97 Deville Rear Hub and Knuckle

[jdueitt]

Is there a way to replace the bushings on the rear hub and knuckle assembly where it connects to the upper and lower control arms? Or do I have to buy a new knuckle???

[schoo]

A bit late for the original poster - I imagine - but please note that it is now possible to find rear knuckle bushings on Amazon.com at prices substantially lower than I have been able to find them anywhere else.

For the the 1997 Deville Concours the part is numbered: Dorman 905-504, and can be had for less than $34 (per knuckle - Meaning that both the upper and the lower bushings are included in the kit offered at this price.)

Many others seem to think this part is worth more than $100, which is (IMHO) obscene!

This is the pricing for an actual Rubber - not urethane - bushing. Urethane bushings are available from many especially on eBay, but as I am not amused by the Eternal Urethane Symphony (constant squeaking), I'm pleased to be able to find rubber bushings.

The real trick lies in finding a quick and easy method of removing the old - rusted in place - part. I suggest generous application of your favorite WD-40-type fluid, following by the use of various "pullers" up to and including hydraulically applied punches to extract the old bushings. The old bushings must be understood to be interlocking metal components only; as the rubber cushioning present in the original part, is no longer present, and this absence is the reason that you must replace the part.

You are to press a cylindrical piece of metal - not unlike a piece of tubing as far as you can see it before extraction. Often a gear-pulling tool will split the walls of this "tube" as you apply force to it, should you feel that 'you' need not mess around with fluids intended to interrupt the rust-weld interface between the OD of the bushing assembly and the ID of the Knuckle hole where the bushing resides.

Personally I tend to the 'brute force' approach denigrated in the previous paragraph, and so I can assure you from experience, that this is not the optimal approach.

If anyone is aware of any tools ideally suited to the removal of such parts, I would consider it most generous of you if you could post the identity of that tool or tools.

Thank you.