Date:         Wed, 17 Jul 96 19:53:32 EDT
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@vanagon.com>
From:         jag@cs.rochester.edu
Subject:      Piece of metal rod stuck in rubber bushing, how remove?

The right front link of the sway bar on my '82 westy is broken
off just where it attaches in a rubber bushing on the control
arm. The upper part of the broken link popped off the sway bar
with a little persuation and soap water. Problem is that despite
trying several different methods I can't get the remains of the lower
part out of the rubber bushing on the control arm.

The link sheared off just below the bushing. The bottom part with
the treaded portion is still intact. Methods to get it out I've tried
so far:

Hitting with hammer both from below and above, with soap water and
liquid wrench liberally applied. Heat up bottom part with pencil torch
and hammering. Try to turn it by wrench on nut on the treaded lower
part. I did this carefully to not break the treaded part off in case
it is useful for future removal attempts. Hammering may not be the
best method, since the piece is suspended in the rubber bushing.
I also tried to push it out with a hydralic jack, but only thing
that happened was that the front end of the bus lifted up.

Does anybody have better suggestions? I could try drilling it out,
but I'm not likely to be able to drill straight for 2 inches with
a handheld drill, and will most likely just ruin the bushing, while 
still having part of the metal rod stuck in there.

Thanks to Tim Smith, Bill Kennedy, Joel and Bob Hufford for suggestions
on how to fix instead of replace the broken link. This link seem to
be a common thing to break, and several people have just drilled
and threaded the bottom of the link for a bolt, and bolted it back on.

/Martin