upper control arm bushings

Hi.. My 1990 XJ have some RE upper arms. I removed the old rubber bushings and got new ones. the new ones are as stock rubber, part R.E. 3782. The bushings have two issues.

1. Diameter of the bushing appears too large, there is a step on the metal sleeve and it measures 1.866 inch at widest. my arms have a hole that is 1.790 inch and my axles has 1.785 inch diameter hole for the bushing. Thus these will have a .076 inch plus interference fit. Is this correct? I simply have not been able to push these bushings into the under sized hole with my arbor press.

Would this 0.076 inch interference fit be wrong? it seems it would be. I suppose I could go mad dog and over press them, but I dont want to do that is the 0.076 plus interference is not correct.

2. Also the length or height of the bushing is about 0.2 inch less than the width of the fork in which the bushing is bolted too, such there will be side to side motion of the bushing sliding on the through bolt, is this correct?

advice?

That's the way they come. Get the drivers side pressed in as much as possible and try to provide some inner support for the passenger side while pressing it in. I like to weld in a bushing cradle that also has the right step machined in!

I just did this. I used lots of grease and the ears started to bend so I stuck something in there as a spacer... Bushing in the freezer might help too

Mcmadman said:

I just did this. I used lots of grease and the ears started to bend so I stuck something in there as a spacer... Bushing in the freezer might help too

Click to expand...

x2 i think i used a few 18mm sockets wedged in. I only got the passenger side done so far. If you have an air hammer it seems to make easy work of the job.