I’m in the research stages of replacing my control arm bushings on my ’79. I’ve watched YouTube vids and read forum articles on the subject and I have a pretty good grasp on it. First, some terminology. I’m sure its not right, but its what I got. The rubber bushing sits in a sleeve that’s pressed into the control arm. I’ll call that the bushing sleeve. Then there is another small sleeve that goes in the middle of the rubber bushing that the attaching bolt goes thru. I’ll call the bolt sleeve. In the videos, the most potential for control arm or personal damage comes from removing the bushing sleeve once the rubber bushing has been burned/drilled/pressed/shot/exorcised out of the control arm. I see people using pneumatic hammers, grinders, sledge hammers, chisels and just about anything else to beat these bushings out of the control arm. Assuming I’m replacing rubber bushings with rubber bushings (taking proper precautions not to bend the control arm while removing the rubber), do I really need to replace the bushing sleeve if it’s undamaged? I would clean it up with some light sanding before putting in the new rubber but I mean, this whole job is done because the rubber is the wear item, not the sleeve it sits in. It appears to me that simply replacing the rubber and the bolt sleeve is really all that needs to be done.

Whuddaya think?
Steve

 

The rubber bushings with the inner and outer sleeves are a single part - you can't service them separately. The inner sleeves are almost always rusted to the shafts, and cannot be removed without destroying them. The outer sleeves likewise. Do you have a copy of my front end rebuild paper? If not, e-mail me a request. Paper is complete with instructions and photos.

Lars

 

Well, there ya go. A simple answer. As always, Lars is da man! I have your email from when you rebuilt my carb, which by the way, made a day and night difference! Thank you for all your contributions here.
Steve

 

When I did the arms on my 69 a couple years ago (they were OE to the car), the rubber cleanly came off of the steel. The outer sleeves were in excellent shape so I simply cleaned, etched, primed and painted. The rubber came off the new sleeves with zero effort so I saw no reason to replace the outer sleeves.

 

The outer sleeve should not be removable from the inner rubber. The bushings are a 1-piece assembly that should not come apart:


Lars

 

And Lars helping me here.. with pics..
https://www.corvetteforum.com/forums...rs-method.html

one piece and do NOT tighten it on ground.. those teeth grab and bushing does not come out as stated..
and my Lars carb still perfect

 

Personally, I decided to upgrade to DelALum bushings rather than rubber.
They were a little more costly, but there are some distinct advantages.
I took my arms and the DelALum kit to DUB (RIP, brother), and he did an amazing job installing them on my control arm shafts.
I also installed offset upper C/A shafts to make up for frame sag as well.
Hope to get her back on the road soon.
HOPEFULLY this year!