NorCalFJ100
SILVER Star
Thanks Flint! I'm going to knock out the rack this weekend!
Front Differential Bushing Replacement - the Easy way! (1 Viewer)
- Thread starter nissanh
- Start date
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Thanks Flint! I'm going to knock out the rack this weekend!
MDK
Can’t dance
Got it to here... now how do I get it down and out???
MDK
Can’t dance
Do I have to pinch out 360 degree of the bushing before I start pushing it out? Trying to get the back of the bushing out is nuts. Can’t even swing a hammer back there
If you can get a bimetal sawzall blade in there and cut a notch in the bushing that will relieve pressure.
I wonder if I am the only one who went through all the same trouble to replace these bushings to find out they weren't causing the clunk and not really that worn out in the first place.
I talk about that in both my diff bushing videos, I think. You have to hit it down and out. You do *not* need to break the lip free all around. once it starts moving, you can move around the exposed areas and creep it down.
It takes about 30 seconds with an air chisel. A whooooooole lot longer with a traditional hammer, haha.
The difference was minimal on my 06. On my 99 it was more significant, but still not the sole cause of clunks. The 100 is annoyingly clunk prone when it comes to R-D shifting.
MDK
Can’t dance
Yup. Tried with a hammer.
I look like this now.
Will be attacking it with hammer drill (chisel bit) tomorrow morning to finish the job
gregnash
Anal Retentive Analyst
Basically it is wedged in there so you gotta work it back and forth, side to side. Once she starts coming out you will hit a point where it will be moving along like it has and then suddenly just "fall" out. Clean up the hole with a file so that you don't have any marring spots and you are good to install the new one. I did like @2001LC did and put a schmear of Red Mobil 1 grease around it to help slide it in.
Also note THERE IS ORIENTATION DOTS!!! PAY ATTENTION!!
Also note THERE IS ORIENTATION DOTS!!! PAY ATTENTION!!
MDK
Can’t dance
Hammer Drill, KO in 1st round. 30 seconds.
gregnash
Anal Retentive Analyst
RIGHT!!... You did all the hard work by hand and then the easy part with the hammer drill! I know I sat there and worked mine from the beginning with the hammer drill and was freaking out because I was like 10 minutes in and it had barely moved. Remember what the guys said about the "point of no return" so took a quick break then went back at it. After that it was literally hitting it from both sides for a few seconds and the thing just about fell out. Literally stopped the clock and almost called the game at 11:59 when I was just looking for 12:00.
MDK
Can’t dance
Hahaha as soon as I looked at it last night all torn up I thought - “well i have to replace it now for sure.”
FYI for anybody doing this task, unless you possess Herculean strength and endurance please get a hammer drill or air chisel.
gregnash
Anal Retentive Analyst
Right... I hit that point too and was like "Welp...s***...... Ok its gonna have to come out somehow."Hahaha as soon as I looked at it last night all torn up I thought - “well i have to replace it now for sure.”
FYI for anybody doing this task, unless you possess Herculean strength and endurance please get a hammer drill or air chisel.
And yes, the air compressor with the hammer drill is the 1-2 punch. I purchased the $12 HF special with a set of extra chisels (not realizing it came with one) and that did the trick for me. Don't know if I will ever use it again, but it served its purpose, went into the tool bin and will be there until I need it again.
IF you are equipped to do so, then 'boring' the center section out first will allow for MUCH easier deformation of the metal shell and removal of the old bushing.
An 1-5/8" hole saw in a 1/2" drill makes short work of it.
An 1-5/8" hole saw in a 1/2" drill makes short work of it.
MDK
Can’t dance
You’ve cracked the code
MDK
Can’t dance
The alignment marks on bushing translate to - dots to the front - right?
gregnash
Anal Retentive Analyst
This is correct.
Also know that as you press the new bushing it, it will probably get about halfway in and then start to get a bit kaddywhampus... Don't bother completely removing the clamp, just loosen and orient towards the side that is "more" out than the other. Start the process again, going slow, and this should realign everything. I believe that as you start going the clamp tends to shift on the bushing which causes the misaligned install happening. So just take your time, adjust clamp as necessary and same thing will happen, once it is about halfway in, it will suddenly just start moving quickly.
MDK
Can’t dance
Wow. Bushing isn’t pressing in at all.
