control arm bushings

[13svou]

im working on my 69 charger control arms. im trying to get the old bushings out, but im having a hard time since the bushings are very rusty an want to collapse when I use the proper tool to press them out. also there seems to be a sleeve over one of the bushings. any of you guys have any ideas on how to get the sleeve or the bushings out without damaging the control arm?? any help would be greatly appreciated,

thanks Scott 

[hemi71x]

If you have one of those "sleeves" on the rear bushing, and apparently it's rusted onto the bushing, it's been my experience that you have to cut off the old sleeve.
Dremel, die grinder, with a cut off bit, or cutting wheel.
Whatever tool(s) you have.
Or if you have a "flame wrench" (torch) a whole lot easier.

[birdsandbees]

Yep, torch or cut the "hemi" sleeve off with a dremel wheel and give it a try again. If you still can't press them out I suggest some more cut wheel work until they fall out. Then install new. What I would have done with mine if some Einstein, back in the day, hadn't torched a bushing (and buggered the UCA) trying to do a front end alignment. I had to buy Repops.. and they came with bushings so loose I can push them out by hand.

[13svou]

is there a place that makes those sleeves new?

[birdsandbees]

Only place I found them for sale was Mancini Racing. I ordered them along with some other stuff and they shipped my order out and didn't bother to tell me that the sleeves are a discontinued item. Most here are of the impression they don't do much anyhow. I plan to just use some 4130 tubing the correct size (or with some machining) and then harden them before I assemble mine.

[hemi71x]

is there a place that makes those sleeves new?

Those sleeves are useless.
They never did anything from the beginning.
They were "hit, or miss" on the assembly line from day one, what cars got them.
6 cylinder, 73-76 A body cars, got them on the rear bushing, and then you would have to ask yourself, Why??
I got a box full of those things that i have removed from UCA's in all years that i have been rebuilding suspension parts for the Mopar cars.
You can probably figure out that i have removed dozens and dozens, of UCA's from cars in my lifetime.

[13svou]

yea I thought A body cars where the only cars that had them sleeves I was surprised to find them on my charger. is there purpose only for more strength??

[hemi71x]

yea I thought A body cars where the only cars that had them sleeves I was surprised to find them on my charger. is there purpose only for more strength??

This topic gets brought up from time to time on other forums also, about those sleeves, Moparts, forabodiesonly, for example.
And i will bet you 90% of the entheusists out there in the Mopar world wouldn't even know what were talking about, if i didn't reply with my picture of the stash of them that i have.

Nobody has ever come up with a definitive answer why some Mopar "engineer" "designer" ever came up with the idea to put those sleeves on certain applications, and not others.

As i replied before, a big hit or miss, with those things.
Just somebody back in the day, with Ma Mopar that thought it was a good brainy, idea, to prove his salary.
Something that never had a good rhime or reason in the real world.

Don't loose any sleep over having them, or not having them.
Ones that i collected, are just something that i never throw away, after removing shot, worn out, bushings to sell UCA's on the internet sites.