from the driver side of my 1970 GT. The upper control arm has been sandblasted, painted and is ready to mount the new bushings. The lower control arm is a different story. The ball joint has been removed and the control arm sandblasted; however, I've got a problem. I can't remove the cast iron piece from the arm because the inner sleeves appear to be permanently attached to the cast iron. Both sleeves are seriously pitted and deformed so they will have to be replaced. How do I remove them so that I can replace with new ones from OGTS? I hope you guys have some great ideas because I'm clueless.

10-18-2005	#6 (permalink)
Paul Member 1000 Post Club Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: Ft Smith, Arkansas Posts: 1,481 Provided Answers: 1	I just had the same problem on mine. Disassembled the bushing, LCA and pivot left me with the metal sleeves stuck on the pivot. One sleeve came off with a pipe wrench twisting it off. Another I had to use a dremmel and cutoff wheel to split lengthwise. Thats two ways that worked for me, there could be more.... __________________ Paul

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10-17-2005	#2 (permalink)
GT Tim Member Join Date: May 2005 Location: Utah Posts: 479	I torched mine out.It took a minute but it finally worked.

10-18-2005	#4 (permalink)
jtb Member Join Date: Oct 2004 Location: Vancouver Canada Posts: 415	I used a hydraulic press to remove the old ones. (make sure the arm is well supported so that you don't bend it). You may still have to torch out the remaining rubber. With this method there is not so much smoke! jtb

10-18-2005	#5 (permalink)
Dmcbrass Member Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: Virginia Posts: 392	The rubber bushings are out. The problem I am having is seperating the inner metal sleeves from the cast iron piece.

10-18-2005	#7 (permalink)
GT Tim Member Join Date: May 2005 Location: Utah Posts: 479	Sorry I misunderstood the question.I didn't have that problem.

10-18-2005	#8 (permalink)
Dmcbrass Member Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: Virginia Posts: 392	Paul, I'm going to try heat (suggested by opeldean) and a pipe wrench (suggested by you). How did you cut the one off with a dremel tool? There doesn't look like there is enough room to get a tool into the area where the bushing was. Were you able to remove the cast iron piece from the control arm after the first sleeve was removed with the pipe wrench? I'm curious about how common it is for the inner metal sleeves to be pitted. Has anyone else had this problem? I'm wondering if I'm going to have the same problem on the passenger side when I get to that one.

10-18-2005	#9 (permalink)
Dmcbrass Member Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: Virginia Posts: 392	They're out! Heat and pipe wrench wouldn't touch it. I used a dremel cut off wheel to slice the tapered base and then a very sharp 5/16" wide chisel from the other end. They were completely rusted to the shaft. (total length) Time to order new inner sleeves from OGTS. Guess I'll have to send my bushings back and get the ones that fit the new, larger sleeves. Working on a GT is so exciting. You never know what you're going to run into.

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