We’d wager that the most neglected, and seldom replaced bushing in the suspension of most 1979-2004 Mustangs on the road today, are the upper control arm bushings located in the rear end housing. The process of removing those bushings seems daunting, and the internet forums are filled with horror stories of busted knuckles, broken tools, and frustrated enthusiasts.
Fortunately when you have the right tools for the job, and a little bit of knowledge, even these bushings can be tamed. Maximum Motorsports developed their MMT-1 Rear Upper Control Arm Bushing Tool specifically for this job. At a retail price of just $29.95, it’s one of the least expensive specialty tools you can have in your toolbox, and the one your buddies will be begging to borrow or rent from you when they need it.

If you’ve ever tried to wrestle the upper control arm bushings out of an 8.8, you know that a tool like the MMT-1 is a bargain.
The MMT-1 consists of components:
- Busing Removal Cup
- Busing Installation Cup
- Large Flat Disc
- Small Flat Disc
- 7/16-inch Grade 8 Bolt
- 6 Grade 8 Flat Washers
- 1 Grade 8 Nut
MM includes detailed instructions with the MMT-1 on how to use the tool properly. They’ve also recently released this video which details step by step how to use the tool properly. The video is full of helpful hints like using anti-seize compound on the tool’s components, the recommended penetrating oil for removing the bushings, and most importantly exactly how to do the job the right way.
With hundreds of thousands of aging and worn 8.8-inch rear ends on the road, and in the salvage yards, nearly every Mustang built from the start of the Fox era, to the end of the New Edge body style could use having these bushings replaced. Depending on the age and condition of the housing, the bushings may put up a bit of a fight. With Maximum Motorsports’s MMT-1 tool, you’ll be glad you spent a few extra dollars to do the job quickly and easily, instead of wasting hours agonizing over getting old stubborn parts out of your car.