Hi gang. I am replacing my control arm bushings. I will do just the rears. I have the control arm off the car. The problem is I am unable to remove the rear bushing from the control arm. It seems fused or welded or something. The inner bushing shell just won't come off the arm. I was able to pound out the bushing from the bracket, but the bushing remains solidly attached to the control arm. Could this have been welded or treated with a locktite compound?

Thanks in advance.

Hello fellow Volvisti,
Usually I post on the PV and Amazon pages, but the g'friends '87 240 sedan is handling like a hog on ice!
I had the front end aligned, and the guy said the "bad rear bushings" prevented an accurate alignment. So, having access to a fully equipped shop, I'm going to try to re-bush myself (no, that DOESN'T mean voting for George again!!). The rest of this thread has answered a lot of the important questions, and that's great, but I'm now asking exactly which new parts I should order before I start. On a daily driver, is it cost effective to use poly bushings instead of OEM? Yes, I do use lots of "anti-seize" compound when I work.

I can't say enough good things about this car! I bought it for $2000, back in 2001, from a college professor, and aside from small stuff (and a timing belt or two, PLUS an air mass meter) it hasn't seriously let my girl down. The little plastic BS stuff (glove box, center console, door pockets, outside trim, etc.) breaking and falling off is a drag, but I can live with that, for now.

Torque rod bushings and rear trailing arm bushings are usually the only ones that need replacing. I like to use poly torque rod bushings and OEM rubber (Boge) rear trailing arm bushings. Poly in the rear trailing arms are probably fine but the OEM rubber ones will last a good 15 years. Dan

Yes, the shaft of the control arm had rusted to the inner metal sleeve. A propane torch made the outer shell pretty much fall off the burning rubber. More torching and prying got the rest of the bushing burnt out. After heating the inner sleeve, a big pipe wrench was able to loosen and pry it off. This is the most brutal I've had to get with bushings. The front struts seemed like cake compared to this. I am not sure how I want to tackle the right one.

Are the rear trailing arm bushings easier or harder to replace than the control arm bushings?

I suggest Bearing Grease or NEVER SIEZE when you reassemble. Next time it will be easier.
Trailing Arms. The side with the exhaust pipe is tougher. As Erling mentioned, the Tool makes the so much easier. Without the Tool, the ears on the Axle want to bend which pinches the Bushing. It's a real pain without the tool.
If they have never been replaced and they are glued in place with undercoating, it will be a tough go of it. Six point Sockets and Breaker bar along with Big handled wrenches will help a bunch.
Look at Erlings website and see his 'fancy footwork' as he cranks these bushings out.

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'75 Jeep CJ5 345Hp ChevyPwrd, two motorcycles, '85 Pickup: The '89 Volvo is the newest vehicle I own. it wasn't Volvos safety , it was Longevity that sold me http://home.no.net/ebrox/Tony's%20cars.htm

I used Poly bushings on the rear of the control arm, which does not require the removal of the outer sleave (just burn out the rubber). It is common for the inner sleave to rust onto the control arm. Now that you know what to do the right side will be easier, well at least you will know what to expect. Dan

"I am not sure how I want to tackle the right one."

I had success with drilling a hole through the rubber, inserting a hacksaw blade through the hole, assembling the hacksaw and making a slit through the sleeve. Then I used a chisel and a hammer to collapse the sleeve until it fell out.

"Are the rear trailing arm bushings easier or harder to replace than the control arm bushings?"

In my opinion, the TABs are a different beast entirely. The control arm bushings can be done by improvising at the workbench. Replacing the TABs will be very difficult without building, buying or renting the special tool.



Here are some pictures of how I did mine:
http://home.no.net/ebrox/TAB.htm

Good luck with the job!

Erling.
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My 240 Page

Rusted, the shaft on the rear control arm is rusted to the inner metal sleeve in the bushing. I had to burn the rubber off and then heat the inner sleave with a propane torch and turn it with vise-grips. It was a slow process but I eventually won. Dan

If it has been running worn for some time then the end of the bush can get burred over, so locking itself onto the pin. You can very carefully make a slit in the bush, and then hammer in a wedge to widen it enough to pull free.