gsxr79

I had bought some Daizen front control arm bushing a few months ago and finally had the chance to take it to my mechanic to install but when trying to install it, he said that the lower control arm bushing (large bushing) was too big and can not be pressed in. I had bought it from TM Engineering and he is not responding back to my emails or faxes. My question is, do I have the correct bushing kit. Part # is CA-117.

j stuff

iTrader: (5)

I cant help with your question but i really think TM needs to hire someone minimum wage just to answer the phones or email people back.

GSteg

iTrader: (15)

What year is your car and which kit did you buy? Daizen has 2 different kits for the 2GS.

gsxr79

I have a 01 gs3. G2-2002A kit or at last thats what the invoice states.

GSteg

iTrader: (15)

That kit should work then unless you somehow happen to have the older 98-99 arms, which is unlikely.


Pressing in the caster bushing isn't as easy as the upper control arm. You really need work it in somehow with the press, but at the same time, you have to be careful not to ruin the lip of the bushing

Red Bully

iTrader: (3)

you need to make your self clear is it the caster arm or the lower control arm you talking about the caster is the larger of the two

esolo98

iTrader: (5)

If you are talking about the largest bushing in the set, when I did mine it was a huge pain. The way I did it was I got some sort of round clamp and clamped the large part and squeezed it while pressing it in.

MUH

You're talking about those big ones, right?
They are huge PITA to install. Here's what we did with my mechanic:

1. Remove the old bushings. Also not an easy job. We cut the old ones with sawzall and used an air chisel to knock them out.

2. Do NOT use the Daizen synthetic grease supplied along with bushings to lubricate the bushing for the purpose of installing. That synthetic stuff is sticky and actually prevents the bushing from sliding in rather than helps. You use the synthetic grease later when installing the center piece and to grease up the contact surfaces of the bushing (where it touches the underbody and metal bracket thet holds it from underneath)

3. Use some lubrication. We used plain and simple WD-40 to lubricate the inside of the caster arm's ring.

4. Slowly start pressing the bushing in (use the press).

5. Once it starts getting inside, get the torch and carefully heat up the metal ring while applying the pressure. BE CAREFUL not to burn the polyurethane. Apply heat ONLY to a metal ring. We used a "plumber's torch" like the one plumbers use to solder the copper pipes. You can adjust the flame very easy on those. Heat up not just at one single point but try to evenly spread the heat around the metal ring part.

6. Do not stick the center piece inside before the bushing is in. You can easily do it later.

It's not an easy task but it could be done. Good luck!!

esolo98

iTrader: (5)

I am not sure if I understood MUH correctly, but it sounds like he is heating up the arm. Which as stated on other threads, that is a no no heating metal changes the properties and you dont want to do that on your suspension. It can be done as I did without any heat.

MUH

Yes you understood correctly. The thermotreatment of metals do indeed change the structure of them. However it all depends on how intense you are with applying heat or cold. In order to change the metal structure of the thick piece of forged steel (what the caster arm is) you have to heat it up to a red-hot condition. What I did was just a slight heating up in order to initiate thermo-expansion of the metal. It happens for example with your exhaust system on a daily basis and as you know it does not destroy the metal. Also the temperature inside your combustion chamber is way higher than whatever could be produced with a plumber's torch. Acutally I doubt that anyone can significantly change the property of a forged steel piece by applying some heat spreading it along the surface. But don't take my words for granted. It's just something I've done and it does not mean that this is the only way to do it.

skperformance

iTrader: (6)

MUH is right .
You are not changing the density of the metal by heating it with a propane torch . You have to turn it to an almost molten state then rapidly cool it to change its properties.

baydriver

Installing the big bushing was a big PIA. I had to take it to 4 different shop to get it done. Several shop said they will try but cant guarantee it wont get damaged.