varkwso

Took a real good look under my ZO6 today checking to enure all was tight and secure. The front bushings looked like they have a little wear but they do not "appear" damaged. The rears look fine.

Other than some wicked pad taper the brakes checked out fine also.

Are they particularly hard to remove from the a-arms?

Timz06

I removed some with a map torch, that was quite a cookout.

varkwso

Tim - sent you a picture - I think.....I cannot attach anything here it seems

gkmccready

VB&P has the procedure in their Downloads/Instructions section on their website. It doesn't look complicated, but it does look time consuming.

Timz06

Pics of them bush's..

davidfarmer

I would never use a torch on cars with aluminum control arms. Just use a 1/4" drill, and make a bunch of little holes going aorund the bushing. Then you can knock them out easily with a hammer

TedDBere

Something new...thanks David, what exactly do you mean by "around the bushing"? Do you mean through them front to back?

freefall

Go to your local Advance Autoparts. You can "borrow" one of their ball-joint presses - that is essentially a big c-clamp with various diameter cups and presses. Put that on there, and just push the bushing out. I did it about a year ago - worked great. If it's being difficult, cut off the collar that is wider than the opening you're trying to push it through.

I agree with David - don't put a torch on those aluminum a-arms.

John Shiels

It is about a good days work at home plus alignment time.

see5

Or just take them to a shop and have them pressed out.
Getting the bushings out is a terrible job. I did the fronts myself and paid $10 to have the rears pressed out. Would have paid lots more.

RAFTRACER

Freefalls idea is the best-easiest. I own a ball-joint press, but I always use a regular old bench vise using various sleeves and sockets to press bushings out of control arms. The bushings are soooo soft there is not much force required to extract using press.....absolutely no need for torches or to drill around outside diameter...torches and aluminum make me nervous

Varkwso if those are the pictures of your control arms that Tim pictured for you, those are not severly extracted yet. They are moving though, and since bushings are free in NASA TT you might as well have at it. Or you can wait for a little while......Watch the front bushings of the front lower control arms, they will extract themselves for enough that the control arm will start galling into the subframe. If you are not interested in putting poly in , the later control arms have somewhat better bushings. If you are going to leave it be for a bit, PM me and I will send you some new washers for the rear of the front bushings that will not allow the control arm to contact the subframe.

I'd do bushings myself...................but everyone has their reasons.

varkwso

I have a vise, 20 Ton press and the ball joint c-clamp set (I have a slight tool problem I think). The last ones I did on Jake's Nova and the '94 Z28 were a less than pleasant experience though. Sounds like the C5 ones are not as bad though.

Those are my pictures (thanks Tim )). Both fronts look about the same.

I like poly and that is what I will be putting into both cars eventually - unless there is something better .

I do not think these were the source of my instability last weekend. I know the shocks on the ZO6 are toast and they may have contributed to the rearend getting loose on braking...

thanks for the input guys

RAFTRACER

Check your tie rod ends, the stock ends end up needing to be replaced faster than wheel bearings on cars that are tracked.

davidfarmer

drill, parallel to the bushing, several times around the rubber bushing. Basically, you'll have lots of little holes parallel to the big hole in the middle. 6-8 little holes, and it takes a lot of the stiffness out of the bushing, and it will come out with little effort. A press helps, but I don't have one.

TedDBere

Thanks.

vms4evr

How many events/hours/miles do you have on that car Jeff?
I think mine are safe for a while since I don't live at the track.

varkwso

I bought the car new 15 Sep 2001. It has ~37,000 miles on it now. I also tracked a 944S, 94 Z28, 05 GTO, several rental cars and the 99 FRC in the same time frame. I figure this car has ~60+ events and ~15,000 track miles - maybe more. I don't count the drag strip passes. But since I just loaf around at the track it is pretty light wear.

The bushings are still good enough for a few more events I think....

By the way it really stinks when you break a drill in the bushing - don't ask.....