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TR2/3/3A Removing TR3A Silent-bloc Bushings

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Don Elliott

Don Elliott

Obi Wan
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I have removed my valance and radiator. Now I want to remove the silent-bloc bushes in the cross-rod that links the Pitman arm on the bottom of the steering box to the idler arm. Is there a special tool like a ball-joint splitter fork that will break the conical joint on the bottom of the Silent-blocs ? Any other suggestions. When I did my restoration from 1987 to 1990, the rubber in both the bushes was so worn, they literally fell apart when I dis-assembled them. This time it's harder to do.
 
They make tie rod seperators that may work. I remember those silent blocs as being smaller then the ususal tie rod end, and surely smaller then a ball joint. Whether one of these type seperators will work, I don't know, but you will need the smallest one you can find. My usual method of seperating tapered fittings is to whack the side of the piece that surrounds the tapered pin. If you can back up on the other side with another hammer, that would help contain the forces to the joint.

Also, I remember that those blocs were a bear to press in, and be careful, some of the after-market blocs floating around are under sized and will fall right through the hole in the cross link. /bcforum/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/eek.gif
 
I tried the two-hammer technique and all I did was smash off the beatiful 2-part black Imron paint. I can't get any of my ball-joint or tie-rod-end forked splitters into the narrow space that is there. If no one has any suggestions, I guess I'll have to take my die grinder and start removing the central pin from the top down. But I was hoping for an easier solution.
 
Don,

It's been about twelve years but here goes. The silent bloc bush would not let go on the steering box side for me either. I started with a small flat steel chisel or screw driver on one side that fit between the drop arm and center tie rod tapered eyes. I then tapped in a slightly larger thickness chisel into the opposite side and alternated this with larger wedges until the space became large enough to use the tie rod splitter - tuning fork - pry-er a-parter tool as was suggested. While I was wedging the two apart I was lightly tapping fully around the drop arm eye with a very small ball peen and spraying it with PB Blaster nut remover. Eventually it just popped apart. I then removed the two bolts holding the idler body to the mounting plate on the chassis and off came the center tie rod. Of course shortly after I was all done I saw where someone made a puller for this but I can't remember where. I'll keep looking though and let you know if I find it.
 
How about just removing the whole enchilada. It would be easier to work on the bench. Take off the bracket with the idler arm attached...take off the pitman arm from the steering box...and I guess you'll have to seperate two tie rods. But those are easy access. Also, I've never done this, but since you're changing the silent blocs, how about just whacking them upwards on the threads and see if they pop loose.
 
If the drop arm doesn't seperate easily from the rocker shaft and if you are not careful you can damage the peg and or worm gear. Be careful but it is plausible. I was not able to do this as the drop arm on my car seemed fused to the rocker shaft in my case. I did get it apart eventually.
I also tried beating up on the slent bloc pins with the nut on with a brass hammer, steel hammer and brass punch, five pound sledge hammer and no punch and that didn't budge them at all either. If the wedge thing didn't work it was oxy/ acetylene for me.
 
When I replaced mine on my TR3B I removed all the steering assembly......steering knockle to steering knuckle and removed the linkage off the steering arm. I ended up heating the silent bloc bushings with a torch to get them out, then pressed the metal part out with a good vise. Pay attention to how everything came out. I had a heck of a time figuring out just how the center tie-rod went back in! Also, I found the silent bloc bushings from VB were JUNK! They were manufactured to the wrong size. I ordered them from TRF and had no problems......

Don
 
Ditto on finding QUALITY steering parts. I used TRF parts on TS74011L and had no problems...
 
I bought my replacement parts from Roadster Factory in June 2004. Since then I've driven about another 12,000 miles. I kept the parts here in my "to do box" since then knowing that one day I would get round to doing it. The bone marrow cancer is still in remission (26 months) and my new pacemaker (no it's not made by LUCAS) has given me the strength and incentive to do the entire front suspension. It's all apart - everything - except for this central cross-shaft and the 2 Silent-blocs. I'll get it done today, one way or another.

The bushes look like the right sizes.
 
Don,
It was a long time ago, but from what I can remember I ended up hammering a very large screw driver between the idler arm and the centre tie rod. This worked fine for one side, but it pulled the other pin through from above, breaking the "washer" off the top of it. I have replaced the silent blocks with brass replacements from Revington TR. There is no visible play, but I can't say that I noticed a fantastic difference to the feel of the car. At least they should last a bit longer, though. And I the car doesn't fail its MOT on too much play in the steering now.
Good luck to you. I still haven't got round to putting the front panel back on my TR yet. I have the rebuilt radiator ready and I'm in the process of painting the horns and various other parts.
Nick
 
Thank you all for your suggestions. I bought a nail puller. That's like a crow-bar about 18" long but with a "L" foot at one end to pull out nails. It cost me $5.00 CDN ($4.00 USD or ÂŁ2.00). I ground the small "V" grove for the nails larger to about 7/16" wide and deeper - like about an inch. Then I used it like a ball-joint splitter and all I accomplished was to pop the top off the Silent-bloc bushings and pull the center stud down about 3/8". This was a good start. I finally got the central cross-rod out so I could work on my work-bench and use my vice as Nick suggested. After forcing out the rubber insert, I used my die grinder to thin out the wall of the remaining outer steel part of the Silent-bloc and then I pressed out the "sleeve" with a socket as a pusher and with a larger socet on the far side to allow the remnants to move into. I'm ready now to start to put it all together again. This is the third job I've done and I've done them all this way. I guess that there is no easier way to do it.

Thanks again for your help and suggestions.

Don Elliott, Original Owner 1958 TR3A

https://mysite.wanadoo-members.co.uk/trebor/don3a_big.JPG
 
Hi Don yes those can be difficult. I remember awhile back that Alan had a tie rod end pull that looked like a wheel pull. Evidently, he uses that and I did notice that Moss sells a wheel puller looking kinda deal for ball joints? I have always in the past used the pickle bar method. The pickle bar has to be the small one (narrow fork). If you have the right pickle bar, the removal with a pickle bar is mostly the positioning of piece to be separated and the weight of the hammer. Try coming in from the driver side with the steering wheel turn out maybe wrap a rage around the bar and hit that mother. And yes I have often thought that this is putting undue force on the peg and cam.
Sp53
 
Just to close this topic, I want to let you know that I have inserted the new Silent-Bloc bushes in the central steering cross-rod. I worked with the rod, out the car and on my workbench. I put the two new bushes in the freezer for a couple of hours and heated all around the hole at one end of the cross-rod, quickly removed a bush from the freezer and pressed it into place (the correct orientation) using my bench vice with a 1' socket on the receiving end for clearance. Then I did the same for the other end.

The parts are all ready now to go back into the car. Now you know the rest of the story.
 
Don Elliott said:
quickly removed a bush from the freezer and pressed it into place (the correct orientation)
Click to expand...

A friend of mine put his silentbloc bushings in upside-down. He actually thought that the drain hole in the tie-rod went on the bottom! How silly of him!

How we laughed!
 
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