Hi all, I'm going to replace all rear end bushings and rear shocks this weekend. Is there anything I should be aware of to take on this task? How long should I give myself for it? Any hints or tricks?

Thanks guys,
Chris

I fought the TABs for a long time. I actually broke one of the bolts for the homemade tool - on the first one. Learned a very valuable trick. If you have or can borrow a handheld grinder (I imagine a dremmel with a cutting disk might work), cut along the bottom of the TAB before you try to remove it. This reduces the overall diameter of the bushing. After I learned this trick the second TAB took about an hour start to finish. Also put any bushing with metal skin in the freezer for a couple of hours before you need to install them.

Good luck.

This is a hard job, took me all day and part of the evening. I used the Volvo special tool to gat the trailing arm bushings out and still I was sore for a week after. The main trick I learned on the TAB was to get the tool exactly centered on the shell of the bushing. The first one I did I had the pusher part of the tool off center a little bit and I bent the bushing shell outward slightly. There was no way then to move the bushing. It took me at least an hour with a punch and hammer to pound that shell back in so it could move through the brackets on the axle.

I took out the torque rods and pressed the old bushings out and new ones in with a 12 ton Harbor freight shop press. I had to find pipe fittins the right size to act as pusher and receiver for this job. I had to hold the rod and pipe parts while my son really pulled hard on the press lever. Next time I'll do one torque rod at a time so the axle can't rotate and get out of position.

I used some antiseize on the new bushings.

If the bushings are rusty, use PBlaster for a few days ahead of time.

I jacked the car up with a floor jack under the pumpkin then supported it with good jackstands at the jack points on each side. BE CAREFUL!!!! You'll need the jack to raise and lower the axle when reassembling.

This would be a good time to replace the shocks if needed.

Your car will ride much better after this job but you may walk a little funny for a while. Good luck!

P.S. Try a search on this forum for more help.

It took me a full day to wrestle with all the rar bushings, including the axle-mounted trailing arm bushings. In comparison, the torque rod and Panhard rod bushings were a snap. You have to pull the shock to get the TA off, so that's straightforward and no extra effort is required.

The last time I did this I swore I would never do it again.I still have 38K+ miles to go before I Have to again ('82 240 161K+ miles)