240 GLT saloon restoration project

[Othen]

Originally Posted by Juular

This is exactly the first method I tried. I used some good quality M12 bar and fabricated my own bits and pieces from 2mm steel and 40x3mm angle. With a lot of swearing they only got about half way and wouldn't go any further. I ended up stripping the threads off the bar. On my second attempt my breaker bar started to creak like it was going to shear!

I actually went one step further - I don't like to give up. I made my own hydraulic press of sorts by creating a frame for my trolley jack.



This achieved nothing. I actually managed to bend the metal of the frame and my jack was creaking long before any movement happened on the bushes.

I think they're going to need at least a 4 ton press.

I suppose this comes down to pretty fine tolerances. Once I got the bush seated properly with the home made tool it went in quite easily - I think the important thing is to keep everything absolutely straight.

That was quite an ingenious jig you made for your trolley jack - I think again the problem will be keeping everything absolutely straight - whereas a trolley jack necessarily follows an arc. I'm wondering whether that jig would work with a bottle jack instead of a trolley?

A proper press (like the one Luke has) made the whole job very easy indeed. Because it always pushes in a straight line it is quite easy to ensure everything stays well aligned. I was even thinking of buying a press (they start at under £100) - but then I would probably only use it once every couple of years. If I was replacing all the bushes both ends it might well justify a purchase?

Alan