Control arm bushing removal
Thread Starter
Safety Car
Joined: Jun 2013
Posts: 4,399
Likes: 793
Control arm bushing removal
I didn't want to bury this question in my restore thread. How do you remove the bushing on the upper control arms. Allot of swearing or any special tools. Never did this before.
Melting Slicks
Joined: May 2006
Posts: 3,438
Likes: 41
From: Raleigh NC
St. Jude Donor '13-'14
A hole saw to cut the rubber and I like to use an air chisel - you'll have all 4 out in 15 minutes. Same with the lowers. Mooser did a good little write up, exactly how I remove them.
http://forums.corvetteforum.com/c3-g...g-removal.html
Racer
Joined: Jul 2013
Posts: 385
Likes: 3
From: Leesburg VA
I used a hole saw as stated above, then a small hacksaw to cut through the outer bushing and collapse them with a hammer and chisel. It took me quite a bit longer than 15 minutes, but I got them out myself. I did end up hiring someone to put the new ones in though. I probably could and should have done that myself as well, but felt I should leave that to a prefessional.
Not a terrible job. I did a ton of research before I did it though. If you use my technique, you must be very, very careful when you are cutting the outer bushing with the saw to not cut too far into the control arm. If you aren't paying attention, you could probably ruin a control arm by cutting into it too far. Go slow, and keep checking your cut and alignment so that you cut as much of the bushing as possible while only knicking the metal in the control arm.
John
Not a terrible job. I did a ton of research before I did it though. If you use my technique, you must be very, very careful when you are cutting the outer bushing with the saw to not cut too far into the control arm. If you aren't paying attention, you could probably ruin a control arm by cutting into it too far. Go slow, and keep checking your cut and alignment so that you cut as much of the bushing as possible while only knicking the metal in the control arm.
John
Thread Starter
Safety Car
Joined: Jun 2013
Posts: 4,399
Likes: 793
control arms
Thanks Pete and Kudemjo. I checked out that forum members post. Very good, I hope I can remember it all. May have to take the PC with me. This sounds like real fun. Thanks guys I will let you know how I make out in my restore post. Oh mine look really rusted in may take awhile.
Melting Slicks
Joined: May 2006
Posts: 3,438
Likes: 41
From: Raleigh NC
St. Jude Donor '13-'14
I found that with one of the cutter chisels that if you hammer in one spot for a minute it will fold inward, then you can push right out. I did not have to use a hacksaw to put the groove in the bushing, as John describes. It may take a little extra time, but I think this does prevent that catastrophe that John talks about in completely ruining the control arm.
Goodluck!
Goodluck!
