Lower control arm
Thread Starter
Instructor
Joined: Mar 2005
Posts: 156
Likes: 2
From: collingswood nj
Lower control arm
I am rebuilding my control arms. I took the passenger side lower arm apart the bushings are out both sleeves are out but i do not under stand why i can not get the shaft to come out it will not slide far enought into the bushing hole for the shaft to clear the other end. Has any body run into this problem before ?
Team Owner
Joined: Aug 2006
Posts: 24,125
Likes: 15
From: Columbia Missouri
It sounds like the bushing shells are still in the A-arm itself. The bushing shell will have a lip on one side, then the rubber bushing is inside that shell, and the sleeve is inside the rubber bushing which is what actually slides onto the shaft.
Make sure you have the shells out. Sometimes they need to be cut with a chisel and removed because pressing them leaves you with a bent A-arm.
Make sure you have the shells out. Sometimes they need to be cut with a chisel and removed because pressing them leaves you with a bent A-arm.
Thread Starter
Instructor
Joined: Mar 2005
Posts: 156
Likes: 2
From: collingswood nj
I dont understand what you mean by shells the upper control arm came apart fine the rubber bushings and the sleeves then the shaft slide right out.
but on the lower the rubber bushings are out and allso the sleeves but the shft wont come out
but on the lower the rubber bushings are out and allso the sleeves but the shft wont come out
Team Owner
Joined: Aug 2006
Posts: 24,125
Likes: 15
From: Columbia Missouri
Here is a picture of a new bushing. The large part with the lip is the shell. The rubber bushing is inside it, then the sleeve inside that.
These press in from the outside so that lip is on the outer edge of the A-arm. Sometimes when the bushings are removed the shell is left in, when someone thinks it's actually part of the A-arm. They are pressed in and very hard to get out. If they are still in the A-arms then the shaft cannon slide in one way far enough for the other side to come out.
I was just making sure your bushings came out completely and that the shell wasn't still in place.
Can you post a pic of the A-arm where the bushings came out and the shaft ends please?
Instructor
Joined: Apr 2008
Posts: 198
Likes: 0
From: Navarre Florida
I just went through this on my 77.
The outer sleeve, part that is pressed into the A-Frame, must be out to remove the control arm. Are you saying that you have both the bushings removed and the control arm still will not come out ?
Grant
The outer sleeve, part that is pressed into the A-Frame, must be out to remove the control arm. Are you saying that you have both the bushings removed and the control arm still will not come out ?
Grant
Thread Starter
Instructor
Joined: Mar 2005
Posts: 156
Likes: 2
From: collingswood nj
Thanks for the info durango_boy ill take another look at the bushing holes for the liner when i get home tonight but when i took the uppers apart all i had was the rubber bushing and the sleeves and the shaft came out
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Safety Car
Joined: Aug 2001
Posts: 4,883
Likes: 11
From: North Easton Mass
This is a pic of an upper control arm but your lower arm needs to look like it in order to get the shaft out. The shells have been removed from the control arm in the pic.
Rick B.
Safety Car
Joined: Aug 2001
Posts: 4,883
Likes: 11
From: North Easton Mass
If you are using poly bushings and the shells are in good shape you can just clean them up and re-use them without going through the effort to remove them. If you are using rubber bushings the shells have to come out.
Rick B.
Last edited by 72LS1Vette; Jan 29, 2009 at 11:19 AM.
Team Owner
Joined: Aug 2006
Posts: 24,125
Likes: 15
From: Columbia Missouri
With the poly bushings, make sure you grease, re-grease, and grease some more. They will squeak horribly if you don't and then you'll have to either live with the squeaking or do it all over again.
