Roger that 73. I don't think it would make a difference with poly anyway. I'm going to check the springs again tonight.
Thanks,
Eric

 

WRONG! when you use the stock style Harris bushings, there are inner serrations to LOCK the inner bushing sleeve and washer assembly to the control arm shaft. I think I have observed a set of poly bushings with serrations too. Most poly bushings have a smooth inner sleeve and there are specific instructions about shimming the shaft washer away from the poly material. Harris type bushings and any poly type bushings should ONLY be tightened after the vehicle is on the ground at ride heigth or you will lock the inner sleeve and DESTROY the rubber in the bushings. I have worked on Vettes for over 20 years now and the mis-alignment of the inner sleeve to the control arm shaft would probably cause binding in poly bushings if it is not addressed during the rebuild (most lower shafts are BENT comming out of the Vettes I have worked on, even ones that have never been wrecked.) One thing you will have to keep up on with the poly bushings is to make sure your washers/bolts don't loosen in use, the serrations of the Harris style joints keep those parts tight for over 100K miles, poly is not engineered by the same guys that did your Vette originally so, this is something you will need to look out for. Most good looking Vettes end up with a fender heigth of around 26.5-27.5" fro the ground, you may have to cut your springs and add 8" long spring bolts in the back to get a proper ride heigth.

 

I'm just about to tackle this job myself. Parts are in "delivery" somewhere.
In case there isnt any lube with the parts, what can be used?
Regular grease?...Likely not.
Sil Glyde as previously mentioned?
Bum Lube?....scratch that.....its water based, or so I'm told

Or Lithium grease as mentioned above?

rubersidedown
Dodosmike

 

Then why, after the cross shaft bolts have been tightened on the upper control arms (or lower) can the control arms be moved up and down by hand?

Trust me. The control arm bushings do no hold the front end of the car up.

But review my earlier post. I stated that the factory service manual says to tighten the cross-shsaft bolts at "ride height to prevent the twisting of the rubber bushings' shoulders".

But in this case, the loosening and retorquing the cross-shaft bolts will serve no purpose.

 

Right! 73 and Gusto were that is. My ride hight is back in order now. After I drove it around awhile it did settle quite a bit, but still to high (Back to original?) in the front. I cut 1 coil off the 460# springs and looks great! It is now 26 3/4 in the front and about 27 1/4 in the back. Tightening everything with the car in the air was not an issue with poly and new sleaves. The bushings still squeek like hell though? I moved the control arms around when I removed the springs and it seems to be the uppers that are making all the noise. Must have been some kind of installation error! I'll get it right eventually. Thanks to all who replied to my post.
Eric