Powerflex Control Arm Bushing Installation REVISED!!!

I spent my fourth installing new control arms and powerflex CAB on my 02 330ci and it wasnt easy. I started using the instructions at this post (http://forum.e46fanatics.com/showthread.php?t=140066) but figured out an easier way to do it.

These are the steps I took.

First we are going to go under the assumption that you have removed your control arm bushing from your car. you will also need one and a half inch steel pipe cap that you can get from home depot and a ball joint press which you can rent from autozone.




The first thing you want to do is press the in sleeve out half way.



It should look like this when your done



Then using the pipe cap as an adapter, you want to push the rubber out.



If it looks like this, your on the right track.



Then using a vise or a hammer you want to remove the rest of the rubber.



Next using a hacksaw or a receprocating saw, you want to cut notches in the sleeve a the 3, 6, 9 and 12 oclock hands.



Then you want to bang in the sides like so.



Then using the press, you want to push it in as far as it will go.



Then using the pipe cap, you want to push the sleeve the rest of the way out.



The end result should be this.



Then press the bearing into the CAB.




Make sure you press them in correctly. The back of the CAB is the side with the countersunk bolt holes. The side of the bushing with the small hole should be facing out that way. The side of the bushing with the large hole should be facing toward the front of the car.

Any questions, Please ask.

This should be your end product.

Good job. The alternative is to get the bushing pre-pressed into the aluminum brackets for an additional $65 from some of the Powerflex vendors (Bimmerworld, etc.).

Great writeup and pics. A couple of questions:

1. Did you rent the ball joint press and buy the 1.5" pipe instead of buying or renting the RTAB tool?

2. How difficult was it to remove the control arm bushing?

I bought the pipe cap from home depot for $2.50 and rented the ball joint press from autozone. Its free to rent, they just want a deposit which is fully refunded when you return the tool.

As far as removing the bushing and metal sleeve, I use brute force. It would have been easier with an impact wrench though. U need to secure the ball joint press to a vise or something similar when you are pressing out the the rubber and the sleeve.

Looks great. After doing the rear trailing arm bushings, I decided to buy the PowerFlex prefit bushings with carriers.
To remove my old bushings I actually used a gear puller (3 arm puller) and plugged and air ratchet into it. Once I hit the button, the bushing exploded out.

nice write up!

Can this same procedure be done with oem bushings or only the powerflex? From what I've read the Powerflex bushings go in much easier.

I used Autozone's ball joint tool press and a vise. I rounded the corners and pressed it out easily.

One more option: Press it out halfway and then grind down the OD a bit (I used a bench grinder). Then press it the other way and it just falls out:

I don't understand one thing, if you already got it half way out using the Ball joint service tool, why do you need to you a pipe cap? Can't you just finish pushing it all the way out?

Look in the picture I posted above, I've pressed out the bushing out halfway using the ball joint tool. Why can't you press it out further? Because the bushing is now flush with the housing. There's nothing left to push on. If you have something that has a diameter that is slightly smaller than the lollipop housing inside diameter, but large enough to still push on the bushing, then you can use that. But that's precisely the problem, nobody has that magical piece.

This may be old but it should be a sticky.

Ditto "This may be old but it should be a sticky."

I ended up going to NAPA and having them press my old bushings out and press the new ones in. $66 incl tax.

I used an air hammer to get the remaining end of the bushing out which cannot pressed any further. Just put the lollipop in a vice, drill a small hole into the metal sleeve (for the air hammer grip onto something) of the old bushing and use the hammer to guide the sleeve out. I guess you could also use a chisel and a manual hammer instead.







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