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Wrestling with A-Arm Control Arm Bushing Replacement
As I posted in another thread, replacing the A-arm bushing was the hardest thing I have done so far... ughh... my arms are still sore! (Bedump-bump-tssss)
Anywhooo
The tops were a little easier, because the bushings only had to go through one "gate". Still, both tops took a day (3-4 hours with coffee breaks).
The bottoms though... shoooeeewhheee. They were tough, as each side has 2 "gates" for the bushing to be pushed through. It took me 3 days of a couple hours each day (with those coffee breaks) to get ONE of the lowers done. As I was finishing that ONE.... I had an "a-ha" moment. The result was with the experience of the others, and my new idea, the last a-arm only took about 30-45 minutes to "de-bush" (no coffee breaks).
Here is how I did it... if it helps others... well great. If I did it all wrong... here is NOT how to do it.
This is the offending beast. I got a pretty good deal on the A-Arm set... and they are in pretty nice shape. You wanna start on the end that has the single hole in the crosspiece as the other end won't go through with the double looped holes.
First thing, not pictured, is that I made that super-duper better than brake free penetrating oil I put it in a cleaned out simple green spray bottle... have been using it on everything from trailing arm pivot bolts to a-arm bushings!
Its a good idea to remove as much of the rubber around the bushings as you can to make your job easier. I used a hack saw blade, a pocket nice and a razor knife... do both ends both sides.
Some of the online tutorials had guys just go to town with a punch/chisel in the center section to constrict the middle of the bushing to make it easier to go through. I did that with the uppers, and the ONE lower that took me for ever. My "a-ha" moment came after looking at the spent bushings after I got them out, and coming up with a better/quicker plan.
I recently bought a really nice, hardly used Air Compressor via Ebay... and I went off to my local hardware store and bought a cutting wheel. I used the wheel to cut a line around the center of the Bushing... as much as I could get to. Which took all of a couple minutes to do both ends.
Next step was taking a drill with a small-ish bit and driling into the rubber of the bushing to help loosen it up and create space so it will move easier
Now I went back to the chisel/punch method, but it was a lot easier after the cut. If you don't have a compressor... well, why the heck not, its 2015! You could probably get by with a hacksaw... but be careful not to cut any part of the trailing arm, just the bushing.
I am already starting to see dividends.... the bushing is starting to move/give (and we are only about 5 minutes in)
From here, I slip a Chisel into that crack and start working it...
Doesn't take long now... if you can get another chisel on the other side... start working both of em and walk it out...
I am home free now. The other end (with the two loops) pulled out of the bushing on that end and while the working end still had the bushing on it, it was "out" of the A-arm gates. Since there was chum in the water and the sharks were circling, I forwent the coffee break, and used the cutting wheel to make a longitudinal cut across the bushing to get it off the control shaft. There is an inner sleeve inside the bushing so I was not afraid of cutting the control shaft.
With that done, the other side is pretty easy now and you just follow the same sequence.
I hope this helped, or at least, didn't hurt anybody.
What makes this job difficult is that the inner sleeve of the bushing tends to rust to the cross shaft. If you clamp up the cross shaft in a big vise and rotate the control arm up and down (use alot of penetrating oil) to break up the rust bond, you make this an easier job.
From this point, An air chisel under the outer bushing flange will drive the bushing out in one piece. Once you've done this a time or two, it becomes a 30 minute task.
I use an Astro Pneumatic Tool Company 7866. This is an upper A-arm bushing removal/installation tool. It will do the lowers also with a little creativity. Well worth the investment.
Brgds,
Rene
It takes 5 minutes a side with an air chisel. You could have torched the rubber out to make it easier. If you are using hand tools only I am sure it take a long time.
It takes 5 minutes a side with an air chisel. You could have torched the rubber out to make it easier. If you are using hand tools only I am sure it take a long time.
Rev, have you re-installed yet? Is there a how to thread on inserting the new ones?
No... not yet.
The chassis repair manual shows a picture of tool that is has the cross section like a "C" that prevents the two arms from bending together when you press the new bushing on.
I was going to tackle all that after I get my diff back in, Trailing Arms on etc...
You will need a tool to keep the arm from bending in when you go to replace the bushings I made a tool and still had quite a time replacing the bushings , if you can find a vette shop with the right tools it may pay to just have them installed . Jeff
Installing bushings is easy too, especially since there is no rust on the new parts. Daub a little grease over the outer bushing sleeve. Start one end and with the shaft inserted start the other end.
Make a driver out of a 1 1/2" pipe nipple and a iron cap. This will fit over the rubber on the bushing and apply the tapping force of a 3 lb hammer directly to the bushing flange.
Stand the control arm up so the shaft is perpendicular to a solid work bench and tap 3 - 4 times on one end and then alternate ends and tap on the other. Don't be afraid to actually hit it like you mean it if needed.
You can make a spreader out of schedule 40 PVC pipe by cutting 1" out along the entire length of one side of the pipe. Cut the length of the pipe about 1/8" shorter than the span of the control arm so it will install around the control arm shaft easily.
I've never used a spreader because it really isn't needed unless you are cranking down on the bushings with a hydraulic press. Using a hammer allows you to watch and "feel" the progress as the bushing is driven home.
BTW when installing your lower control arm shafts and bushings, DOUBLE CHECK the orientation of the shaft so it is installed correctly the first time. Otherwise, you get to repeat the whole removal and installation process over again to correct your mistake.
Installing bushings is easy too, especially since there is no rust on the new parts. Daub a little grease over the outer bushing sleeve. Start one end and with the shaft inserted start the other end.
Make a driver out of a 1 1/2" pipe nipple and a iron cap. This will fit over the rubber on the bushing and apply the tapping force of a 3 lb hammer directly to the bushing flange.
Stand the control arm up so the shaft is perpendicular to a solid work bench and tap 3 - 4 times on one end and then alternate ends and tap on the other. Don't be afraid to actually hit it like you mean it if needed.
You can make a spreader out of schedule 40 PVC pipe by cutting 1" out along the entire length of one side of the pipe. Cut the length of the pipe about 1/8" shorter than the span of the control arm so it will install around the control arm shaft easily.
I've never used a spreader because it really isn't needed unless you are cranking down on the bushings with a hydraulic press. Using a hammer allows you to watch and "feel" the progress as the bushing is driven home.
BTW when installing your lower control arm shafts and bushings, DOUBLE CHECK the orientation of the shaft so it is installed correctly the first time. Otherwise, you get to repeat the whole removal and installation process over again to correct your mistake.
good luck,
tc
Thanks TC... sounds like you made that mistake once. I really appreciate you mentioning that.
Installing bushings is easy too, especially since there is no rust on the new parts. Daub a little grease over the outer bushing sleeve. Start one end and with the shaft inserted start the other end.
Make a driver out of a 1 1/2" pipe nipple and a iron cap. This will fit over the rubber on the bushing and apply the tapping force of a 3 lb hammer directly to the bushing flange.
Stand the control arm up so the shaft is perpendicular to a solid work bench and tap 3 - 4 times on one end and then alternate ends and tap on the other. Don't be afraid to actually hit it like you mean it if needed.
You can make a spreader out of schedule 40 PVC pipe by cutting 1" out along the entire length of one side of the pipe. Cut the length of the pipe about 1/8" shorter than the span of the control arm so it will install around the control arm shaft easily.
I've never used a spreader because it really isn't needed unless you are cranking down on the bushings with a hydraulic press. Using a hammer allows you to watch and "feel" the progress as the bushing is driven home.
BTW when installing your lower control arm shafts and bushings, DOUBLE CHECK the orientation of the shaft so it is installed correctly the first time. Otherwise, you get to repeat the whole removal and installation process over again to correct your mistake.
good luck,
tc
Just wanted to say this method worked well for me. I had a helper hold the part against a 6x6 post on the garage floor. It was a little "sloppy" as the part wanted to bounce off the wood but we managed to get them seated.
Now, I am searching for the torque spec for the bolts that compress the bushings. I am seeing various specs posted in various threads which also state they should be torqued with the car assembled and on the ground. Not sure why that must be but can anyone confirm the torque spec for upper and lower a-arm bushing bolts?
I hope to begin getting the spring in place this weekend. Lots of other distractions to deal with first.
Now, I am searching for the torque spec for the bolts that compress the bushings. I am seeing various specs posted in various threads which also state they should be torqued with the car assembled and on the ground. Not sure why that must be but can anyone confirm the torque spec for upper and lower a-arm bushing bolts?
The upper shaft bushing bolts are 35 ft-lbs, and the lowers are 50 ft-lbs. It's absolutely essential that those bolts not be torqued unless the car is finished, on wheels, at normal ride height, as pointed out in the Assembly Manual. Looks like it's time for "Bushings 101" again.
BUSHINGS 101
Front control arm bushings have a cylindrical rubber element that absorbs all movement - its outside diameter is bonded to the inside of the outer steel shell, and its inside diameter is bonded to the outside of the inner steel shell.
When installed, the outer steel shell of the bushing is a press/interference fit in the ears of the control arm, so there is ZERO relative movement between the outside diameter of the bushing shell and the control arm - it's like they were welded together.
When installed, the inner steel shell of the bushing has hardened serrated teeth at both ends which "bite" into the edge of the shoulder on the shaft at one end and into the steel retainer washer at the bolt end; this locks the bushing solid on the shaft, like they were welded together.
ALL rotational/torsional and axial movement between the control arms and the shafts takes place ONLY within the rubber element in the bushing - nothing else in the assembly moves. That's why the bushing bolts can't be torqued unless the car is at normal ride height - if not, it will "wind up" the rubber element in the bushing and stress it torsionally, subjecting it to premature failure.
When the car was built, the plant had a special compression fixture that positioned the suspension at normal ride height while those bushing bolts were torqued.
03-09-2015, 05:07 AM
Wrestling with A-Arm Control Arm Bushing Replacement
