Solid aluminum differential bushings....such a pain in the ass!

[jspaeth]

Any suggestions on how to press/squeeze in the two bigger bushings that go into the subframe towards the back of the diff?


I am exhausted, and my body is killing me.....just have to get those in tomorrow morning and start reassembling

Beginning stuff wasn't too bad (considering my friends were using the jackstands, so i only had the rear wheels about 3 inches off the ground).

The 4 bushings that go in near the nose were cake.

.........

THEN I got to the 2 bushing that are pressed into the subframe.

I literally spent 3 hours with a torch and a pick-edged screwdriver trying to get just ONE bushing out.

Finally, got it out (the rubber and inner metal part), just leaving the outer metal edge of the bushing.

We took a saw-zaw to that, and put a cut in it, and then were able to easily pop it out.


HOW IN THE FUCK do I get the bigger bushings in (without a professional press)?

I have already tried torching the subframe a bit, and the bushings sat in the freezer over night, and still couldn't really get them in.

Any tips?