Dear yankee,

Hope you're well. First, you'll need a small flat-blade screwdriver. The tip should be 1/8" across and the screwdriver's overall length should not exceed 3". Second, you'll need some dish-washing liquid. Third, heat some water until it is as hot as you can tolerate bare-handed; keep the pot of water next to you.

Having done this several times, I realize there's little work room. It may take several tries to seat each bushing.

Put the bushings into the hot water and let them sit for 15-20 minutes. The heat will soften the rubber and make it more flexible.

Take a bushing and lubricate the bushing's inner circumference edge with dishwashing liquid. The inner circumference edge is the edge that faces the linkage, when you begin the installation. The other edge of the bushing - the outer circumference edge - is the edge you'll grip, as you work to seat the bushing into the linkage. Also apply dishwashing liquid to the edge of the opening in the linkage. A thin coating of lubricant will suffice.

Insert the top edge of the bushing into the opening in the linkage, so that the linkage seats into the space between the inner and outer edges of the bushing. That partly seats the bushing into the linkage. The bottom of the bushing will be at an angle to the linkage, because only the top of the bushing will be seated into the linkage.

Put the tip of the screwdriver into the gap between the bushing's bottom outer edges. Push upwards with the screwdriver, while pressing the bushing towards the linkage. This pressure - upwards and "inwards" (towards the linkage) - should force the bushing's lower inner circumference edge (that facing away from you) to go through the opening in the linkage,

Because the bushing fits snugly into the linkage, it may take several "tries" to get the bushing seated. You can do this.

Hope this helps.

Yours faithfully,

Spook