CaneinBatonRouge, Miami Hurricanes? Shouldn't that be an LSU banner? Are you from Denim Springs? I'll be in Baton Rouge next Tuesday to watch some LSU and USL baseball, and eat a bunch of crawfish. Gota go down to Opelousas to see the family.

 

I have PST's catalog and they don't mention what the ball joints or tierod ends are either...so you take it from there, you get what you pay for. They do give a 20 year warranty ...the phone number is 1 800 247 2288 if you want to call and ask.

 

Hi, couple of points:

Don't burn the old bushings out, C4 suspension parts are aluminium and they will suffer from heating.

The tip of drilling small holes into the bushings will work better in your case.

The job (front A-arms) will take anything from 8 hours to 2 days depending on how proficient mechanic you are.

I recommend this update.

Greets,

ToniH

 

I just finished mine up last Thursday. What worked for me was using a wheel puller using a small socket to help push the metal sleeve out. I started out drilling a ton of holes all around the bushing and used a screwdriver to pry them out. In some case I did not even have to drill holes, they were so bad I could pry them out without doing anything. Towards the end I used the wheel puller to push out the sleeve and the bushing. that speeded the process up considerably.
I was also able to replace the bushings in the rear diff carrier by dropping it about 4 inches, driving the sleeve out with the wheel puller, then driving the rubber out using a large socket and the wheel puller. I used a small hacksaw to cut the metal sleeve out. The new bushings slid right in by hand.
For me the trick was getting sleeve out then the rubber was much easier to deal with.
I had the front upper control arms pressed out and in by someone, it just seemed easier.
My biggest problem was getting the rear sway bar bushings in and out. It looked pretty easy to do without removing the sway bar from the car... not so. I finally unhooked one of the mufflers from the hanger pulled it out and used a vice to press the new bushings in.

I am amazed at the improvement in the car. WOW!!!

 

Oh, yes I forgot to say that do get your wheels aligned after the job or you ruin your tires.

ToniH

 

Good point, mine was way out, not even close.
The guy that did it, came in shaking his head. He didn't think new bushings would have put it that far out. He said he noticed them as soon as he opened the hood and saw the blue marine grease, and those bright yellow Bilsteins not even dirty:D
He was wondering who did my suspension work. He was surpised when I told I did it. :cool: I guess they don't see the home mechanic types too often, especially for a job like that.

 

Update, the car is basically finished after about 10 hours of work. Ran into one problem, the little bracket w/bushing that attaches to the shock plate that the sway bar endlink attaches to broke, so I have to round one up Monday. All in all, not to bad as I also changed the steering rack at the same time. My parts guy who pressed my lower ball joints for me was impressed with the quality of the PST ball joints.
BTW, No I'm not an LSU fan(and neither is alot of other people by looking at actual attendance of their baseball games this year), Miami Hurricanes 100%!

 

CaneinBatonRouge

How does it ride now?

 

Bluevette85, I just drove it a little straight line, kind of hard to push it through a turn with the sway bar disconnected on one side, I'll know more Monday after I get the other part and an alignment.

 

How hard was it to do the ball joints? What was all envolved with replacing those? And thanks for the info on the rear bushing price. PST emailed me back and said the exact same thing :).

 

Upper ball joints need to be drilled out. Your drilling thru aluminum so its not hard but you need to go slow and at the right angle.

Lower ball joints need to be pressed out then new ones pressed in. I rented a ball joint press for free from Autozone. There are no directions with the press so it takes trial and error to figure out how to do it.

You'll also need to rent a ball joint seperator to get the ball joints off the knuckle.

 

Hey Blue, Since the uppers looks like rivets and it has to be drilled out, how does the new ones stay in place? Sorry about all the ???s.

 

The kit comes with four bolts to use. The fit is good.

 

how much do you think it would cost to have this done?

 

C4, I was quoted around here at $300 labor for front and back. Not sure about your area.

Thanks Blue, the info helps a lot.

 

Bluevette,
Mine is a whole different car. Much, much tighter, and has that old feeling of being on rails and in control. I also did shocks at the same time, so that added a huge benefit. I did my fronts, drove the car for a week and then did the rears, there was a significant improvement once I got the rear complete. My rear strut rods were mush, I could almost get them out by hand there were so rotten.
Well worth the effort :cool:

 

I'll finish the fronts today then its on to the rear.
I'd recommend buying extra grease at the same time you buy the bushing kit. I don't care for the marine grease others recommend because it is not synthetic like the grease in the kits.

 

Bluevette85, finished up today and got the car re-aligned, man what a difference, it's like night and day, the car sticks very good now in the corners. Now to see how the parts will hold up. Now for new shocks. :flag

 

I just finished doing my suspensioon as well. The front upper ball joints came out with a smack from my 20oz mallet. The Lower ones had to be pressed out&In.

KM

 

That must be a strong mallet to break those four rivets. :smash: :smash: :smash: