The I'm-Learning-As-I-Go 1965 Valiant Post
Homemade LCA Bushing Press
Here's the parts.
What you'll need:
- 2 x 4 cut to 8" long, 2 pieces
- 12" x 1/2" diam threaded rod, 2 pieces
- Forstner, brad point or twist bits in 5/8" and 3/4" (If you have a bit that's a tad bit bigger than 3/4" like 7/8" or 13/16" that might work a bit better, I'll explain in a sec.)
- 4 washers, 4 nuts
- 2 wrenches, one adjustable crescent and one ratcheting closed end wrench that'll fit the nuts
NEXT,
Drill out holes A, 2 ea on each piece of 2x4, using the 5/8 bit.
Drill out one hole B, on one of the 2x4, using the 3/4 or slightly larger bit. There was a significantly bigger price difference between the 12" and the 18" threaded rod - the 12" went for $1.50 apiece and the 18" went for $8 apiece. Since I'm a cheapskate, I opted for the 12". However, the 12" isn't long enough to accomodate the spindle as it sits just on the edge of the bushing, so hole B is designed to accept the part of the spindle that goes into the subframe, and it pushes against the lip. You probably can't go a whole lot bigger than 3/4, but when everything was all said and done I had to take a hammer to whack the 2x4 off the spindle. LOL.
Put everything together like in the next pic.
The ratcheting closed end wrench in the "on" position goes on the "fixed" 2x4 side; and the adjustable wrench goes on the other side. The idea is to counter turn the wrenches so the threaded rod doesn't spin with the nut. Having the ratcheting wrench just makes it a lot easier. There's probably better ways to keep the rod from spinning but I just didn't think of it at the time. Oh well. ;)
Just go back and forth between both nuts on one 2x4 and you'll see the spindle slowly press into the bushing. It's a urethane bushing, btw, lubed up with silicone. Rubber probably will ride more plush but it's a pain in the *** to have to pry out those damned metal shells that are still in the LCA.
And here she is! All pressed in!
This same concept will probably work for the uppers and anywhere else you gotta put a bushing in.
Homemade LCA Bushing Press
Here's the parts.
What you'll need:
- 2 x 4 cut to 8" long, 2 pieces
- 12" x 1/2" diam threaded rod, 2 pieces
- Forstner, brad point or twist bits in 5/8" and 3/4" (If you have a bit that's a tad bit bigger than 3/4" like 7/8" or 13/16" that might work a bit better, I'll explain in a sec.)
- 4 washers, 4 nuts
- 2 wrenches, one adjustable crescent and one ratcheting closed end wrench that'll fit the nuts
NEXT,
Drill out holes A, 2 ea on each piece of 2x4, using the 5/8 bit.
Drill out one hole B, on one of the 2x4, using the 3/4 or slightly larger bit. There was a significantly bigger price difference between the 12" and the 18" threaded rod - the 12" went for $1.50 apiece and the 18" went for $8 apiece. Since I'm a cheapskate, I opted for the 12". However, the 12" isn't long enough to accomodate the spindle as it sits just on the edge of the bushing, so hole B is designed to accept the part of the spindle that goes into the subframe, and it pushes against the lip. You probably can't go a whole lot bigger than 3/4, but when everything was all said and done I had to take a hammer to whack the 2x4 off the spindle. LOL.
Put everything together like in the next pic.
The ratcheting closed end wrench in the "on" position goes on the "fixed" 2x4 side; and the adjustable wrench goes on the other side. The idea is to counter turn the wrenches so the threaded rod doesn't spin with the nut. Having the ratcheting wrench just makes it a lot easier. There's probably better ways to keep the rod from spinning but I just didn't think of it at the time. Oh well. ;)
Just go back and forth between both nuts on one 2x4 and you'll see the spindle slowly press into the bushing. It's a urethane bushing, btw, lubed up with silicone. Rubber probably will ride more plush but it's a pain in the *** to have to pry out those damned metal shells that are still in the LCA.
And here she is! All pressed in!
This same concept will probably work for the uppers and anywhere else you gotta put a bushing in.