Has anybody paid a shop to install all 8 control arm bushings? If so, do you have a general idea of the price?

I was looking at mine (1973) and they are just about shot.

Thanks!

 

http://forums.corvetteforum.com/show...l+arm+bushings

 

Hey Bob, long time. Have you considered doing it yourself? It really not all that bad if you have a freezer, a big vice, a heavy duty corder power drill, a 25mm bit-less hole saw, a cold chisel, and a hammer.

With the above items I was able to cut out the rubber and hammer out the 8 old shells in about ten minutes per bushing. So long as the new ones are frozen for a few days they all go back together pretty quickly.

I would say the whole job took me a few hours and that's with putting them back on the car. Make sure when doing the lower ones that you keep track of which end of the cross shaft came out first because you have to reverse that for installation. I ended up doing one of the lowers twice because I slid the wrong side in first.

Having a shop do it they won't hurry at all and you'll be looking at around 8 hours shop labor plus mark up on parts. They'll charge you to take out the fan and shroud. They won't be gentle. If you were closer I'd do it for you for a few beers.

Obviously the springs have to come out and having the suspension apart would make it a great time to replace the ball joints and tie rod ends in case they are showing wear. It all has to be taken apart anyway...might as well put it back together with new parts.

 

The NAPA near me has a press and charged $5 a piece for them. I still took the arms out of the car and knocked out the old bushings with an air hammer myself, so all they did was the pressing.
Not too bad considering I had to pay $40 just to get 2 trailing arm bushings installed by the corvette shop because they had the tool.

 

 

It will depend on what you have around you for shops. I had my new bushing shells pressed in for ~$70.00 at a ahop that mostly services trucks. In my area there aren't a lot of shops that are even equipped to do bushing installation. My local NAPA shop doesn't have any shop services at all.



Rick B.

 

I have done the job on a few of my cars. Don't know what work you have accomplished yourself or what tools you own but it will be a time consuming job and the front springs need to come out plus when you are finished you need to get an alignment done. If you have a air compressor and air chisel you are in business. Before I had many tools back in the early '70s I got the bushing out by burning them with a Berns-a-matic torch once the A-Arms where off the car. I would then open up a hack saw putting the blad through the bushing after all smelly burn rubber was removed and hacksaw through the bushings housing then knock them out with a hammer and chisel. With the Air Chisel all this can be eliminated. Then you can either take it to Napa or any parts store that has a press to press the new ones in or you can hammer them in using a large socket after freezing them. Its a big job no matter how you look at it. If you do it just take your time and do one side at a time.

 

Hey guys, thanks for the advice, and Durango, thanks for the kind offer.

I have the tools and the experience but I've also had three lower back surgery's so it would be pretty painful and very stupid for me to take on a job like this

I have 3 good Corvette shops within an hour or so of home so I will give them a call today.

I was just trying to get a basic idea of what some others have paid for this job.

Thanks again!

 

Being none too bright..... and not having done suspension work.... yet.
I am assuming the press needed is a big hydraulic jobber as opposed to the manual bearing press I use at work?

 

You could probably do it with a big enough arbor press, but the 12-20 ton hydraulic presses are much better. I was looking at picking up a cheap one from harbor frieght for a while but decided against it mostly because it'd just take up moe space in the garage.

 

Bob do you have the arms out of the car or are you planning on dropping the car off and having it done 100%? Big difference in cost between the two jobs.
Presses can and will bend the arms if not supported. A hole saw and air hammer work much better.

 

Hey Gary....
Nah, they are still in the car.
Corvette Center in Newington quoted $700 + parts and a few day turn around.

I still need to call Rich at A&R in Patterson NY (closer than Newington for me) on Monday for a quote.

The only reason I don't want to do it myself is because of my lower back surgery's.

1 day wrestling around with this job would probably equal about a week of agony afterwards.

 

I hear you Bob, I've been dealing with a L4-5 disk for 20 years now. Hurts everyday.

 

If you have the compressor and air chisel this is the only way to go. They come out in no time. As far as installation goes heres my expensive tool I got from the home depot plumbing dept for a 1.50 Get one wide enough so it dont marr the rubber, put it into position and give it a few whacks with the ball peen. Dont rest the other end of the controll arm on anything while tapping it into position. You dont want to damage or bend it. Just hold it with one hand by the bushing area and hit it with the other. I have used this on 4 vettes, thats 32 bushings and it works great.

 

That tool needs chrome plating.....

 

Hey DB - Priceless Info. I just tore the front suspension out of my 78 to powder everything and install new bushings. I used to use a small bit & drill the rubber out! I had the rubber cut out is less than a minute and the sleeve out soon after! That tip was worth the price of admission!

Didn't have a 25 mm so I used what I had - 1 1/8th" I can guarentee you, there will be a 25 mm in my tool box soon!

Thanks DB

 

No problem at all. I'm just glad that the forum gives all of us a way to learn and try new things that will help our tasks seem a little easier.

It's terrific news you got it done so fast. Great job.

 

I got a black powdercoated set of 4 with Red poly Energy suspension bushings and shafts installed with all new ball joints installed with red energy suspension poly boots. $300 buys them all, ready to bolt in. These had absolutly no pitting and are excellent. Bought A VBP Performance plus setup.

 

Thanks Kevin
I spoke to the best shop in the area today and he quoted about $600 plus alignment.
This is bushings only but full labor.

 

Seems like a lot of $$$ but your health comes first.