Control Arm Bushings
Thread Starter
Racer
Joined: Jun 2013
Posts: 284
Likes: 22
From: Concord NH
Control Arm Bushings
Hi! Me again...
So, I'm doing with tracking my Z. It was built well for that purpose. But I'm thinking (I know, a dangerous pass time...) that rather than sell it as the track beast that it is, that rather I might hang onto it and continue to enjoy the car... So, I've got the control arms out and the bushings (which were a stiff poly) look a bit scored. They were squeaking before I pulled them out. The scoring took me by surprise. Normal?
Anyway, because there is some much collective knowledge and experience here in the Forums, I thought that I'd ask for your thoughts about the bushings. Keep (lubricate, of course), or replace. If replacement is the better path, what would you replace them with?
Thank you very much for your thoughts and feedback on this post!
Jeff
So, I'm doing with tracking my Z. It was built well for that purpose. But I'm thinking (I know, a dangerous pass time...) that rather than sell it as the track beast that it is, that rather I might hang onto it and continue to enjoy the car... So, I've got the control arms out and the bushings (which were a stiff poly) look a bit scored. They were squeaking before I pulled them out. The scoring took me by surprise. Normal?
Anyway, because there is some much collective knowledge and experience here in the Forums, I thought that I'd ask for your thoughts about the bushings. Keep (lubricate, of course), or replace. If replacement is the better path, what would you replace them with?
Thank you very much for your thoughts and feedback on this post!
Jeff
Last edited by jdm767; Apr 19, 2025 at 07:30 PM.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Jan 2001
Posts: 5,011
Likes: 508
From: Hilton NY
Do the control arms have grease fittings for the bushings? If they don't you can expect to see bushing wear as any initial install grease thins out and escapes. The same is true for the sway bar bushing mounts. If the bushings aren't too worn then they can be cleaned and reused with new grease. With grease fittings you can give the bushings a shot of grease once or twice a year and not hear any squeaking.
Last edited by Fast one; Apr 19, 2025 at 09:49 PM.
Pro
Joined: Jan 2001
Posts: 645
Likes: 345
From: San Jose CA
The best
https://www.globalwest.net/product/c...t-replacement/
The product description is pretty self explanatory
https://www.globalwest.net/product/c...t-replacement/
The product description is pretty self explanatory
Thread Starter
Racer
Joined: Jun 2013
Posts: 284
Likes: 22
From: Concord NH
No, the control arms do not have any grease fittings. I wonder how that would even work since the bushings are stationary within the control arms. Is the grease supposed to spread out between the outer wall of the bushing and the inner wall of the control arm? The squeaking that I'm hearing is coming from the face of the bushing rubbing against the face of the mounting bracket. Seems like a strange piece of engineering...
Drifting
Joined: Mar 2000
Posts: 1,956
Likes: 135
From: Maryland
How many track days and how long until you sell?
I say make the car what you want, at this point its not worth all that much anyway.
I have Borg delrin and the street ride is really no different than when it had rubber.
I say make the car what you want, at this point its not worth all that much anyway.
I have Borg delrin and the street ride is really no different than when it had rubber.
Thread Starter
Racer
Joined: Jun 2013
Posts: 284
Likes: 22
From: Concord NH
Thank you... That's pretty much the way I'm leaning at this point. Keep the car, make it a bit softer (so that the Misses will come along), and leave an antique to the kids years from now.
Thanks for your thoughts!
Thanks for your thoughts!
Le Mans Master
Joined: Jan 2001
Posts: 5,011
Likes: 508
From: Hilton NY
From memory: After the bushings were installed, a tap hole was drilled into the arm/ bushing and tapped for a grease fitting. A small 1" diameter grinding stone was used in a Dremel to create a shallow internal circular groove where the bushings meet then all was flushed clean. If the installed bushings don't contact each other on their inner side a groove isn't needed because the grease can circulate in the space between the bushings. Mine did contact each other so the grease fitting is in the arm center line and the hole goes through half of one and half of the other bushing. So the grease under pressure goes through the fitting, through the hole in the bushing(s) and around the center shaft from the circular groove then out of the ends. I think silicone grease is recommended for this application.
Thread Starter
Racer
Joined: Jun 2013
Posts: 284
Likes: 22
From: Concord NH
That is very clever. So, to make sure that I understand, the hole that was drilled through the control arm continues through the bushing and through the inner metal sleeve of the bushing. You then ground out a shallow swale perpendicular to the long axis inside the metal sleeve in the bushing. Now when grease is pushed into the fitting, it goes into the core of the sleeve and around the bolt. It can travel down the bolt and exit on the ends of the bushing. Do I have that right?
Lastly, my poly bushings are one piece.
Thanks for explaining this approach!
Lastly, my poly bushings are one piece.
Thanks for explaining this approach!
Corvette Stories
The Best of Corvette for Corvette Enthusiasts
Top 10 Most Expensive Corvettes Ever Sold on Bring A Trailer
Brett Foote
10 Things Every Corvette Owner Needs (2026 Edition)
Michael S. Palmer
8 Most "Only Corvette Owners Understand" Quirks and Problems
Pouria Savadkouei
10 Reasons the C6 Z06 is Still A Performance Benchmark After 20 Years
Joe Kucinski
How Much Horsepower Every Corvette Engine "LOST" in 1972
Joe Kucinski
Top 10 DOs and DON'Ts for Protecting Your Convertible Top!
Michael S. Palmer
Top 10 Most Explosive Corvettes Ever Made: Power-to-Weight Ratio Ranked!
Joe Kucinski
150 hp to 1,250 hp: Every Corvette Generation Compared by the Specs That Matter
Joe Kucinski
8 Coolest Corvette Pace Cars (and Replicas) of All Time
Verdad Gallardo
Le Mans Master
Joined: Jan 2001
Posts: 5,011
Likes: 508
From: Hilton NY
The hole didn't go into the center hollow aluminum spacer, the groove in the poly bushing went around the spacer not along it so the grease goes around the center spacer half way from each end. The hollow aluminum spacer becomes lubed with grease where it rotates in the poly bushing and the grease flows out to the sides.