spokewrench

Just wondering if any of you have installed front lower control arm bushings at home and any tips on removig the old ones and installing the new ones,
using basic tools.

noskillz

Sure they can. I bought a 20 ton press from Harbor Freight for about $99 to make the job easier. Be VERY careful. It is super easy to distort the control arms as you press out the bushings. If you can get a spacer like a piece of pipe inside the "Y" to hold the arms shape, it would be a good idea. Detailed instructions are in the shop manual. I just followed these and got the job done in no time.

MikeC

I removed rubber and reinstalled poly at home with no problems. I don't know about rubber. With the poly, you don't need a press.

DavidOrr

I'm in the process of a complete front end rebuild, including lower control arm bushings. Take a look at the following link for detailed instructions. The link contains many pictures, if your on a dial up connection it will be slow.
http://24.28.237.140/Corvette/Front_...20-%20Main.htm

David

john73bb

I got mine out with an air hammer with a chisel attachment. Just get them started and then angle the attachment to keep pushing them out.

Smokehouse69

David's pages are a great reference for rebuilding your front suspension. If you don't have a press you can remove the old rubber bushings with a hole-saw bit in your electric drill. Get a hole saw that is large enough to fit over the inner metal sleeve and start chewing rubber with it. You can also use a 1/4" drill bit and just drill through the rubber around the metal sleeve. A faster but much smellier way is to burn the rubber out with a torch. I don't recommend burning, it smokes like hell and your neighbors will hate you.
New poly bushings don't require a press to install, but make sure you get the graphite impregnated ones so they won't squeak. Also grease them up really good with whale snot (water proof marine grade grease.)

Flareside

Yep, removed mine the same way. Took about 5 minutes for all 8.

spokewrench

Thanks for the link to that website, great info there! I guess this will be a weekend job, does'nt look half as bad as rear bearing replacement and set-up!
Thanks as always to all here!
SPOKE-

Smokehouse69

It's a piece of cake compared to rear bearing job. Especially if you don't have the tools to get your spindle out of the carrier. The worse thing about the whole job is the time and the grime. If you can spend a few dollars at a car wash and spray everything down with degreaser and high pressure hot water. It will help in the long run when you get ready to repaint your suspension parts after you have them off.

Woodstoc

DavidOrr, Nice layout. Thanks for the work involved in putting this together. About to tackle my 82 front end and this is most helpful. Again, Thanks. :cheers:

Barry's70LT1

I used a large bench vice, a piece of pipe, and a large socket.
Burned the rubbers out first, then pressed out the shells.
Pressed in new shells the same way. Couldn't use the vice on one shell on each lower arm, had to use a hydraulic jack with homemade jig.

jerryp58

David,

Thanks for that Website. I think I'll be putting the info to good use soon :smash:

DavidOrr

Thanks everyone.

Hopefully I'll be finishing the instructions real soon. Disassembly is all there, installation is still in progress.

I'll also be adding area's for the rebuilding of the PS Control Valve as well.

David

jerryp58

David,

I'm hoping to do the suspension and steering at the same time. I'll be interested in any thoughts you have about disassembly or reassembly given I'm doing both.

Jerry

78Vette-SA

As many have said, it's certainly doable at home. I used a drill and drilled lots of holes in the rubber and then popped the bushings out. I then used a socket and a hammer to whack them in. Worked for me. A press would be much more eloquent though. With poly it's even easier.

(David, great web site!)

Why you're at it, you may want to blast and paint everything. Once you start taking it apart, it leads to more fun! :smash:

Noel Carboni

This was years ago...

Being the inherently lazy good ol' boy whatever works type :flag, and with a brand spanking new set of poly bushings in hand from Vette Products, I set out to change my bushings WITHOUT removing the arms from the car. :eek: Yes, you read that right.

What I did was stick a nail in a pair of vise grips, get out my propane torch, and heat up that nail. I then stuck it through the old rubber bushings (phew) until I'd burned them into pieces. I then pulled the pieces out with a pair of needle-nose pliers. Finally, I stuffed a rag in there and pushed it around with a screwdriver, using some carburetor cleaner (zylene) to clean out the remnants of the old bushings, keeping the old shells. Then I pressed the poly bushings in there and capped 'em off.

Hey, it worked. :jester

-Noel


[Modified by Noel Carboni, 3:56 AM 2/13/2002]

ORVette

Noel, You are my hero. :)

Smokehouse69

Noel, a man as inventive as you are should have found this place a couple of years ago! You've come up with some mighty nice tips in the short time you've been here! Keep 'em comin'. Your car is great too! :yesnod:

Noel Carboni

Thanks, Troy and Steve. Your comments made my night. :D

-Noel


[Modified by Noel Carboni, 4:23 AM 2/13/2002]

Jughead

Last summer Corvette Fever featured a front suspension rebuild. They removed the metal sleeves using an air powered tie rod or ball joint separator, which ever had the correct opening. Looked like a good idea to me I used this tool to remove & install.