replacing bushings on the st165

[scandinavian link]

So gtfours.co.uk mentions 12 hours per side on the rear of the st165 for bushings.

Holy crap that's a lot of time. Anyone know if it's that bad if I take it somewhere? I can't fork out 24 hours of labor at $100 or more per hour just for rear bushings - assuming I can even find a place willing to work on an All-Trac. And if it's 24 hours of DIY labor...it'll take *me* a year.

My initial plan is replacing the front bushings, but I ordered PU bushings for the whole car, figuring they're all old and need done. (Of course, that was during Black Friday, and still waiting for them to ship...so who knows if they'll just eventually get cancelled anyway. I did know it was special order though.)

Anyone here replaced them and have insight on the job?

 

[simple]

I wouldn't do that project myself without a hydraulic press.

You can save yourself a lot of money by dropping the sub-frame yourself and delivering it a shop that has a press. Seems like the best option.

 

[underscore]

I second that idea. I dropped the whole rear end by myself in a garage and it was pretty straightforward. Swapping the main subframe bushings myself wasn't too bad either. Then I took all the loose parts to a shop and had them do the actual bushing swap.

I've seen people swap bushings without a press and with the right tools it doesn't look too bad but I'd want at least a bench vice as well so you're not fighting loose parts trying to move around.

 

[scandinavian link]

Appreciate the feedback. I had kind of figured I would need to take them to a shop for the pressing out/in.

If we leave out the actual bushing removal/install itself - how much does that change the "12 hours per side" on the rear?

I guess I don't even really know how much time to expect it to take to remove the front control arms to have those bushings done, but I can't imagine it should be anywhere near 12 hours per side (barring of course hideous complications from rusted fasteners, etc). And the front sway bar bushings don't seem like they should be too bad.

 

[underscore]

The front is pretty quick and easy. 1 bolt swaybar link, 3 bolts ball joint, 3 bolts rear bracket, 4 bolts front bracket, out. Or something like that. The swaybar bushing is 1 bolt and 1 nut per side and they just slip on.

The rear it depends how many of the bushings you're doing. Just the arms is quick and easy. Doing the subframe bushings adds a bit of work but it should come out pretty quick with power tools. If you're doing the ones in the hubs as well and want to pull the hubs to have a shop do it then you're taking the ebrake assemblies apart which adds some hassle. Even still I would only expect it to take a few hours out and a few hours in unless you run into problems.