Lower Control arm Tools

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The Miller tools from the old days are scarce. A thick washer, press and a MIG welder works well. Talent with a sawzall and finesse, a light touch work well too. Some folks use a big tap and a press, can't remember the size. But if you have to have the Miller tools, it will be a search.
 
Welded washer method




Tap method.




Images from our big brothers over at FBBO.

Screenshot_20231108-170851.png



Another tap like method.

Lower control arm bushing removal
 
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I like the welded washer method. If you don't have a welder, and the Sawzall method makes you nervous, a coping saw and lots of patience will also work. You'll just need to "thread" the blade through the bore of the bushing first and then affix it to the saw.
 
Or just catch the rubber on fire with a small torch and it will burn itself apart then a simple cut with a wizzer wheel and it pops right off. Air hammer and cutting chisel for the other half. Assembly with a hydraulic press is a bit more classy.
 
Threading in a 1 3/8"x 6 or 12tpi tap & pressing out the outer shell is one of the best ways to do this if you have access to a press or a good large vice, without damaging the torsion bar anchor. You DO NOT want to nick that piece with a saw blade. To remove the inner shell from the pivot pin, just hit it with a ball-peen hammer around the outer diameter of the pin & the inner shell will basically slip right off. I just used these methods 2 weeks ago & they worked like a charm. Look for Mopar Action Magazine tech info stuff!
 
You also can use a die grinder to split the outer metal case of the bushing carefully, similar to the sawsall method mentioned in the above post.

I recently tried the washer method, but the steel was soft and kept tearing out until I had no more material to weld onto so I ground a slit into part and then was able to hammer and chisel it out fine.
Be careful to not grind too deep on the shell as mentioned above, you just want to get it thin, a lot like removing an exhaust pipe from inside a muffler that you wish to reuse.

Not as easy as using the proper FSM recommended tool, but it got the job done just fine.
 
I have that Miller Special Tools Company, "special tool" that is used for getting the shaft, and then the bushing, out of the lower control arm, in the rebuilding process.
Had the tool since back in the dinosaur days, but i use the tap method in getting the bushing out, along with my hydraulic press for the shaft, and bushing work.
Here's a picture of the tool.
Jim V.
hemi71x

MILLER SPECIAL TOOL BUSHING 001 (Small).JPG
 
hemi71x said:
I have that Miller Special Tools Company, "special tool" that is used for getting the shaft, and then the bushing, out of the lower control arm, in the rebuilding process.
Had the tool since back in the dinosaur days, but i use the tap method in getting the bushing out, along with my hydraulic press for the shaft, and bushing work.
Here's a picture of the tool.
Jim V.
hemi71x

View attachment 1716164880
Click to expand...
I suppose you wouldn't part with it would you?
 
hemi71x said:
I have that Miller Special Tools Company, "special tool" that is used for getting the shaft, and then the bushing, out of the lower control arm, in the rebuilding process.
Had the tool since back in the dinosaur days, but i use the tap method in getting the bushing out, along with my hydraulic press for the shaft, and bushing work.
Here's a picture of the tool.
Jim V.
hemi71x

View attachment 1716164880
Click to expand...

Very cool stuff!

But honestly it looks a lot like a heavier duty version of the control arm tools that Mancini sells. And having used those, using the tap and a press is the way to go
 
niceolddart said:
Threading in a 1 3/8"x 6 or 12tpi tap & pressing out the outer shell is one of the best ways to do this if you have access to a press or a good large vice, without damaging the torsion bar anchor. You DO NOT want to nick that piece with a saw blade. To remove the inner shell from the pivot pin, just hit it with a ball-peen hammer around the outer diameter of the pin & the inner shell will basically slip right off. I just used these methods 2 weeks ago & they worked like a charm. Look for Mopar Action Magazine tech info stuff!
Click to expand...
Do you have ANY IDEA how expensive a tap like that costs???
 
Everyone's been talking about "removing" the LCA bushing, and shaft, but when all that is said and done, your still going to be needing a press, to press the "shaft" into the new bushing, then everything back into the lower control arm.
I press the shaft into the bushing, first, then i press the bushing, with shaft back into the LCA.
I use a pipe, the same diameter as the outer diameter of the bushing, then press away, until it bottoms out.
all done, easy peasy.
Without a press, or knowing someone that has one, i would think you would be up the creek, without a paddle.
Something for you guys to think about, in rebuilding the LCA's.
 
i just use two rocks and a bearskin. takes about 1/2 of a dirty 30 of high-life and lotsa cussin' and fussin' but it gets done.

the alignment was a nightmare, though.
 
72bluNblu said:
Very cool stuff!

But honestly it looks a lot like a heavier duty version of the control arm tools that Mancini sells. And having used those, using the tap and a press is the way to go
Click to expand...
The mancini tool needs the "fluted" end milled down thinner to get under the end of the shell, then it works great. I found that out of the box the working end was about twice as thick as the gap for it to sit in at the bottom of the bore.
beerestoration2015-2016 792.JPG



beerestoration2015-2016 794.JPG
 
Re removing the LCA, I've never needed the fancy tool which clamps the torsion bar so you can knock it backwards. Whatever you do, don't grab the T-bar with vise-grips. Remove the wire circlip at the aft end. There may still be a plastic cap over it to pry out. Remove the LCA pivot nut. Then jam a crowbar between the LCA and K-frame and can easily move it aft to push the T-bar out it's rear hex anchor. Then tap the LCA forward and the T-bar should drop out of the LCA. You can also hit the T-bar pivot bolt on the end since no threads there, but don't mushroom it since that bolt is rare and pricey. BTW, the grease on the T-bar ends is not for sliding motion, just to prevent corrosion. They found that need after just a few years when the earliest ones were open, which allowed salt-mush to pack in the hex in the rusty north, to bad effect. The correct rubber boots are pricey. I used a polyurethane boot from Energy Suspension on my A and C body (different sizes). I've used a pickle fork to remove the lower ball joint shaft. You should replace the boot, even if re-using the ball-joint. I use poly there too.

If the rubber is degraded, the LCA bushing innards may push out easy with a shop press. You can then get the inner shell off the bolt on a bench, using a hacksaw, Dremel wheel, and prying, or press it out if you can rig fittings. To remove the inner shell, I scored the outer lip with a Dremel wheel to cut thru the fold, then folded it inward with a hammer and punch. Don't use the Energy Suspension polyurethane bushing is still being sold. I think they discontinued it after reading the many fusses here that it was dangerous since wouldn't secure the LCA from sliding aft and can't rely on the thin T-bar wire C-clip.
 
Ive done the tap method several times.
You can use a gear puller to push the pin out and a combat screwdriver to get the rubber out.
I bought a press, you can probably find one on Craigslist if you have a budget.

IMG_1425.jpeg
 
Lets put a patton on it , it looks like it could do the job. ButI still need the tool to get pivot shaft out? Not big on spending a small fortune on a large tap and still have to use a press of which I don't have.
 
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