There's no threads dedicated to the Prothane inserts, so I made one.

Does anyone have any tips for installing these? I do know how big of a PITA getting the old bushings out can be, and that these are two peice and should go in rather easy and w/o a press. I plan on drilling a big hole in the stock rubber bushings, then using my body saw (air) to cut through the bushing and the metal sleeve, so I can pop them out (should be quicker than burning the stock bushings). I don't need to preserve any of the stock metal sleeves right?

Joel Baldridge, ASE Certified Master Technician, Audi Certified Expert Technician

when I replaced most of my bushings with energy suspension ones, I used an air chisel, and a hydraulic press. On the suspension bushings, I would take the air chisel and chisel the metal sleeve inward toward the center of the bushing. When much of the sleeve had been chiseled toward the center, I would take a chisel bit that was close to the width of the bushing and aim the chisel directly into the bushing. Eventually the bushing will slide out.

Sometimes on the ones that were difficult to remove, I would leave some gouges on the surface where the bushing was. In that case I would take a small grinding stone and a dremel to smooth them out.

When installing the Energy Suspension bushings, I would take a press and press them in. Press in the bushing itself and then press in the metal sleeve.

with the larger bushings.. I would take two metal bars and brace what ever the bushing was in and press out the rubber part of the bushing with the press. You will need something long enough to put between the press and the bushing that will add some length to it since the rubber part will stretch before it breaks. After the rubber center was out, I would take a saw-zall and cut a groove into the metal sleeve of the bushing. After that I would take the air chisel and chisel the metal sleeve toward the center of the bushing again. And then using the chisel to drive out what was left of the bushing.

Be careful with the aluminum motor mounts.. they will break easily.

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Current Mods:
AEM V2 intake, MP 60mm TB, Accel 24lb injectors, Crane #12 cams,Ross forged 10:1 pistons, Eagle H-beam rods, ARP head and main studs,
Ported and polished head, Crane valve springs, PT rockers and lifters, MSD coil, Accel wires, AFX underdrive pulley,
DC sports ceramic coated header, Ebay testpipe, Apex-i N1 catback, 255 lph fuel pump, Apex-i SAFC, Spec Stage III clutch, Phantom Grip,
full Energy Suspension polyurethane bushing kit, Tokico springs and blue shocks, Russell steel braided clutch and brake lines,
17" Koning Imagines, NOS 100 hp direct port N20 kit

An air chisel/hammer is like the one air tool I don't have. You don't think it would be to hard to just tap a hand chisel or flat head to push the bushings out once they're cut in half (w/ a air body saw) do you?

Joel Baldridge, ASE Certified Master Technician, Audi Certified Expert Technician

I think It would take a while to do it with a hammer and chisel. but I didn't try it so it might not be too bad. But in hindsight, I wouldn't have attempted it if I didn't have the air chisel.

I actually borrowed the air chisel that I used. If you know someone that has one. try to get it from them.

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Current Mods:
AEM V2 intake, MP 60mm TB, Accel 24lb injectors, Crane #12 cams,Ross forged 10:1 pistons, Eagle H-beam rods, ARP head and main studs,
Ported and polished head, Crane valve springs, PT rockers and lifters, MSD coil, Accel wires, AFX underdrive pulley,
DC sports ceramic coated header, Ebay testpipe, Apex-i N1 catback, 255 lph fuel pump, Apex-i SAFC, Spec Stage III clutch, Phantom Grip,
full Energy Suspension polyurethane bushing kit, Tokico springs and blue shocks, Russell steel braided clutch and brake lines,
17" Koning Imagines, NOS 100 hp direct port N20 kit

He's got mine right now I'll try and bring my camera to take pics when I get off work.

Installing those was so much fun....."even longer pause"..........

I tried various methods to see what was the most efficient, and apparently you had it dead on. Burn 'em, slice the sleeve (only has to be done in one spot, if you are good w/ the air chisel and cause one side to completely fold in), and use the proper chisel in the air hammer.

Now I'm going to manually align my car using my homemade toe sticks, and try these babies out.

Joel Baldridge, ASE Certified Master Technician, Audi Certified Expert Technician

Hey, the Prothanes are a fuckload more fun to install than the ES bushings.

I was hating life because of the toe control arm bolts - they were both seized to the sleeve in the bushing so badly that I had to sawzall the bolts to make any progress whatsoever.

Let me know how you like them.

The Prothane bushings are great! I have my car aligned now, and the car drives rock solid, and thanks to the Illumina's I can control how rough of a solid ride it is.

Joel Baldridge, ASE Certified Master Technician, Audi Certified Expert Technician