Success! The bushings are removed from the upper control arms

Well, it just goes to show you. Having the right tool for a job is the key to getting the job done right.

Last night I spent some time trying to get the bushings out again, I didn’t have any luck. I then ran to Home Depot and picked up a 6” vise.

Tonight I mounted the vise to my workbench and got to work. It didn’t take long, with the vise in place I was able to knock out the first bushing. The 2nd and 3rd took a little work, but were much easier than the first one.

The 4th one was a breeze, though I think it was too easy for a reason. I may have cut a little too deep into the control arm… bah! I may have to go ahead and order another OEM replacement arm just to be safe. Fortunately, the cut doesn’t go across the whole arm, but we’ll see. I would hate to think what could happen if that arm broke while I was driving down the highway.

Here’s a shot of the arm sans bushing, the cut is on the inside (far side):

350z Control Arm Sans Bushing

and here’s the removed bushings (sans some of the burned out rubber):

remnants of the front bushings

and here’s a video of the process over the past two days:

About the Author:

Chris Hammond
Chris Hammond has autocrossed for 24 years, racing in a variety of vehicles from a 1994 VW Golf to a 1999 Z-28, a 2003 350z, a 2004 ZO6 and a 2016 FRS. He is the founder of AutocrossBlog.com and created the ultimate autocross forum, SOLO2.ORG, years ago . Read more at ChrisHammond.com

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