Powerflex trailing arm bush fitting issues

[Daspete]

Hi guys been a while since my last post. Been busy removing and renovating the rear end as well sorting lifes other surprises. Will get round to showing my progress soon.

Anyway just fitting my Powerflex trailing arm bushes and they are a nightmare. All others are a piece of cake. These do not push in easily.
Apparently the two halves just push in and the shaft goes in with a light tap. Yes the two halves do go in easily. The shaft however is tight even with lathering on lube and when you do get it in it pushes out one of the ends a bit.

Anyone else had this issue and how did you get over it?
I've tried pressing it all in but the bushes just deform tried different lubes too it's just no bueno. The how to video online has the same issue but they just say bash it which doesn't work and then they jump to the next scene.

 

[Lee]

G-clamp or the jaws of a vice to push the core in ? It needs to be a tight fit.

 

[t-tony]

And it should be slightly longer than the two bushes so that it is gripped between the two brackets when the nut and bolt is tightened.

Tony.

 

[Daspete]

I've tried a g clamp and bolt and washers to try and press them in but the bush just deforms rather than push back in any further.

 

[Daspete]

 

[Delk]

I had the same issue but managed to get both of them in after a bit of fiddling about. Pushed both bushings in before installing the middle tube. Turned the arm up on end so the larger bush was on the bench and pushed the tube in from the smaller end. Ended up using a rubber mallet to drive the tube in but this pushed the smaller bushing in and I was driving against the larger bush so it didn't come out.

 

[Daspete]

Cheers I'll give that ago.
I've also removed them and stuck them in the freezer to shrink them and make them stiffer to tap home.

 

[Daspete]

Still no bueno. All goes well then the final last few mm and the end pushes out.

Running out of idea's short of gluing the ends in before pushing the center in or possibly hair spray which is a trick for bike grips or worst still medieval.

 

[Dino D]

Just wondering if it’s worth checking the dimensions with power flex in case you got a mislabelled box?

 

[Daspete]

Just wondering if it’s worth checking the dimensions with power flex in case you got a mislabelled box?

The part number on the bushes matches what Powerflex says is for the car.
I've measured the bushes and they are actually 3mm shorter than the housing which is confusing.
I'm going to stick one half in and measure how far it expands once it's squeezed in, might need some surgery.

 

[Daspete]

So after getting down to some sciency stuff it appears once the shaft is in the bushes expand a fair bit making them actually around 3mm too big. 3mm is how much the end gets pushed out so it all makes sense, there was no way they were going to work.

I'll book an appointment with doctor grinder.

 

[Steve Medlock]

Sounds strange - I'm sure mine just pushed together no problem.

 

[Daspete]

Wipped 3mm off the length (off the end that goes inside the housing) with a fine cutting disk and they went in a dream.

 

[Steve Medlock]

Apologies but checking my history file, it was Superpro bushes that I used on the trailing arms not Powerflex!

Anyway chaps, the Superpro kit fits no problem....