Bushings done
Thread Starter
Instructor
Joined: Nov 2005
Posts: 230
Likes: 0
From: Bridgewater, Nova Scotia, Canada
Bushings done
Hey all. Just finished installing my front control arm bushings which all went pretty well. Thought I would share what I did for a press in the cause it may be of use to someone else. Our house has a side entrance alcove which is all concrete. I put down a couple of 6x6 filler blocks and used a 4 ton bottle jack layed on its back to press against the opposite wall. I made up the necessary support pieces as described in the GM manual so as not to damage the arms. I was able to press everything together very slow and controlled (still with caution cause things can always fly apart). All in all not such a bad job except for gettin the spring back in.
I'll post some pics when I get it all together.
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I'll post some pics when I get it all together.
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Last edited by 72350auto; Nov 20, 2007 at 03:26 PM. Reason: add info
Drifting
Joined: Aug 2007
Posts: 1,924
Likes: 6
Melting Slicks
Joined: Jul 2004
Posts: 3,248
Likes: 48
From: westland mi
Hey all. Just finished installing my front control arm bushings which all went pretty well. Thought I would share what I did for a press in the cause it may be of use to someone else. Our house has a side entrance alcove which is all concrete. I put down a couple of 6x6 filler blocks and used a 4 ton bottle jack layed on its back to press against the opposite wall. I made up the necessary support pieces as described in the GM manual so as not to damage the arms. I was able to press everything together very slow and controlled (still with caution cause things can always fly apart). All in all not such a bad job except for gettin the spring back in.
I'll post some pics when I get it all together.
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I'll post some pics when I get it all together.
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Safety Car
Joined: Oct 2006
Posts: 3,930
Likes: 15
From: Calgary Alberta
I installed the bushings on my a-arms- luckily only one control arm got bent. It was partially from me, but it was bent a little before hand anyways. I ended up replacing it and instead of risking it in the hydraulic press, I took a different approach. I put the bushing shells in the freezer for a couple of hours before hand and cleaned out the bushing holes on the control arm really good using a dremel tool. I took them out of the freezer and smacked them in with a hammer and appropriate sized socket while my father held the control arm tightly against the workbench. It was still a chore to get them in, but it prevented the control arm from bending. It worked out very well. By the way, good job on the install! I love when people improvise to save money and do the job themselves.
Melting Slicks
Joined: May 2006
Posts: 2,590
Likes: 403
From: Nashville TN
St. Jude Donor '09
That's a pretty creative solution; I'll have to store that one in my brain-bank, if the beer doesn't flush it out 
I did the freezer and hammer thing as well. Scared the crap out of my son who was holding the A-arm though.
. . . No problems.
I did the freezer and hammer thing as well. Scared the crap out of my son who was holding the A-arm though.
. . . No problems.
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Team Owner
Joined: Oct 2004
Posts: 23,831
Likes: 10
From: Springfield MO
St. Jude Donor '07
Freezer and hammer worked fine for me. Things became interesting, though, when I realized I had one lower shaft in backwards when I was about halfway done with that arm... 
Team Owner
Joined: Aug 2006
Posts: 24,125
Likes: 15
From: Columbia Missouri
I did that too. Sucked having to remove one of the new bushings to turn the shaft around in the A-arm.