I am gonna do this on all my front suspension. I did all the back of my car the old way with a torch but this looks much better.

 

You just saved me 75 bucks man, I JUST pulled my spare arms out of the shed to put my poly bushings in. The only tough ones that I have besides this now are the steering rack and the diff carrier

If I ever meet you I owe you a beer.

 

Confirmed, yeah this tool and a press will both do that. I got a few out but bent my passenger rear lower control arm, got a nice wrinkle in it too. I have a spare but it was surprising. I suggest propping something between the two sides of the wishbone (I used a 22mm craftsman wrench) to keep it from moving. I'll be using heat after that though.

 

/\ Glad to see it stickied! Yep, presses can and will bend the control arms if not careful.
Will be using this method next time for sure.

 

Awesome, did my '97 with fire and it was a fun time. But, this looks like I'll be doing my '99 this way. Was dreading the mess till now

 

thats a killer idea ill have to use that when i do my bushings

 

That's the best $5 you could spend on tools. Snap On's kit is sooo overpriced.

 

Got my bushing install this week Hopefully this makes life easier.

 

 

Might try throwing some heat on the control arms first. Make the bushings a little softer, and expand the steel a bit.

 

I ended up using 7/16th thread for all but the rear uppers. Also used a butane lighter to aid in the removal. These bushings were not budging. They all eventually came out though.

 

This tool is very likely to bend your control arms. Plus, it cannot be used to remove the bushings from rear knuckles. I ponied up for the harbor freight tool and it worked way better. Just use a pipe join for some of the control arms since the included pieces are too big for some bushings.

https://www.miataturbo.net/showpost....4&postcount=52

 

Price, just for reference?

 

Harbor freight tool is $70. You can get a "20% off any item" coupon pretty easily, which knocks down the price to less than $60 after taxes and all.

I already used it to do my diff bushings and you can probably use it to press in new wheel studs (949 says they MUST be pressed in). So, it's not a single-use tool.

I don't remember the pipe join diameter but I'm guessing it s 2" diameter

 

How can you tell if the suspension is no longer tight?

 

Bumpage:

I no longer have a garage and asked a buddy to use his briefly. I'm just doing the rear control arm bushings with the Harbor Freight BJ tool. Anyone have a time estimate I can give him; as far as the time frame goes to remove CA's, press out bushings, then in, and reinstall CA's? Don't wanna be in his garage for too long.
5-6 hours for one guy on jack stands is what I'm guessing, but I've never done the job.

 

Bumpage:

I no longer have a garage and asked a buddy to use his briefly. I'm just doing the rear control arm bushings with the Harbor Freight BJ tool. Anyone have a time estimate I can give him; as far as the time frame goes to remove CA's, press out bushings, then in, and reinstall CA's? Don't wanna be in his garage for too long.
5-6 hours for one guy on jack stands is what I'm guessing, but I've never done the job.

 

Just did all control arm bushings on my car including zerk fittings with some help with my dad. Took me ~15-20 hours

What helps the most I think is to use a tool like in this thread, hit the CA with a little heat, then use an impact to turn the threaded rod/bolt head/nut. makes quick work of the bushings

 

A badly corroded rear lower outer bolt could take 3 hours to remove, by itself.
If you know you're going to be limited by time, I might have spares ready in case it needs cut out.

 

Lol. If it even looks rusty just buy a lower control arm and spindle from treasure coast miata now, its cheap enough.