I have changed out a number of trailing arm bushings and what I have learned is that the week before removing the old bushings is the most important.

If you can do without the car put it up on jackstands and remove every trace of rust and scale you can on the surface of the old bushings. Coat the entire metal housing with Kroil or PBBlaster. Scrape with a dental pick on both "ears" where they contact the bushing. Tap the bushing and the edges of the ears with a hammer after applying more penetrating fluid.

Doing this a couple of times a day for several days will really make a difference when you apply the force of the tool. Penetrating fluid needs time to travel. The dental pick can remove portions of rust that have given up their holding power once the fluid has "softened" them clearing the route for more fluid to creep on.

I had my plugs drilled and turned to size years ago by a machinist at a place I was doing work for. They are the hardest part of the tool to make for guys without a lathe. I am surprised that someone on the Brickboard or Turbobricks who has access to a lathe hasn't seen the opportunity to make a dozen of the plugs and offer them up in the classifieds.

Randy