The Corolla AE92 GT-S Project

A website about my ongoing project

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Removal of rubber bushings

The suspension of the Corolla uses rubber bushings when different parts are linked together. This reduces noise and vibrations while driving.

 

But rubber has the tendency to deteriorate with time and after years of use and abuse, their shape can be distorted, all of which isn't really good news for the handling of the car.

So it isn't a bad idea to replace them with something fresh. But I'm not going to replace them with rubber bushes again. I'm planning to use Polyurethane bushings. These are still flexible enough to reduce vibrations and noise, but they are firmer than the original rubbers. This should also improve handling a little.  

 

But before I can do that, the original rubber still had to be removed.

The bushings are not really meant to be replaced. When the Toyota garage has to replace a bushing, they usually replace the entire part where the bushing was part of.

But using a workshop press and some other tools, they can all be removed.

 

Rear hub uprights

Rear hub uprights.

 

Rear suspension arms

Rear suspension arms.

 

Front lower suspension arms

Front lower suspension arms.

 

And while I'm at it with the workshop press, I can also press out the wheel bearings and hubs.

 

Front hubs and wheel bearings

Front hubs and wheel bearings.

 

Rear hubs and wheel bearings

Rear hubs and wheel bearings.

 

And when everything was disassembled all the suspension parts could be send of to be sandblasted and powder coated in the RAL color I had chosen.

I wanted it to look nice and fresh again, but retain a factory look. So I asked them to powder coat it in RAL 9004 signal black.

 

Suspension parts powder coated