Poor-sha

Aren't the dogbones on the upper control arms (what I'm pointing to in this picture) supposed to rotate freely within the UCA? I seem to recall they did on my C6Z which had poly bushings installed but they don't seem to budge on my C7Z.

I discovered this when I unbolted the front UCA to pull the shocks. I even tried putting a long screwdriver through the home but all it did was mess up the bolt hole. I also can't seem to get the UCA back on without really compressing the suspension since the dog bones are canted down.

BEZ06

I dunno!?!?

I have pulled all 4 corners to install the AMT Motorsport stud kit:




You can see I had the entire arm pulled, but I didn't have any trouble pushing the dogbones onto the studs.

I didn't try to rotate the dogbones when I had them loose, but they have to rotate when the suspension goes up and down!!

I guess the bushings are supposed to put a little resistance in there, but they shouldn't be that damn tight!!

.

BEZ06

I did use a bottle jack under the lower ball joint to hold up the knuckle and keep the UCAs sorta oriented at the level they were when I took the bolts out. I guess that kept my dogbones kinda at the same level they were, so they weren't canted and went right onto the studs.

Good luck!!

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LagunaSecaZ06

I found this thread about a C5 and the poster said his dog bones did not move.

https://www.corvetteforum.com/forums...post1579155609


I hate stiction. On my ZL1, I pressed in some BMR poly bushings and they are a different design than stock. The poly bushings are pressed in first, then a steel spacer(spacer not pictured). The tubular steel spacer can rotate freely in the bushing. The stock one is pictured and the spacer is hexagon shaped and the bushing would twist the bushing. After I installed my new bushings there was no difference in NVH, but the handling was much improved. I attribute this to the better design of the freely floating spacer.




https://www.corvetteforum.com/forums...ictures-2.html

It looks like ridetech has some new delrin bushings. You should trade a review for a free set. If you like em, I'll buy a set.

https://www.corvetteforum.com/forums...-controls.html

C5ZEE06

I don't think so. I believe the pivot pins are molded-in and "fixed" within their rubber bushings...and they flex / twist within the bushing as the UCA rises and falls..if that makes any sense.

LagunaSecaZ06

If that is the design then it's a bummer. I much prefer the floating tubular spacer design. It's probably a NVH design for production. Maybe I'll go delrin in the future, but right now my Z06/7 is awesome compared to my 5th gen ZL1.

The question to Ridetech, is there a difference in the DSC for stock vs. delrin bushings?

mgarfias

The rubber bushings are flexure joints, not a rotating joint.

LagunaSecaZ06

After doing some quick research the use of flexure joints is probably because of not needing lubrication, consistent friction and NVH.

I prefer rotating joints, even if they do require maintenance and this is why they are probably not in use. Manufacturers would rather make the joints zero maintenance than to rely on a mechanic to lube. It also probably saves machining costs for zerk fittings.

v10climber

Yeah the factory rubber bushings in the c5/c6 (and apparently c7) won't rotate. It's all molded together. As soon as you move to poly/delrin/spherical the joint should move freely.

froggy47

Same as prior model years.

Poor-sha

Thanks everyone.