Lower Control Arm Bushing - Seized/Stuck : MGB & GT Forum : The MG Experience

Lower Control Arm Bushing - Seized/Stuck #1
stiffarm67 Joe Herz Ridgefield, WA, USA Sign in to contact 1969 MG MGB GT "The GT"	Topic Creator (OP) Dec 8, 2016 07:55 PM Joined 11 years ago 1,047 Posts

What are the odds that a penetrant is going to help me break this loose? It's become one with the pivot pin/shaft. Suggestions welcome.

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Re: Lower Control Arm Bushing - Seized/Stuck #2
Stewart Stewart Langenberg Santa Barbara, CA, USA Sign in to contact 1967 MG MGB GT 1975 MG MGB	Dec 8, 2016 08:17 PM Joined 24 years ago 2,389 Posts

Dremel and a cutoff wheel should take care of it. Once you carefully cut through the sleeve you should be able to split it off the pivot.

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Re: Lower Control Arm Bushing - Seized/Stuck #3
Basil Adams About 12 miles from Sears Point, CA, USA Sign in to contact	Dec 8, 2016 08:19 PM Top Contributor Joined 17 years ago 12,276 Posts

If that's just a rubber bushing, take it outside and take a torch to it. smiling smiley

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Re: Lower Control Arm Bushing - Seized/Stuck #4
Wrencher Hans Abplanalp Davis, CA, USA Sign in to contact 1965 MG MGB 1965 MG MGB MkI 1969 Chevrolet Corvette 1970 Ford Mustang	Dec 8, 2016 08:22 PM Top Contributor Joined 8 years ago 622 Posts

Even if it's a V-8 style with a sleeve, heat is your freind!

Hans

The Larry Shinoda Collection: 1965 Corvair Monza 140, 1969 L-68 427 Corvette roadster (sold), 1970 BOSS 302 Mustang. New addition 1969 MGB GT & 1968 427 El Camino!

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Re: Lower Control Arm Bushing - Seized/Stuck #5
stiffarm67 Joe Herz Ridgefield, WA, USA Sign in to contact 1969 MG MGB GT "The GT"	Topic Creator (OP) Dec 8, 2016 08:24 PM Joined 11 years ago 1,047 Posts

Have Dremel and fairly steady hand. That's the ticket. Tx Stewart.

In reply to # 3408815 by Stewart Dremel and a cutoff wheel should take care of it. Once you carefully cut through the sleeve you should be able to split it off the pivot.

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Re: Lower Control Arm Bushing - Seized/Stuck: at least 50% chance with penetrating oil? #6
Donthuis Don van Riet Rijswijk, ZH, Netherlands Sign in to contact 1972 MG MGB MkIII	Dec 9, 2016 08:59 AM Top Contributor Joined 10 years ago 13,336 Posts

You may try to soak it in 50/50 ATF/Acetone solution overnight first. I have one V8 bush stuck on the lower wisbone position myself. One should really put copper slip on the stud first, but my garage mounted it without. But I know for sure that for removal he would use heat straightaway, garage mechs have no time for soaking and use torches much sooner than we do hot smiley

PS As always also JT has a video on YouTube how to loosen either unequal metals or equal metals by heat. If memory serves me right unequal ones should be heated and then "shocked" loose by fast cooling in water. Equal ones like your wishbone stud and suspension inner bush should just be heated until they let go. Of course the rubber should burn off first, smelly!... grinning smiley

Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 2016-12-09 09:02 AM by Donthuis.

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Re: Lower Control Arm Bushing - Seized/Stuck #7
riley1489 Bruce H Great White North, QC, Canada Sign in to contact 1953 Jaguar XK120 1959 Riley 1.5 "King George" 1973 MG MGB	Dec 9, 2016 09:05 AM Top Contributor Joined 12 years ago 26,306 Posts

Joe,
That is only rubber, do as Basil suggests, get the torch out and light it up, have a coffee and job done.

B

Life's most persistent and urgent question is, "What are you doing for others?"

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Re: Lower Control Arm Bushing - Seized/Stuck #8
LowCarbs Thomas W Boston, MA, USA Sign in to contact 1977 MG MGB	Dec 9, 2016 09:15 AM Joined 7 years ago 160 Posts

Another option if you feel like you've invested too much time in this part is to purchase new parts. Everything in your picture is available for fairly cheap.

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Re: Lower Control Arm Bushing - Seized/Stuck #9
stiffarm67 Joe Herz Ridgefield, WA, USA Sign in to contact 1969 MG MGB GT "The GT"	Topic Creator (OP) Dec 9, 2016 12:26 PM Joined 11 years ago 1,047 Posts

Bruce,

There is a metal sleeve in this bushing. Going with heat plus Dremel.

In reply to # 3409037 by riley1489 Joe,
That is only rubber, do as Basil suggests, get the torch out and light it up, have a coffee and job done.

B

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Re: Lower Control Arm Bushing - Seized/Stuck #10
stiffarm67 Joe Herz Ridgefield, WA, USA Sign in to contact 1969 MG MGB GT "The GT"	Topic Creator (OP) Dec 9, 2016 12:32 PM Joined 11 years ago 1,047 Posts

Cheap is a relative term. Those control arm pivot blocks are ~$50/. In my book $10 is cheap cool smiley

In reply to # 3409044 by LowCarbs Another option if you feel like you've invested too much time in this part is to purchase new parts. Everything in your picture is available for fairly cheap.

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Re: Lower Control Arm Bushing - Seized/Stuck #11
Be Coming Kelvin Dodd So. Calif., USA Sign in to contact 1957 MG MGA 1957 MG MGA Coupe 1958 MG Magnette 1958 MG Magnette ZB & more	Dec 9, 2016 01:03 PM Top Contributor Joined 17 years ago 7,210 Posts

This is the down side with the V8 bushings. Unless all the rubber is removed, heat is going to be a nasty, smoky mess. I'd go with patience and the dremel. You don't have to cut all the way through the sleeve thickness. Slice it, then use a chisel to split it. That way there is less likelihood of damaging the pivot.

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Re: Lower Control Arm Bushing - Seized/Stuck #12
LowCarbs Thomas W Boston, MA, USA Sign in to contact 1977 MG MGB	Dec 9, 2016 01:08 PM Joined 7 years ago 160 Posts

In reply to # 3409161 by stiffarm67 Cheap is a relative term. Those control arm pivot blocks are ~$50/. In my book $10 is cheap cool smiley

Understood.

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Re: Lower Control Arm Bushing - Seized/Stuck #13
riley1489 Bruce H Great White North, QC, Canada Sign in to contact 1953 Jaguar XK120 1959 Riley 1.5 "King George" 1973 MG MGB	Dec 9, 2016 01:15 PM Top Contributor Joined 12 years ago 26,306 Posts

In reply to # 3409156 by stiffarm67 Bruce,

There is a metal sleeve in this bushing. Going with heat plus Dremel.

Sorry for the bad advice, I didn't realize/uderstand this was a V8 type bush. Carry on with your technique of heat & Dremel cutting.

Hopefully your pivot has not suffered.

B

Life's most persistent and urgent question is, "What are you doing for others?"

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Re: Lower Control Arm Bushing - Seized/Stuck #14
dipstick Kenny Snyder (RIP) La Center, WA, USA Sign in to contact 1941 Ford N-Series 1958 MG MGA 1500 Coupe "Rosie" 1970 MG MGB GT "Pat's GT" 1971 MG MGB "Gifted To Me" & more	Dec 9, 2016 02:36 PM Top Contributor Joined 15 years ago 7,564 Posts

I suspect you may not be pleased with the condition of the pivot arm surface. Also, my experience is that often times the ends of the pivot arms are bent. You can chuck one end of the pivot arm in the lathe, spin it SLOWLY, and check for excessive runout. Check the pivot arm to subframe bolts because sometimes they are stretched and/or bent. If replacing with steel sleeve bushings use anti-seize inside the tubes and on the pivots. If using poly smear silicone inside and out; I have a tub of Energy Suspension silicone.

Be safe out there.
Kenny

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Re: Lower Control Arm Bushing - Seized/Stuck #15
stiffarm67 Joe Herz Ridgefield, WA, USA Sign in to contact 1969 MG MGB GT "The GT"	Topic Creator (OP) Dec 9, 2016 03:23 PM Joined 11 years ago 1,047 Posts

Thanks for the words of wisdom, Kenny. Had planned to replace all fasteners and will check runout on the pivot arms. What would you consider excessive? I am worried about what that seized one is going to look like after I get the steel sleeve off....

In reply to # 3409248 by dipstick I suspect you may not be pleased with the condition of the pivot arm surface. Also, my experience is that often times the ends of the pivot arms are bent. You can chuck one end of the pivot arm in the lathe, spin it SLOWLY, and check for excessive runout. Check the pivot arm to subframe bolts because sometimes they are stretched and/or bent. If replacing with steel sleeve bushings use anti-seize inside the tubes and on the pivots. If using poly smear silicone inside and out; I have a tub of Energy Suspension silicone.

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