I have a friend who has completed most of the fabrication for a home brew trailing arm tool. The 2 inch pipe I got for the receiver was just a little too small for the bushing so he removed the threads and made it have more room to receive the bushing. Except he didn't remove the threads on one side which keeps the bushing from going all the way into the pipe. My question is how much of the bushing needs to make it into the receiving end of the tool. Does the bushing only need to be pressed out of one of the loops or both?

The other concern is getting the new bushings back in. Wondering if anyone could ease my mind with whether or not the tool is used to press the new bushings back in. I should read up on the process more but since I've already got one related question I thought to just throw this one out there as well. I've only seen stuff about pressing them out. Thanks.

It's been ages since I've done trailing arm bushings. I need to do the ones in my 245. I built the tool back in 2001 and found it in my garage last night and was reminescing on how awesome it was to find the plans online to create such a great press tool.

I did three cars in the summer time, so that may affect things since it was done at room temperature.

Since 2001 I've learned a thing or two about press fit parts and can offer this advice:

The night before the TAB procedure, spray the old TAB with PB Blaster, diesel fuel, liquid wrench, or your penetrant of choice.

Don't skimp on the big bolt that goes through it. I went to a machine supply store to purchase a fine pitch, grade 8 bolt. Just to see what happened, we tried a grade 5 bolt from Home Depot and it snapped the head right off.

We actually bent a trailing arm (well, collapsed) by using the tool. It is powerful enough to do damage if the bearing is really stuck in there. So definitely don't skimp on your penetrant usage. This was on a crusty 242 GT. It's important to make sure the spacer piece is wide enough to keep the trailing arm from pulling in on itself. If you're hyper paranoid, a 2nd spacer piece might be nice for the other side.

Once the TAB pops free from one side, it pulls out by hand, like everyone said.

The new TAB should use a layer of grease rubbed around the exterior to aid in installation. Now that it's winter time in Iowa, I plan on using cold and hot to help me. The trailing arm will be heated with a propane torch and the new TAB will be flash frozen with a can of compressed air held upside down. This is a trick I use to install main bearings into Vespa scooter engines. The heated trailing arm and the chilled TAB will perhaps even tap in with a mallet due to the extreme temperature differences.

Once you've used the tool successfully it is a pretty simple procedure. It's sad to hear that people have loaned the tool and had it stolen by others. It took a great deal of effort for us to make ours. Drilling holes through pipe caps and then grinding and grinding that threaded cap to the perfect size took forever. Definitely only send it to someone trustworthy.

Pretty much as you say. Once the Bushing clears the first Loop, it is loose enough to hand wiggle out of the second. Same on the Install. Yes this tool is used to press in as well.

http://home.no.net/ebrox/TAB.htm

There IS a direction on these Bushings. Look for the Arrow indicator on the rubber of the Bushing.
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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

you only need to push the bushing about 1 inch. then it will simply slide out. make absolutely sure that the tool is centered on the bushing before you begin pressing.

yes the tool is used to press the bushings back in. it's easier than push out.

word of advice: other than the well known Johnny Chan of Seattle, Washington, do not lend your tool to Ellis "LT" Leo Thompkins of Bowie, Maryland either.

i hope that do-not-lend list doesn't grow longer.

something else to consider doing, is putting the new bushings in the freezer for a few days before pressing them in. every little bit helps!

and yes, don't forget the grease. and beer(s) for afterwards.

Yep, do yourself a favor and read the posts about TAB renewal all the way to the end. Everyone adds a little wrinkle, so the more you read, the better prepared you'll be for what you come up against.

You most assuredly use the same tool for new bushing installation as you do for removal!

Hint: apply chassis/wheel bearing (EP) grease to the threads on the bolt used in the tool. One of my TABs was a real stinker to get out, and my un-lubed threads galled, complicating the procedure.
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In God We Trust. Everyone else, keep your hands where I can see them.

Good advice on applying grease on the bolt. For the last two cars I did, I used two large washers at each end of the bolt and smeared lots of grease between the washers, and between nut and washer. Still, each pair of washers show visible wear marks. There's a whole lot of friction.

Pictures here.

Erling.
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Thank you all for the help. I don't think I'll be loaning this thing out to anyone other than close friends. Sounds pretty straight forward and the photos from Sweden helped too even though the words where not english. Freeze, grease, beer, and a few hours of laying on the back with the neighbors wondering if I'll ever have the cars on the road more than a couple weeks without the hood open or the jack stands in place. If only this was the one project on my list. There will always be one more project after the one I'm currently working towards.

Much thanks.