I just got the call.. They are aligning my rear end and they tell me I need upper ca bushings. Figures.. I read the archives and thought I'd ask the question again. Anyone know of a good.. How to.. for R&R.. Is it pretty self explanatory by looking at it? I thought about using poly bushings because it's easier to install as long as I get the longer inner sleeves?? I'm sure where I purchase the bushings will know what I'm talking about.. I've never done ball joints but I understand that I have to seperate the control arm from the ball joint.. right? How much harder is it to remove the ball joint for replacement from that point? I guess once I get my head under the car I'll learn more.. I was excited about getting the car back on the road.. Not too happy about taking it off to repair so soon.. :smash:

 

I'm a bit confused. You said that they are aligning the rear end, but you're talking about front suspension bushings. :confused:

If you're talking about replacing the front control arm bushings, I'd be really surprised if the uppers are worn and the lowers are not. To replace the front control arm bushings you pretty well need to tear down the whol front suspension to pull the upper and lower a-arms out. Removing the front spindles with a pickle fork will usually damage the balljoint boots, so you may as well go ahead and rebuild the entire front suspension "while you're at it". I feel your pain, that's where I'm at with my car right now. :cry

Shannon

 

Sorry, I tend to ramble.. I replaced the t-arms and asked them to align the rear end. They had the car on the machine and called to say the upper CA bushings need replacing and wanted to know if I still wanted them to align the car. I said to just do the rear anyway but he said they hook up the machine to all 4 tires and once I get the CA bushings done it will need another alignment. Guess it shouldn't be as expensive as doing the rear for the first time..

Is this a basic R&R job.. The T arms were pretty easy.. Just not sure I want to do this job now or wait till I put her up for the winter..

I plan to do both bushings on both sides.. No sense in doing only half the job. Would a pickle fork be the tool for this or can I use a puller instead?


[Modified by Koz, 12:46 PM 4/25/2003]

 

when you sayw both sides I assume you mean both control arm bushings. to remove the upper control arms you need a splitting fork. put your jack under the lower control arm under the spring pearch and jack the car up. put jackstands under the chassis. this releives spring pressure on the upper arms. take the nut off of the upper ball joint to spindle and use the splitting fork to break the balljoit taper out of the spindle. remove the two upper arm bolts and nuts being carefull to make sure that you loosten them up first, take out the shim packages and keep them seperate in order to reinstall later in the same place. remove the control arm. remove the nuts or bolts on either side of the controll arm shaft. use an impact chissel to remove the bushings. If you don't have a press avaliable, find a socket that will fit over the new bushing, support the control arm where the bushing will be driven in, lube the bushing up and drive the first bushing home. take the controll arm shaft, insert it into the installed bushing, fasten the nut or bolt loosley. insert the second bushing into the arm tap the bushing in as far as possible then fasten the nut or bolt to it. tighten down both front and rear bushing bolts and with the ears of the control arm under pressure, place the control arm shaft on a block of wood and tap the control arm ear until you seat the second bushing. reinstall the whole mess and you're back in action. the lowers are alot harder. wcj :party:

 

If you don't have a splitting fork or don't want to tear the boots another way to release the ball joint is to- have the chassis on jack stands, jack up the lower A-arm with a floor jack, loosen the ball joint nut about 2-3 turns, lower the floor jack slightly,hold a hammer on one side of the spindle socket and strike the opposing side with another hammer. The tapered ball joint will pop out. Then jack up the lower A-arm again to relieve all pressure on the upper and take off the nut and remove upper A-arm. This hammer method also works on tie rod ends and idler arm connections. Good Luck, Craig

 

Yeah. How we did it was we jacked up the wheel, put some 2x2s in between the upper control arm and the frame, lowered the jack (just until it was barely off the lower control arm), then just hit the spindle on the side of where the balljoint goes in (nut removed) and it just popped by the spring pressure.

 

My body work is delayed while waiting for parts - so I was thinking of
starting my front end rebuild this weekend. It's gonna rain all Saturday -
but it is the wife's birthday so I might hear :cuss :nono: .
Thanks for the post - lots of good tips. :yesnod:
:seeya

 

Thanks for the help.. Couple more questions: There are 2 ball joints on each side. What you just described was how to pop out the upper ball joint.. How do you do the lower? Same way.. Raise the lower a-arm, loosen the ball joint nut, lower the jack and :smash: .. ? I like this methoid.. When raising the a-arm where you you lift it? Under the spring? Also, when you lift the lower a-arm your pushing or compressing the spring upward.. wouldn't that put more pressure on the upper a-arm? Does the spring basically sit between the upper and lower control arms?

Also, if I plan on removing the ball joints.. which I do.. I have to drill out the rivits. Can you get a drill in there? Drill from the top down? I didn't take the wheel off to try but it sure looks tight..

For those that did the job, where did you get your parts?

 

Koz:

I am presently doing the same thing to my car (front end rebuild) If you are going to replace the ball joints, you don't need the pickle fork. A couple of good raps with a hammer on the side of the spindle where the ball joint goes through will help to break it free, then either use the old castle nut or a solid one threaded on till just flush with the top of the joint and give it one good smack with a hammer. It should pop right out. I ground the heads off the rivets for my top ball joints then used a punch to punch them through, the joint came right off.

One thing I don't understand is why you want to try to drill them on the car as far as I know there is no way to replace the bushings with the Arm on the car. You will have to remove the control arm to replace the bushings anyway and with the arm out it is easy to work on and replace the bushings and the ball joint. :smash: :smash: :smash:

 

That's cause I don't know what I'm doing.. :conehead I thought the ball joints stayed on the car and not part of the control arm.. I'm learning more every day.. :D Either way you still need to compress the spring.. right?

Where did you get your new parts?


[Modified by Koz, 1:58 PM 4/28/2003]

 

Koz:

I had the car supported on jachstands approx. 13" off the ground. Once the ball joints are disconnected, and the tie rod ends. You need to carefully lower the lower control arm with a good floor jack. Once the lower arm is completely lowered I still had to compress the old srping slightly to get it out. Some people just wedge it out with a large pry bar, but I used a spring compressor. With the spring slightly compressed it came out easily. You can then remove the bolts that hold the control arm shafts in place. You will need a large breaker bar for this because they are very tight. Keep track of the shim location for the upper control arm shaft mounting (alignment) and put them back in the correct spots when you put it back together. :yesnod: :yesnod: