Control Arm Bushings

[vettej1]

Disassembled the front suspension this weekend, (and last), for a complete rebuild. Now I need to remove the old bushings and thought I would ask before attempting this. I have most tools required for most things but even with an arbour press it looks like I'll actually need to fabricate some special press tools to get these babies pressed out.

The local Corvette shop will probably charge me an arm and a leg to do this. Any suggestions?

Thanks,
john

 

[68Roadster]

John,
I did the same last winter. Removing and replacing the A-arm bushings wasn't fun but it can be done. I used a piece of 1" angle iron cut the exact length between the front and rear bushings. This way when I was pressing the old ones out or the new ones in I didn't bend/compress the A-arm ends. I have heard of other people using chainlink fence post to do the same, you just have to cut a notch down it. The whole thing is clumsy on the arbor press but it does work.......have fun.

 

[MMM]

I used a piece of "kindorf" channel to keep the Upper A arms collasping when installed bushings in my '75 years ago. I may not be using the correct term for the material, but it is used in construction to hang pipes and conduit.
It is "U" shaped, but the top of the U has "hooks" (on both sides) in which are inserted brackets to hold the pipe. Also has a series of holes spaced 4 to 6" apart on the bottom of the U in which to insert all-thread for hanging the channel. Go to any construction site or ask any electrician and they will give you a piece long enough for A arm repair. All that needs to be done is to cut to correct length and cut/grind the hook sections back far enough to allow the channel to slip over the bushings once they are installed. I still have the piece I made somewhere. FYI - it also works on the '68 to '72 GM "A" bodied cars. Sounds more complex then it is. Took me less than 15 minutes to make and is a nice tight (but not too tight) fit around the od of the bushings.
When used with an arbor or small hydraulic press, the job took less than 10 minutes for both upper bushings. Now the lower a-arm bushings are a different strory. Need more than one piece of channel and are much easier to distort.

 

[GTR1999]

The press is good, but as said, could bend the arms if not supported. Use a long bolt on the tapped hole to press against.

I used a hole saw to cut out the rubber then hammer/chisel out the sleeve. They should pivot nice and free when you're done.

 

[vettej1]

Thanks guys. I think I'll use a combination of all the advice.
Let you know how it goes.

later,

john

 

[TWINRAY]

Thanks guys. I think I'll use a combination of all the advice.
Let you know how it goes.

later,

john

John, How did you make out on your removal of the control arm bushings? What method did you use? My CA's are out and like some said, I tried to burn them out this AM but looks like I need a "flame thrower."
Fred

 

[vettej1]

Fred,
While all the advice I got was awsome, I actually used the last method suggested. And for removal, I am convinced that method was the best for my situation. My CA sleeves were rusted pretty bad.

I got a long hole saw, (1 1/4" dia. I think it was, not sure right now I'm not at home), and drilled out what was left of the old rubber bushings. (Use the hole saw without the center drill.)The control arm shafts will then be loose. Then I used a good strong sharp chisel and hammer
to pursuade the sleeves out. This worked well for the upper and lower CA's.

Now reassembling them with new bushings and sleeves was not as easy. I tried making a jig out of roughly 2" dia pipe. I cut a long slot out of it in order to go over the control arm shaft and not get into the way of the sleeves. That didn't take too long to do, I got it to fit snug inside the upper CA's. But when I tried to press them in I realized that my arbor press just didn't have it. It's was way too small for this job. You need a pretty hefty press to do this. So I actually brought everything to the local Corvette shop and he pressed them in for me. I had the arms blasted and painted before I brought them over. And since everything was clean, new and painted, he "only" charged me 20 bucks per CA. I guess that's not too bad.
Anyway all that is done and with everything else in the front suspension new, my car feels great! What a diferrence.

I hope this helps, let me know if there is anything I left out.

-john

 

[TWINRAY]

Fred,
While all the advice I got was awsome, I actually used the last method suggested. And for removal, I am convinced that method was the best for my situation. My CA sleeves were rusted pretty bad.

I got a long hole saw, (1 1/4" dia. I think it was, not sure right now I'm not at home), and drilled out what was left of the old rubber bushings. (Use the hole saw without the center drill.)The control arm shafts will then be loose. Then I used a good strong sharp chisel and hammer
to pursuade the sleeves out. This worked well for the upper and lower CA's.

Now reassembling them with new bushings and sleeves was not as easy. I tried making a jig out of roughly 2" dia pipe. I cut a long slot out of it in order to go over the control arm shaft and not get into the way of the sleeves. That didn't take too long to do, I got it to fit snug inside the upper CA's. But when I tried to press them in I realized that my arbor press just didn't have it. It's was way too small for this job. You need a pretty hefty press to do this. So I actually brought everything to the local Corvette shop and he pressed them in for me. I had the arms blasted and painted before I brought them over. And since everything was clean, new and painted, he "only" charged me 20 bucks per CA. I guess that's not too bad.
Anyway all that is done and with everything else in the front suspension new, my car feels great! What a diferrence.

I hope this helps, let me know if there is anything I left out.

-john

Hi John,
I don't know what they are getting nowadays, but $20/CA just to install the bushings sounds kinda steep - but what do I know! If I apparently can't install them, I might as well have someone do that and take the old ones out. I think I;ll stop at my local repair shop tomorrow AM and see if he can do it. He suprised me a couple of yrs back by taking out exhaust manifold studs out and charged me $40 which I thought was a steal. Let you know. Thanks, Fred

 

[brusso]

I like to use flame to burn out the old rubber. Then use a hacksaw, from the inside out, to split the old sleeves. At that point, you can almost use visegrips to curl the sleeves inward and pull out.

 

[TWINRAY]

Hi John,
I don't know what they are getting nowadays, but $20/CA just to install the bushings sounds kinda steep - but what do I know! If I apparently can't install them, I might as well have someone do that and take the old ones out. I think I;ll stop at my local repair shop tomorrow AM and see if he can do it. He suprised me a couple of yrs back by taking out exhaust manifold studs out and charged me $40 which I thought was a steal. Let you know. Thanks, Fred

I asked him how much? He said "Depends on how long it takes." ? Well, I made the mistake of not asking the owner (who did the stud job) caused I stoppped by at 6pm and the only guy there was the guy who schedules the appointments and tells the customers why the job they had done was so expensive. He ended up saying it will probably take about an hour and they charge $86/hour for labor so that means $86 + tax. Yea, right.

 

[vettej1]

I asked him how much? He said "Depends on how long it takes." ? Well, I made the mistake of not asking the owner (who did the stud job) caused I stoppped by at 6pm and the only guy there was the guy who schedules the appointments and tells the customers why the job they had done was so expensive. He ended up saying it will probably take about an hour and they charge $86/hour for labor so that means $86 + tax. Yea, right.

I'm not surprised. The Corvette shop here charges 75/hr+. That's why I only go to him if I have too. I like to do everything myself if I can.
Well, you can do what I did and remove the old bushings yourself so that you can clean up the CA's and shafts so they look good. Then bring them in just for him to install. The labor time will be shorter.

Here's another thought, you can take the ready to install parts to a different shop that you may know or trust because these CA's we're talking about here are the same ones that went into other Chevy's of the period. I think Impala's and or Chevelles. (I believe that was the "deal" Mr. Duntov made with management to allow him to develop the independent rear suspension. The front end parts needed to be off the shelf.)

-john

 

[TWINRAY]

I'm not surprised. The Corvette shop here charges 75/hr+. That's why I only go to him if I have too. I like to do everything myself if I can.
Well, you can do what I did and remove the old bushings yourself so that you can clean up the CA's and shafts so they look good. Then bring them in just for him to install. The labor time will be shorter.

Here's another thought, you can take the ready to install parts to a different shop that you may know or trust because these CA's we're talking about here are the same ones that went into other Chevy's of the period. I think Impala's and or Chevelles. (I believe that was the "deal" Mr. Duntov made with management to allow him to develop the independent rear suspension. The front end parts needed to be off the shelf.)

-john

John, I just called a local alignment and repair shop that was recommended by a parts shop that I use. The guy sounded cool over the phone that he knew what he was talking about. Asked if I had the bushings etc. I'll give him a shot. In this instance, I'd rather pay to get it done so I don't have to be bothered with it. I gotta get the car buttoned up by early next week and I can put my time to better use doing other stuff. Will advise the outcome.
Fred

 

[norvalwilhelm]

To remove the old bushings you can use the hole saw or a series of holes drilled in the rubber with a normal drill bit. I then take a hawksaw and put it through the bushing and cut a groove in the metal sleeve, cut carefully, even in 2 spots and collapse the sleeve and it slides right out.
I don't believe in pressing in the new metal sleeves. I only work with poly bushings, not rubber.
I use a flapper wheel in the drill or die grinder and polish the inside of the A arms so the sleeves are a nice slide fit. I grease the poly bushing well, slide the metal tube over the cross shaft, clamp the cross shaft in the vise and slide the whole thing together using the end bolts to pull everything together.
I never press them.
I believe the bushings are pivot points, not shock absorbers. If they are pressed in so tight that the car has to be level on the ground to tighten the end bolts because the bushings are not free to pivot then the bushings are getting destroyed.
I remove and inspect my bushigs almost yearly and this slide fit has never caused a problem.
Bushings are pivot points, shock dampen the ride.

 

[TWINRAY]

To remove the old bushings you can use the hole saw or a series of holes drilled in the rubber with a normal drill bit. I then take a hawksaw and put it through the bushing and cut a groove in the metal sleeve, cut carefully, even in 2 spots and collapse the sleeve and it slides right out.
I don't believe in pressing in the new metal sleeves. I only work with poly bushings, not rubber.
I use a flapper wheel in the drill or die grinder and polish the inside of the A arms so the sleeves are a nice slide fit. I grease the poly bushing well, slide the metal tube over the cross shaft, clamp the cross shaft in the vise and slide the whole thing together using the end bolts to pull everything together.
I never press them.
I believe the bushings are pivot points, not shock absorbers. If they are pressed in so tight that the car has to be level on the ground to tighten the end bolts because the bushings are not free to pivot then the bushings are getting destroyed.
I remove and inspect my bushigs almost yearly and this slide fit has never caused a problem.
Bushings are pivot points, shock dampen the ride.

Man are you ambitious! The poly bushing does rotate in the shell but the rubber does not, it flex's. It's the nature of the beast. I may give your answer one last try tonight. Thanks

 

[norvalwilhelm]

I can pull a A arm, out on the bench in about 10 minutes, bushing take even less. I custom machine cross shafts with caster and camber machined right into them. It take me little time to change out the cross shaft and that involves the A arm on the bench and all bushings removed.
Do it enough times and everything becomes easy.

 

[TWINRAY]

To remove the old bushings you can use the hole saw or a series of holes drilled in the rubber with a normal drill bit. I then take a hawksaw and put it through the bushing and cut a groove in the metal sleeve, cut carefully, even in 2 spots and collapse the sleeve and it slides right out.

I had much better luck with a series of holes than the hole saw. Got the bushings out of one upper A-Arm. Looks like the lower present more of a problem cause the bushing goes into 2 sections of the arm unlike the top, which is one. Looks like installation of the bushings into the upper arm can be done without a press but I'm wondering bout the lowers? We'll see. Doing it all myself will allow me to do a good job of cleaning up the arms and shafts before priming and painting. Woopee - more late nights in the garage listening to oldies on the radio

 

[norvalwilhelm]

Twinray I do the bottoms the same as the top. Cut the steel sleeve with a hawksaw blade and it will collapse and come out easy. Polish the A arm with a flapper wheel until the new sleeves slide in with just a little tap. I even use the end bolts to pull the sleeve into place but certainly no press.
Like universals they do not need to be pressed in.

 

[TWINRAY]

Twinray I do the bottoms the same as the top. Cut the steel sleeve with a hawksaw blade and it will collapse and come out easy. Polish the A arm with a flapper wheel until the new sleeves slide in with just a little tap. I even use the end bolts to pull the sleeve into place but certainly no press.
Like universals they do not need to be pressed in.

10-4
I think we got this job knocked! Thanks, Fred