Hello all, I now have all my parts together to replace the trailing arm bushings on my 87 sedan, and my 91 wagon. I have the Bushings replacement tool made by Siri (I think thats how you spell it). Anyway, the Bentley manual is not real clear on the procedure (for me anyway). I can't figure out which way one is supposed to press the bushings out. Are they supposed to be pressed outboard towards the wheels or inboards? Should I use the official tool to remove the old ones, or just cut the old ones out, and then only use the tool to press in the new ones. Have looked all over YouTube hoping I could find a video. Any help most welcome :)

Scott in Dallas

Like Phil said, you press them towards the center of the car. Here's a photo I took when doing mine:



Phil also said; "..., can be tough as grown dogs, if weathered I'll bet.
If your's are? You could wet them with with a rust buster ahead of time."

Good advice. I also had to add quite a few foot-pounds, photo evidence attached:



Good luck,
Erling.
--

Hi,

I have the original tool that Volvo sold because I got a deal on it from Rusty at RPR when he closed his store.
I have only used once so far!

As I remember you have to assembly the tool only one way. This is due to the way the bolt has to go in towards the wheel and the nut goes on. No space for it to go the other way due to the anti splash backing plates. You will see how, right after you get under there to it.

You pull the old bushing towards the center of the car after you drop the trailing arm down out of the way. You might even remove a shock absorber to get it down. It's been awhile! (:)

I have a car lift and use the body lift points. You will have to do the same on stands I expect, if in a driveway. I use an axle stand support and do one side at a time with a hydraulic jack.


With the tool, make sure you put the spacer halves between the ears that are welded onto the axles.
You don't want to squeeze the tabs together as it will really bind up!
My setup has a spring clip that goes around the the spacer halves and hold them there.
Just saying this as I don't know what you have to be your third arm!


Make sure you get and keep everything square upon the start of tightening.
Keep an eyeball that all the parts to make sure they are tucked into their respective diameters so they can be pulled through into the outer support cup.


Now I can tell you, having a Volvo tool type tool will make things go very well but those puppies, can be tough as grown dogs, if weathered I'll bet.

If your's are? You could wet them with with a rust buster ahead of time.
Only the first half inch is really tough. The pressure drops quickily once cleared of one tab or ear.

I was able to pull them with mine, not so much because I had the tool, but because, Rusty sold me a gigantic combination wrench with the setup. Cutting them out is an option.

Rusty said, the first few times, he used it or rented it out, he had to provide the big wrench for them or complaints came back at him.
I can say it takes a lot of strength to pull them out even with that wrench, that's about two feet long.

Now whether he rented to customers back East, in the rust belt, I cannot say. I didn't ask anything about his policy and how he may have rented this one out.
All of it would have been heavy to ship, so I'm thinking only the locals got it the service mostly.

He had so much concern about those threads, in fact, he sold me the setup a couple extra threaded pulling rods that he kept in stock.
They are made by Volvo for it, as they have their own part numbered box! I think he said they were $40 apiece.
I'm fairly sure they must be up to Grade 8 strength or at least a Grade 5 metal.

The bushing really strains the pullers threads too, as I could see the wear that the previous users put on the one in it right away.
Some of it was probably abused for the reasons I stated above!

I think I gave $150 for the whole works. You will be happy you have one too!
I would suggest that if it gets really tough, loosen it and let it relax and reset! The tool or yourself as both helps! (:-)

Pushing a new one back in place was not as hard at all and I used anti seize liberally!

If yours has the hour glass looks about the rubber center put it in standing up. Some have arrows to remind you!

Center it up on the tabs, lengthwise, so the trailing arm slips up and on. Otherwise, you have to reverse the tool again.

Put the finally torque on the bolts while the axle has some weight on it.
The bushings are locked by the bolt and do not turn. This way they will not be in such a twist in the arms housing, when the car is riding at its normal height.

Most of what I said should be in the Bentley manual.

This job is far less complicated than a blower motor!

I hope you have a strong bolt, in your tool and a back with arms attached, on you! (:-)

Phil

Apologies for chiming in with a related question, but when I did this job last (about 10 years ago) I remember that it wore me out! I have never heard anyone mention using an impact wrench for the job, is there a reason?

" I have never heard anyone mention using an impact wrench for the job, is there a reason? "

Same thought occurred to me. Bet Phil knows the answer given his long life around machines.

I avoid using the impact wrench to speed up spring compressor jobs and this similar action because I imagine the threads on the tool would suffer more wear.

http://www-ese.fnal.gov/People/wilcer/volvo_trailing_arm_bushing_tool.htm


--
Art Benstein near Baltimore

An expert is a man that has made all mistakes possible in a narrow field of expertise (Albert Einstein)

Hi Art and all!

I think you have already given the ONE best answer Art, for not using an impact driver!

I will put in my best, if anyone thinks, what you say, holds water for me BEING ABLE TOO!

Couple thoughts to keep in mind, An impact driver has no feelings!

Second, they are not intended to be used as an assembly tool!
Some mechcanics want disclaimers! Because they use them anyway.
Ok, here is the only one!
That is, unless you know for sure it's not capable of exceeding the fasteners stretch limit!

Example: The was only time I trusted an impact driver! A brute force young man's sport!

I have used 1 & 1/2" air impacts with two inch air lines, to run down 2 & 1/2" diameter studs or about 5" nuts, as tight as they would go. This with gobs of high temperature anti-seize on the threads.

Then I measured, from a hole depth in the center, the amount of stretch obtained overall from the normal relaxed reading.

Then, the bolts were heated up with electric heating rods poked down the center.
After the expansion occurred, the bolt got turned "X" amount of degrees.

This turning was calculated on the helix. The amount of the pitch in the thread would pull the stud into the nuts to get a certain amount stretch to meet yield requirements.

We use what is called "slugging" wrench and 30 lb. sledge hammers to drive the head around those few more degrees of rotation. You got to be careful not to let hit your ankles while swinging it between your legs.

All of this was to get the high torque values, that are above the "realm of rotational torquing" and will avoid Galding! Remember you want to take it back apart someday!
The reverse of that above is used to take it apart too!

You wonder what was this was on! Power plant Steam turbine cases. All along their split line. It holds their halves together.


Now think about, go ask or work inside a tire shop and you will find out how dangerous impacts are toward wheel studs!
Don't let your tire shop use them to install anything! Look and watch! If they do go somewhere else!

They can break or strip studs in a blink.
The impact driver has no feelings and does not transmit any notice to the user of one. It's too momentary. The stud stretches and later the nut falls into the hub cap or street!

Sledge hammers and Impact drivers are brute force tools, period!


You ask, what does this have to do with the Volvo tool and bushings?
Well, Its operating up at the maximum range of mechanical stresses of metal.
The diameter of the bushings and tabs have their surface areas chemically bonded by by nature let alone a fit.
As the length of the tool shortens, the angles of distortion change slightly. This draws energy into different parts of the tab of which release unevenly.
Relaxing the pressure actually releases in all directions and redistributes the next application of energy. You gain on some force from the part that was binding the rings on the diameter, to moving the bushing along.
Like I said, the first half inch is a toughest. The thickness of the tabs.

This is With any material! Plastic even has structural limits but they are in chains, instead of a lattice frames though.

There is a limit at the molecular level that you can move molecules against molecules.

It is worse when there are two materials with molecular structures the same or have like crystalline lattice structures.
Not all molecules are perfectly round or smooth since they are grains of a crystal nature. A different material lattice may have openings and will make it more compatible against galding. In wear bushings for example that are sacrificial! In Caterpillar equipment for example.

Deformation or galding occurs when some don't slide but try to roll and slide to another place of less pressure. No room, then an ouch is heard! Not a good sound!


This is how I think it works for me and my wrenches.

Imagine a farmer and a shear plow with a horse in a dirt field. As long as the dirt can move away from the plow the horse moves. If there is a hard crusty chunk getting hit it and cannot be pushed up the horse will stall!
The farmer has to relax the plow and let things shift. The plow shifts, the crust flops or he backs up and tries ramming the loosen chunk again and it crumbles or shifts!

This I called a "relax or rest" technique! Give a little, to Get a little!
There are many things that this method work well on! (:-)

When two surface planes are together under pressure there is no room. Like a lid dragging on top of the plow and next to the ground.
The extra energy being used to get movement, while compacting, now transfers into more heat from friction.

A release of pressure or force is due, it's R &R time! If not, the excessive heat starts sticking molecules together. A result is a stacking of molecules. It is the Welding or is molecular fusion that starts the galding!

An impact driver just keep on ripping!
No feelings for the horse or the plow until something becomes breaks down to a stop and then it probably unrepairable.
Unrepairable, Because, it cannot be taken apart and used easy again!
YOU JUST BOUGHT THE FARM!
In these cases, a rental tool!

Now if using the same plowing idea, think about a threading tap.

The sheared metal chips or even dirt in a thread has to go someplace.
If not, it binds and if you keep turning it, the extra energy goes to work against you and you break it.

Now the work doubles or triples. You got to remove the old one and buy a new threading tap with new money you have to earn!

Now Look, into a stuck spark plug situation.

Corrosion or coked carbon has filled in clearances between the surfaces planes.
You start wangling on it and it does not move. Keep imparting energy and what happens, the crystals crunch and fuse. Crunch is ok, but don't let them fuse!

Now is the time for finesse!
A strategy of using some knowledge, of what is going on and applying techniques as needed.

I work with what I discussed above, as they are almost identical!

Lots of tightening, relaxing and even backing up to a tight spot, relax it and tighten the other way again. Over and over patiently.

This is the technique I use with my favorite penetrate Maltby. It talks molecular to me.
But any fluid that you can get to go in there helps. I have several brands in my cupboards. I'm always looking for that other miracle stuff!

I use the relax portion of my technique to apply my coolant or lubricant in this particular case.
The lubricant allows slippage of the crusty carbon and aluminum particles, to shift or dissolve.

Working the spark plug back and forth, with lots of finessed patience, gives time for the particles to become smaller and smaller! Finding space that was not there!

It's like a box of corn flakes. It starts out full at the factory full, but looks like the "Mikey Eats Anything" syndrome struck it and snitched some out, but it was from settling. (:-)

So far, for me, no spark plug has been too tough to get out of an engine.

I did have one real tough one though inside my junkyard engine find.
Like, it took a very long time to get it to move around that first crackling.

All by hand. Strained it incrementally, both ways, with a torque wrench!
Like excerise, stretch and relax! The liquid needs to be there and ready to creep in.
Some say to tap things for vibration to set up. I guess? I use anything including heat if I can or absolutely have too!

I would work on it a little, let it set a few days and let time be on my side! Soaking and softening.

The threads in that hole may have been abused a little bit before, in its life time!
Another inner thought was, it probably was never changed out of there because it was so very stuck!

I did worry, that it did suffer some galding and a HeliCoil was coming at me! But I got it out fine and cleaned the threads.

Galding and Balding are two things that can get to most men, one time or another!

I hope I gave up some good advice to all! (:-).

Phil

hi mm- one hell of an article. read the whole thing and learned a few things about jammed threads. two questions though: what in hades is galling exactly? have heard this term a few times. has something to do with seized or fused threads. also is use of anti seize compound during assembly the best protection against this problem? would seem the repeated high heating and cooling of spark plug threads would burn it away along with any protection. thanks tons oldduke

Hi there,

Yes, I did spend some time and effort on writing it up and in some ways, on paper, it's hard to explain.

Galling or galding is an interesting subject and phenomena.
The spelling of it varies. I think it's from the way you hear it depending from what part of the country you live in. I was raised in a southern school shop atmosphere. I heard it with a "D" like scalding hot.

The affect or effect of it happens when two surfaces of material have partial fused together. The continuing movement will keep tearing and pushing each other's material into each other until the motion stops. Not enough power or energy to do it or it shears adjacent lattices apart. Snap, Bang, or Pop!

This action creates mounds and valleys in each other's surfaces.
Much like the landscape of an ice glacier path, that grinds away at rocks and soil underneath it.



One can say during movement it is galding and when you get it apart and see it you can say the part has fail because it has galled! I think the "ing" messes with the brain or ears, take your pick?

Beside gall is leading into the medical world with gallbladder or when a personal inflection is intended about behavior. An example is like, "He has the "gall" to come in here now, after all of that!"

You are right, it has to do with something being seized! Bound up and hard to rotate.

In fact, it's the just step "short" of those of a totally melting of the two surfaces. Of which, that next level or term is called "friction welding" or spin welding and so forth.

The purpose or idea behind anti seize compound is not so much to do with any type of lubricant.

It actually interrupts several processes that occur between metals. It uses a sacrificial metal that does not react or interact with is neighboring molecules. Another object or surfaces.
Most of the time, it is of a non ferrous material, for use in a ferrous metal contact or applications.

The theory uses an actual element with what I want to say, has a relatively high atomic weight, that is not easily destroyed under a high temperature application. Not like other hydrocarbon lubricants that can be.

Even graphite or other variations of carbon coal byproducts were some of our first lubricants.
Animal fats, organic oils and clay types elements like silicone or lithium are minerals with a flake like lattice.

You can say the particles in anti seize are a "filler" that will allow molecular movement or spacing for movement in the process of being an electron barrier too boot!

The spark plug is a case of ferrous and non ferrous metals meeting head to head and they interact badly together.

The very "nature" of aluminum is not "natural." The electrons were forcefully joined.
It is formed by using massive amounts of electrical current heat and its magnetic field during time it's in induction furnaces help to force minerals and alloys together.

It is Truly an exotic metal and maybe one of our first!
It seems to me, that Nature's elements sure wants to break it back down into its white powdered beginning. Of course, it wants to do in good old natural wrought iron tool!

In either case, oxides form and have to be separated. That's where anti seize comes to help.
Again, a filler to keep down electron flow. If it can keep carbon (gases) out and coking up in there, we can get the plug back out!
There is a plating on the threads of a plug, because it would be difficult to put in in the hole, to help prevent this. It is micro thin plating and it can "gas off" over time.

Yes, anti seize is helpful like platings on metal bolts keep rust at bay!

This is a "renewable coating" that stays pretty good, since both of the commonly used metals copper or nickel particles are in it, those cannot melt at combustion temperatures, that are well below 2000 degrees.
The oil in anti seize is only a carrier for the particles. It has no function except for distribution.

Besides, the aluminum pistons and the head holding the spark plug will go bye bye at 1200 degrees.

I hop this answered those two questions.

Thanks for wade or wading through this with me.
Some weird spelling on those two as well! Wad, is that in gun shells or a shallow pool? Waddling??? Ok I'm .... Ing ... myself out of here, whew!
(:-)

Phil

thank you mm for an excellent article on the mechanics of this problem.i read it carefully. getting back to the anti seize issue- have never had a problem with using it for its intended purpose on threads, except on sparkplugs once. it seems the protective coating does wear off or burn up when used on plugs which have a very long change interval. older tanks used to have a plug change interval of 10-20k. but on newer vehicles the intervals are much longer, up to 100k in many cases. most of these have aluminum heads and steel plugs and as you know these metals fight each other. all ive seen recommend use of anti seize on the threads. recently changed original plugs in my 01 merc V8 at 105k showed some were tough to get out, but no damage and new ones went right in with anti seize on them. made sure engine was cold and i was careful but didnt feel comfortable. seems all of that anti seize bug juice was gone after 14 years of operation. maybe a new product with a longer life is needed to compensate for the much longer plug change interval. what think you ? thanks tons oldduke ps - are you related to mr. machine, a well known character in the early 60s?

Hi, I'm glad you got something out of my post.

Yes what you say about the plugs staying in there so long is an issue!
The plugs electrode may last that many miles and is a selling point for the plug manufacturers.
This works for a car salesman too, but neither of them, are going to be responsible for getting the plug out when the time comes.
The poor ole' consumer gets the wake up call!

One has to remember the whole car is a wear item! Any spark plugs under the conditions that operate should never ever be left in there for a hundred thousand miles. I wonder if the plugs wire will last that long unless you live in the car driving. Even then, that person gets out of the car a few times. I think I would look at plugs and the wire connectors for corrosion every 50k to not get a surprise on the highway somewhere.
There are too many others things that need attention to just blow off not giving the spark plugs a rotation. Even tires get more than that in 80 K!

I guess you could say that the anti seize material may be gone to the naked eye. I mean this from the point of when you last saw its composition spread out on there. It would look gone!
I imagine it is still there in some capacity, especially, if you are still able to get the plug out.

They do plate the plugs body with something shiny. They believe it's the "least" they have to do. You have to be able to get those out, for you to buy more!


I don't know where those particles could go.
Yes, it might vapor off to some degree, along within the carrier fluid, that put them on the threads.

In my mind, for other stuff to get in there and exchange places at a rate of a one for one molecule all the way up and down the thread would seem very tough to do.
The root and the crest of the thread space is the only passageway.
The combustion side ends of the thread will fill up and coke up first.

As far as I know I was not influenced by or related to anyone responsible for Mr. Machine man the toy by the Ideal toy company. I had to look that up by the way!

There was a Graphic Depiction of a large engine lathe with an obscure form of a man's anatomy aligned within parts of the lathes headstock and bed ways! You could see a persons face and his long arms, laying stretched out down the length of the machine.
It was a decoupage on the back of a fellow machinists, made of Oak wood, "Gerstner" tool box.
I admired the oddity of it and the meaning of man and machine shown!

That is were I got the idea of what "handle" I could use on the Brickboard.

Phil

I am so impressed (and humbled) by the experience and intelligence that percolates up on this site! Thank you so much for taking the time to share.