hey can anyone give my some info on replacing track bar bushings, i don't have a press and bushing removing tools, i was thinking about using a jack and the weight of the car and a socket to push them out/push new ones in......

I recently did all four torque rod bushings on our 93. I did it the same way Rob did. Mine were pretty tough to get out. I drilled a hole through the rubber part between the inner and outer sleeve, then inserted a new saber say blade into the hole and used the saber saw to cut around the circumference in order to free the inner sleeve. Once the inner sleeve was out, I cut around the circumference of the outer sleeve again to clean out as much rubber as possible so that I could make the hack saw cut with good visibility. I had to make two hack saw cuts on each one before I could get the outer sleeve loose, but I finally got them out. I suggest making the hack saw cuts in a spot where there is plenty of metal under the cut. It's really easy to cut too deep when doing this, and I didn't want to weaken anything by removing metal from the torgue rod itself in a bad spot. I then cleaned out the holes in the rods and used a vice to press in the new bushings. All in all, it was a bit of a job. Mine were a bear to get out, and some work to get in, but I'd do it again because it was pretty satisfying. I imagine a similar approach would work for the track rod bushings.
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Thanks for all the help. DougC 1981 242, Turbo bars and wheels, M46............1993 245, B230 NA L-Block, M46, Turbo bars.

I recently did my own torque rod bushings, replaced with original type rubber.

I removed the rods, chopped and scraped out the split old rubber (mine were really bad) and clamped the bars in a vise, with the rod end I'm working on pointing up.

I took apart a hacksaw and fed the blade through the center of the bushing shell, and cut towards the rod until I just cut through the whole shell.

Remove the hacksaw, and tap the old bushing right out. The new ones fit in without much need for a press- I was actually a bit concerned with a sort of loose fit in a couple of them, so I tapped on the sides with a hammer and punch in a couple spots to help lock them in.

Good luck with your job.
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::: Rob Bareiss, New London CT ::: 92 244 M47 211K ::: 90 745GL M47 273K ::: 88 245DL AW70 190K ::: 84 242DL Project ::: 70 VW Bus ::: 70 VW Pickup Project ::: 71 VW Notchback :::

thanks, in no hurry to do this but some guy wants 200 to do it, don't think so.....theres no rubber left in mine so i do have to get it done, getting sick of the clunking noises in the rear end

I've just replaced mine with polyurethane bushes, which are supposed to be better than the original rubber bushes.

I used a torch to break the bond between the rubber and the metal shell. This takes a while to heat up enough, then the thing just pushes out. I then used a hack saw to cut through the metal shell, carefully, so as not to mark the inside of the bar. Then clean the inside face of the bar where the new bush will fit. Special installation grease is used to lubricate the poly bush and it just squeezes in with a vice. You could also use a threaded bar with some big washers to pull the bush into the rod.