Control Arm Bushing NIGHTMARE

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Aug 13, 2015 | 12:22 PM

jgcable

Thread Starter

Pro

Joined: May 2015

Posts: 572

Likes: 21

From: Milford, CT

Control Arm Bushing NIGHTMARE

Tore the control arms off of my 77. Grinded the rivets off and removed both ball joints. No problem. Control arm bushings??? HOLY CRAP ARE THESE A PAIN TO REMOVE!!! I spent at least 3 hours removing the lower control arm bushings on ONE CONTROL ARM!!! I burned them. I drilled them. I completely removed the rubber. I used hammers, punches, a die grinder, tons of PB blaster and at least 3 hours of hard labor to get these suckers out. NO WAY am I doing this again with the passenger side. There HAS TO BE A BETTER WAY!!!!!!

Aug 13, 2015 | 12:26 PM

Easy Mike

Team Owner

Joined: Jun 2000

Posts: 38,923

Likes: 1,482

From: Southbound

Cruise-In II Veteran

Control arm busings are pressed on. You can remove the old bushings and sleeves without a press, but you'll need a press when it comes time to install the new ones.

Aug 13, 2015 | 12:42 PM

hugie82

Safety Car

Joined: Mar 2007

Posts: 3,652

Likes: 49

From: Bridgewater nj

I did mine last year. The air chisel made short work of a 30 year old northeast rusted bushing. You have to catch the edge and fold it in and then work it out

Aug 13, 2015 | 12:46 PM

toobroketoretire

Melting Slicks

Joined: Apr 2009

Posts: 2,632

Likes: 112

From: Great Plains Iowa

With the right tools they come out fairly easy.

Aug 13, 2015 | 12:46 PM

Rebelrob

Drifting

Joined: Jul 2009

Posts: 1,534

Likes: 14

From: Dallas-Fort Worth TX

Quote:

Originally Posted by hugie82

I did mine last year. The air chisel made short work of a 30 year old northeast rusted bushing. You have to catch the edge and fold it in and then work it out

Second that. I brought mine to tracdogg and he used an air chisel and had them all out in no time. I then had them blasted and powder coated. He pressed in the new bushings.

Aug 13, 2015 | 01:09 PM

Mooser

Race Director

Joined: Apr 2011

Posts: 11,183

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From: North of Toronto - Ontario

Personally I'm not a fan of the air-chisel on the vette arms, the lowers in particular seem easily bent around the bushing area. Anything else I've worked on I've used the air-chisel / BFH method.

For an alternative method you could try this
https://www.corvetteforum.com/forums...g-removal.html
M

Aug 13, 2015 | 02:23 PM

jgcable

Thread Starter

Pro

Joined: May 2015

Posts: 572

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From: Milford, CT

So that's pretty much exactly what I did with the exception of using an air chisel. I used a punch and a hammer. It was a real pain in the neck.

Aug 13, 2015 | 02:25 PM

jgcable

Thread Starter

Pro

Joined: May 2015

Posts: 572

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From: Milford, CT

Quote:

Originally Posted by Easy Mike

Control arm busings are pressed on. You can remove the old bushings and sleeves without a press, but you'll need a press when it comes time to install the new ones.

From all the threads I read on this forum it seems that most people suggest not using a press (I don't own one anyway). They state its too easy to bend the control arm. The popular method when installing MOOG rubber bushings is to put them in the freezer and when I install them use a large socket and drive them in with a hammer.

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Aug 13, 2015 | 03:04 PM

Jud Chapin

Race Director

Joined: Sep 2001

Posts: 10,560

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From: Wellington, FL

St. Jude Donor '11 thru '25

Large socket and vice work well installing them (one at a time).

Aug 13, 2015 | 03:28 PM

#10

Sigforty

Le Mans Master

Joined: Apr 2001

Posts: 5,941

Likes: 281

From: Was New Orleans but swam to Baton Rouge LA

Cruise-In IX Veteran

A press works great to remove and also install them. You can get a cheap one at harbor freight with a coupon.

Aug 13, 2015 | 05:17 PM

#11

toobroketoretire

Melting Slicks

Joined: Apr 2009

Posts: 2,632

Likes: 112

From: Great Plains Iowa

I also coat the bushing O.D. and the a-frame I.D. with Never-Seez so they will come out easier the next time.

Aug 13, 2015 | 05:50 PM

#12

Mooser

Race Director

Joined: Apr 2011

Posts: 11,183

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From: North of Toronto - Ontario

Quote:

Originally Posted by jgcable

So that's pretty much exactly what I did with the exception of using an air chisel. I used a punch and a hammer. It was a real pain in the neck.

Must be really rusted on there. Usually once that slot is cut into the outer sleeve it's fairly easy to push out, same with opening the inner sleeve along the split.

I'll add another vote for freezing the bushings for re-install.
M

Aug 14, 2015 | 11:48 AM

#13

ted13b

Racer

Joined: Dec 2010

Posts: 281

Likes: 4

From: Holbrook MA

I went through it the winter before last. I finally used a hole saw to cut through the rubber, cut a slot in the outer shell, then an air chisel to pop them right out. Freeze the new bushings and leave the arms in the sun for a while, then it's easy to tap them in.

Nov 3, 2015 | 11:57 AM

#14

navet

Intermediate

Joined: Jul 2011

Posts: 48

Likes: 0

Here is what I did. Someone suggested this in another control arm thread. I just used air hammer on the old bushing w/o removing any rubber.

Nov 3, 2015 | 12:18 PM

#15

Richard454

Le Mans Master

Joined: May 2003

Posts: 8,877

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From: Fernandina Beach FL

2023 Restomod of the Year finalist

2020 C3 of the Year Winner - Modified

Lots of ways to skin a cat...

I like just hitting the rubber w/ propane torch...works on cats too

Richard

Nov 4, 2015 | 11:06 AM

#16

tracdogg2

Drifting

Joined: Jul 2002

Posts: 1,995

Likes: 110

From: Garland Texas

It's not just using an air chisel. You also use the bit that is designed for bushings. It also helps to have the bushing install tools.

Nov 4, 2015 | 01:41 PM

#17

jnealg

Burning Brakes

Joined: Apr 2010

Posts: 1,018

Likes: 9

From: Winston Ga.

yup fire is your friend...

Nov 4, 2015 | 03:40 PM

#18

jb78L-82

Le Mans Master

Joined: Oct 2007

Posts: 7,453

Likes: 976

From: RI, Now Franklin/Nashville TN

here....https://www.corvetteforum.com/forums...tallation.html

post #20

Heat the area around the bushing housing, not the bushing, when the rubber melts/bubbles, pry the bushing out with a screw driver...

Nov 4, 2015 | 04:58 PM

#19

mrvette

Team Owner

Joined: Jul 1999

Posts: 65,492

Likes: 230

From: Orange Park Florida

Simple job really, did not take but two hours or less to do both sides on mine and that is upper and lower....first thing is to careful measure the distance between the bends over the bushing insert, and cut a piece of angle iron to just that measure and insert that in place as you air chisel that in/out the new one is easy to press in with a decent bench vice or a hammer if you have to....but of course that angle iron section has to be in position, and a heavy block of wood, or some help from a 1/2 inch of steel laid up top of the new bushing/socket and a good hammer....did mine over 15 years ago....easy....

Nov 5, 2015 | 10:43 AM

#20

20mercury

Safety Car

Joined: May 2008

Posts: 3,753

Likes: 721

From: Lafayette Louisiana

Ditto here.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mooser

Ditto here too, did it the Mooser way, but used some 1/8" drill bits to drill the rubber out, agree, this is a PITA job, but with all C3 jobs (for me anyway, LOL's), persistence, patience and more persistence will get it done. The second arm will likely go better after you get the hang of it with the first one. BTW, I like to soak the bushing with acetone/trans fluid red as that is one of the best penetrants around and cheap too, mix up 50/50 and chip brush it on, repeat for several days. how corroded in your bushing are will have a lot to do with how much fun you have doing this. Some were easy for me and others, well, just not. For the reinstall, to avoid bending, fabricate an inner brace out of a fence metal pipe post, split it lengthwise and then fit to support, I used a pipe clamp, the kind woodworkers use, 3/4", and sockets to press the new bushing in. tighten the clamp, tap with a hammer, and then repeat, the tapping with a hammer seems to jar the new bushing in as needed. hope this helps.

Thanks again Mooser for your post too!

Last edited by 20mercury; Nov 5, 2015 at 10:50 AM.

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