$ bushing installation

[78SilvAnniv]

I have just purchased the VB&P bushing kit for C3s and will need to have them installed. Everything I have read here at CAC leads me to wanting a vette mechanic do the installation.

Kenny would like to do the installation himself, but I am not sure we have the proper tools, the garage is not heated and sort of cramped and I don't want the vette down for a lengthy period.

Our local vette repair shop has given me a quote of $750 to do the entire vette. (includes alignment) He said this would take him 3 days to do.
If this takes the shop 3 days, I feel this would translate into a much longer time frame (2 weeks/weekends?) for Kenny to do, with the time allowed him after his regular job.

Vette mechanic said the rear is what takes the most labor. I would like to drop the 78 off with him while we are on a vacation cruise to Mexico...(where I won't have to worry about vette down time)...and the job would be done when we return.

I am looking for some arguments to convince Kenny that we need to go this route. What are your thoughts on the price quote I was given, competetive?
The vette shop guy is friendly, honest, reliable and does quality work.
Can anyone help my cause?
'Cause I don't want to aggravate Kenny with the "Is it done yet?" questions!
Heidi

 

[Scott81]

Heidi,

My opinion is call Van Steel back and order their "suspension video" then sit down and watch it, $20 well spent. Then go out to the garage and do it. I think whoever told you 3 days is putting the squeeze on your wallet. Look on my site at the rear suspension rebuild for my car, I had NEVER done something like that before, but I had nice weather and plenty of room too.

Now that being said, it is a pain to do the trailing arm bushings, the diff arm bushings and a-arm bushings IF you don't have a good set of tools. But I'm a cheapskate and hate paying someone high prices if I can do it myself. And I really didn't have that tough of a time, but if your car has a lot of rust on it you might want to let someone else do it. $750 may not be unreasonable if there's a lot of rust as those trailing arm bolts sometimes have to be cut out.

Sorry about not having a direct "go pay the man" answer.

 

[KANE]

Silver-

I have been there. I put my ride into the shop (when its stuff that I can't even handle!!) when I go to the field. I kinda feel like if I can't do anything to her, then she'll go to my mechanic when I can't drive her and thats fine. Thats the ONLY time she goes to the shop.

"As for the rear end repairs? Somehow its about 20 degrees colder when you are under the car in the winter. All that cold air and the chill from the floor. Brrrrrrrr"...... that's what I would say.

Me personnally, I don't care how cold it gets!

 

[Stingray6974]

Scott,
You forgot to mention the flying rubber dust. LOL

Heidi,
Exactly which bushings are you replacing? Please be specific.

Mike

 

[Tweek]

Heidi, I just did my 80 with all rubber, well worth it! The trailing arms where rusted tight, with the shims almost gone, I just used a Sawzall with a fresh metal blade, I had to cut on both sides of the arm because the bolt was siezed in the bushing. All this after spending hours trying to pound, push, pry, spray the bolt out. After I figured out the sawzall thing it took about 10 min. and both side where out. Used the stainless steel trailing arm alignment for 39.99 from Ecklers, it has bolts, nuts, shims washers, cotter pins. While I was in there I used Por 15 on all frame parts I could get at, which was alot when everything is out of there. I'm not sure the garage would pay that kind of attention to detail as Kenny would, so my 2 cents would be, do it yourself!

 

[vettej1]

Heidi,
I am in the middle of my rear suspension rebuild. If your frame is in really good shape and has very little rust in the t arm pockets then it's not that hard to do. Mine were a bear because I had a lot of surface rust and the T arm bolts were rusted solid into the bushing sleeves. I had to cut them out. Tools would be essential to the job. The new bushings have to be pressed into the T arms too so you'd have to have access to an arbor press or the like. The strut rod bushings are a lot easier but could be difficult too if their is a lot of rust.

Not sure if I helped you too much but with all the proper tools in a good shop, even with a little rust to contend with it shouldn't take three days.

-john

 

[Scott81]

Scott,
You forgot to mention the flying rubber dust. LOL

Thanks for bringing that back up Mike, you're a true pal :L

Heidi,
Exactly which bushings are you replacing? Please be specific.

Mike

Yes, more specific would help us out in giving you advice.

 

[78SilvAnniv]

It's the whole kit.

We especially need to replace the trailing arm bushings, but the kit I have has everything for the front, body and rear bushings. I am assuming that every bushing there is, I have a replacement for it.
Heidi

I appreciate the answers...however for all the "do it yourself" answers...how long would I expect this to take to do at home? I HATE being without my vette!
h

 

[Tweek]

I did mine in a long weekend, if I had to put a time on it, maybe 18 hours. That was with all the cleaning and painting. I never worked on a corvette rear before and it was no big thing, I do have air tools and a press. I did alot of head scratching during paint drying time, but really, not to bad! Good luck, with what ever direction you take! Ron

 

[page62]

Heidi, I know your car has a lot more miles than mine, but are you certain you need to replace all the bushings?

I ask this because I took my '79 to a reliable Vette mechanic yesterday. He took a look at my front bushings and said no, they don't need replacing. Thank goodness!

According to him, it's normal for the rubber bushings to have cracks around the flange where you can see them. However, when chunks of rubber start falling off the lower bushings, it's time to replace them.

I'm relieved, and I still have lots of other work for him to do...

 

[78SilvAnniv]

Yup.

Trailing arm bushings are so worn we can't properly align it. They must be done.
I'm sure body mounts are in the same condition.
We replaced the front bushings about 7-8 years ago, so they may be okay...but Kenny told me to order everything, so I did.
My vette is a daily driver, driven daily for nearly 13 years, so I'm sure we've racked up a lot of miles on the 'new'-er front bushings.
Heidi

We have a compressor and air tools, and we do have a vise grip...but I'm guessing that is not the same as an arbor press? Maybe the neighbor has one.
Perhaps we do have the tools to do this after all. I'll tell Kenny about the Van Steel video and see what he says, meanwhile I'll keep the credit card handy...

 

[resto75]

Heidi,

Sorry I can't help you out with the replacement issue, but if your in a hurry to get it done you might be better to get it done at a shop. If you can use another car for a week or so you might want to tackle it. Most of the bushings are easy but control arm bushings and the trailing arms are the tough ones. You might want to check your kit to see if it includes the body mount cushions as I don't believe that most kits include those.

Have fun
Roy

 

[78SilvAnniv]

Checked my order...

...and this is what it contains:

Spring Bolt Cushions
Anti-Sway Bar End Links kit
Rear Strut Rod Bushing kit
Front Differential Mounting Bushing
Trailing Arm Front Bushing kit
Shock Mount Grommets
Tie Rod End Boots
Ball Joint Boots
Upper A-arm Bushings
Lower A-arm Bushings

This all came as the 63-82 Corvette Bushing Replacement Kit

Kenny says to go ahead and order the suspension video and we will need to get a press...but he can do it.
Don't know when we'll start, but wish us luck for a quick job. I HATE to drive his F*rd truck.
(very uncomfortable, too many buttons)
Heidi

 

[Bob Chadwick]

Heidi,

Find a shop for the press. NAPA near us has one. Will take then an hour or so of shop time.

Bob

 

[Bob Yates]

When I did my 81 C3 , I removed the upper and lower A-frames and the rear trail arms. I then had them glass beaded . and the bushings pressed in at a machine shop. This cost was around $140. When I got the pieces back I painted them with pur 15. I could have done this in 2 days but you should let the paint dry good. A sawsall is a good tool to remove the rear trail arm bolts if they are seized. Most all of them are. I hate to work in the cold so I purchased a heater, a propane type. If you have the car high enough off of the ground it isn't to bad as jobs go on a vettes. A little tip buy a 11/16 rachet wrench for the upper a-frame bolts and you will remove the nuts alot quicker and with out removing the fan shrould. By doing it yourself you know the job is done right...... Good luck

 

[RalleyRed]

Heidi,

When we did my car we used polygraphite bushings everywhere except for the upper body mounts, used original rubber bushings here( between the frame and body).

It'll soften up the seat of the pants feel making it more comfortable for you without losing any of the improved handling gained with the stiffer suspension. Plus I've heard that this is where some of the sqeaking comes from.

You will have some left over bushings because they are sold in kits or at least pairs for the body, but I thought it was worth it.

Rick

 

[Bob Yates]

Heidi.... are you going to replace the body mounts? If you are this is a very hard replacement. You have to disconnect a lot of parts and lift the body off of the frame to gain clearance for the mounts. The very rear ones are the easyest. The middle ones or a Bee . On my 81 C3 I couldn't get them out I had to let them go the way they were. I guess you could torch them out but even this would be hard. Good luck on anything you do.

 

[78SilvAnniv]

Well...

It does not look like body mounts are included in my bushing kit. So I guess not.
We will be ordering a suspension video on the advice of Scott81... which reminds me... I better place the order when I log off!
Heidi

 

[RalleyRed]

We especially need to replace the trailing arm bushings, but the kit I have has everything for the front, (body) and rear bushings. I am assuming every bushing there is, I have a replacement for it

Heidi

I'm sorry Heidi, I read the above post and thought you were indeed doing the body mounts too.

As Bob said that would be a tough job with the body on the frame.

Rick

 

[78SilvAnniv]

Me too...

That was before I opened the box, checked the listed items and took the time to understand where all of them went... Sorry for the misdirection!
Heidi