Moustache bar bushing tip

[pete280z]

So I'm in the process of replacing my bushings with the Energy Suspension kit. Yesterday I made it to the moustache bar. The ES instructions say to "use heat" to separate the bushing from the shell.

 

Being a faithful HybridZ reader I remember several threads about burning out the bushings with a torch. So a sudden lapse in common sense combines with the propane torch to create something Bad. Smoke, lots of it. In my garage, then in the driveway. My wife came running outside thinking I had set the lawn on fire. The headache from accidentally breathing some of it finally went away after about 5 hours. Bad.

 

On the other side, I learned that it can be much easier. One end of the bushing shell sticks out of the bar about 1/2". Put the torch on the outside of the shell in that 1/2". Work around the shell and eventually the rubber inside will start to bubble and separate. If it starts to burn, blow it out and move on. Once it has separated all of the way around grab the center sleeve with pliers and pull the whole bushing out. This way was much faster, cleaner, and left very little inside the sleeve to clean out.

 

I'm sure I'm not the first person to figure this out, but I thought maybe some of the other newb type guys might find this helpful.

[MrFancypants]

The other thing you can do is get a deep hole saw and cut the bushing out from both sides and it will pop out. I tried the whole "burning bushing" thing, and though it's kind of fun it makes a hell of a mess!! After you have cut it out, you can burn off the small amount of residue.

 

 

 

- Greg -

[GreenState]

Yes, I'm aware that this thread is six years old, but people are still removing these bushings. Combining the two methods above allowed me to do this rather easily with minimal smoke. Well, there was lots of smoke when I first just went at it with a torch. I don't recommend this, even though I did it outside with a breeze, the smoke is noxious and instantly gives you a headache. I doubt it's good for you. Anyway, here it goes:

 

You will need:

 

 

1 1/2" Hole Saw (Deeper is better, not needed if you have a really deep 1 3/4" bit)

1 3/4" Hole Saw (Deeper is better)

Electric Drill

Propane/MAPP Torch

Round wire brush ($3 well spent)

Vice (Not necessary, but very helpful)

 

Step 1: Clamp bar in vice near the end you're working on.

 

Step 2: Using the 1 1/2" Hole saw drill out the metal sleeve from both sides. It will come out as a chunk. Remove it from the bit and switch to the 1 3/4" bit.

 

 

Step 3: Drill out as much of the remaining bushing as you can with the 1 3/4" bit. You'll be left with this:

 

 

Step 4: GO OUTSIDE!!!! Put the bar somewhere that you won't catch more stuff on fire and blast the remaining rubber bushings with the torch until they're cherry red. Let the bar cool and bring it back to the vice. It will now look like this:

 

 

Step 5: Chuck the little wire wheel into an electric drill, don't punish your cordless drill with this job.

 

 

The burnt rubber will easily brush cleanly away from the metal, put a trash can under where you're working for easy clean up. Ta da!

 

[Leon]

Nice job, thanks for documenting!

 

I took the noxious route, but did use a round wire brush which worked great.

 

 

 

 

Good luck with your project!

[rejracer]

I did the hole saw method, used a 1/2" drill with the wire wheel, and had the job done in less than 20 mins. As I recall we (Bonk and I) used the hole saw, then a knife to cut the big chunks left, then the wire wheel. Worked great.