Which Gas Torch?

[PhilMeUp]

The mission: To remove suspension bushes from some front lower control arms. I need to heat up the outside of the arms to help push the old bushes out.

What I need to do, and how I’ll do it:

The large front bush is a pain to remove. The smaller rear one tends to slide out fairly easily. The challenge is to get them both out without bending the control arm (hence using the press to minimise the chance of this).

Before:

After:

I have this:

But it’s pretty useless. Even after a few minutes the iron control arms only get slightly warm (ie I can hold my fingertips on it without a problem).

I need to get some more heat into the control arms before pushing the bushes out.

Someone suggested to buy:

To me, they look like the same thing.

Is there anything about the Hot Devil that will get more heat into the control arms?

This is a one-off task, so it’s not worth getting anything expensive (ie oxy-acetylene torch).

 

[metaleltr]

if you use large sockets/pipe and some metal pucks similar to those in a bushing or race driver set your press look as though it should be capable of pressing the bushings out on its own without heat or the bottle jack with no damage to the arm itself

however to answer your question the mapp gas torch will get hotter than your torch

 

[metaleltr]

another example

 

[gdocktor3]

Buy a small mc tank and a hose/torch combo. I use a b tank acetylene, but an mc tank is good for those who only seldom use them, but need more heat than a small mapp gas torch.

 

[lazer50]

Map gas will get hotter.if you have the piece in the press right assuming the press works you should be able to remove bushings.

 

[rpcraft]

As others have pointed out, you need to reposition your work piece and get some different press tools to better work that bushing out. Try to crush down on a 3 ton bottle jack with a 25 ton press is an explosion in the making. When pressing out your bearings you always want to have them working against a the flat work surface and let the support pieces prop and support your work piece while the pressure focuses on pushing the bushing out of the braced portions.

Not sure what you are working on there but if you have already put pressure and or heat on that control arm I'd plan on replacing it because they are not made like they used to be in some casest. Also, check and see if they have a fully loaded control arm. Now days most of them are not that much expensive. When I did them on my Ram 1500 the came with bushings and ball joints and cost maybe 40 bucks more per side. that was 80 bucks well spent and that was time saved not having to screw around with a press.

 

[kctyphoon]

No idea if this is helpful since you have a press, but I've read on some other forums guys have just used used the torch to burn the bushings out.. I'd think some oil would help pressing them out though.. I did all the front end bushings on my f350 with a portable screw press kit.

I'd say you need to raise the table of your press and reposition the control arm. The bushing you want to press out should be near the table.