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Anyone with experience replacing control arm bushings?
I was getting really excited to get my C7 GS back for track duties after my engine exploded back in March, just to discover that I have at least one "bad" control arm bushing...So, I now need new bushings all over. I believe I am going to go the Delrin route...
I called the shop who has been taking care of my alignments and asked for a quote (I'm very happy with them and they have a great reputation). They basically told me that removing the bushings is a nightmare and quoted me 10 hours just to remove and install the bushings, excluding time to remove/reinstall the control arms, and excluding the alignment. I was very surprised.
Can anyone who has dealt with this share their experience? Did you DIY? If so, how challenging was it? Did you have a shop do it? If so, how many hours did they charge you?
I was getting really excited to get my C7 GS back for track duties after my engine exploded back in March, just to discover that I have at least one "bad" control arm bushing...So, I now need new bushings all over. I believe I am going to go the Delrin route...
I called the shop who has been taking care of my alignments and asked for a quote (I'm very happy with them and they have a great reputation). They basically told me that removing the bushings is a nightmare and quoted me 10 hours just to remove and install the bushings, excluding time to remove/reinstall the control arms, and excluding the alignment. I was very surprised.
Can anyone who has dealt with this share their experience? Did you DIY? If so, how challenging was it? Did you have a shop do it? If so, how many hours did they charge you?
Thanks.
Haven't done a C7 but did a C6. I used a hydraulic press (courtesy of Harbor Freight) and soaked the bushings with some penetrating oil around the perimeter. I probably spent 6 hours taking all 16 of them out and felt I was going pretty fast . 10 hours seems excessive but I can see where a shop will want to protect themselves from surprises.
It's not hard per se but not an enjoyable experience either.
Thanks. I have read that the C7 bushings have an outer steel sleeve that gets pressed into the control arm. On the C6, the bushing is pressed directly into the arm. Wondering if that outer sleeve is making things more challenging for removal…
Thanks. I have read that the C7 bushings have an outer steel sleeve that gets pressed into the control arm. On the C6, the bushing is pressed directly into the arm. Wondering if that outer sleeve is making things more challenging for removal…
Could be. If the shop is removing the arms plus doing all the bushing work, it starts to make sphericals from AMT or GSpeed creep into the picture.
The below pic is one of my spare control arms and on a decent size screen you can see the outer shell. Lemme know if you need more pics to decide what you're getting into.
BTW....Mark at AMT was selling OEM ball joints so while it's apart, it may be worth changing those as well. Same ball joint front and rear.
Good point. If I buy Borg bushings and have my shop do the bushing work that would be $2,800 total. AMT quotes $2,750 for monoballs on their website. Currently exchanging emails with Mark at AMT.
i was getting really excited to get my c7 gs back for track duties after my engine exploded back in march, just to discover that i have at least one "bad" control arm bushing...so, i now need new bushings all over. I believe i am going to go the delrin route...
I called the shop who has been taking care of my alignments and asked for a quote (i'm very happy with them and they have a great reputation). They basically told me that removing the bushings is a nightmare and quoted me 10 hours just to remove and install the bushings, excluding time to remove/reinstall the control arms, and excluding the alignment. I was very surprised.
Can anyone who has dealt with this share their experience? Did you diy? If so, how challenging was it? Did you have a shop do it? If so, how many hours did they charge you?
Thanks.
g speed will send you the arms with them installed and you send them yours.
Hoghly tecommend this option.
Squishing out the factory bushings suuuucks on the C7, even for us. We have fixtures and a press to make it less of a struggle, but the C7 is our LEAST favorite arms to work on. If your time is worth nothing, then I guess a DIY delrin installation makes sense. But if your free time is worth even $20/hour to you, send us your arms and let us take care of it for you so you don't need to jerk around with it for an entire weekend.
I went full poly on my GTO back in the day. I bought a bushing pull kit, but some bushings (like the metal sleeved ones), I had a shop push out. You CANNOT unless you have a major press get those out. But if you pull the arms off the car and take them someplace its economical. I think I got charged like an hour of work for the set of front arms. I brought the arms, supplied the new bushings. It was just labor.
So, I decided to go the AMT route and started removing the control arms. I’m done with the front. Hoping to remove the rear arms this weekend.
Separating the lower ball joints was a bit of pain. I used the Harbor Freight separator which is too small for the lower joints. Had to cut the joint bolt to make it fit (was planning on replacing the ball joints anyway). What tool do you use to separate the lower ball joints? Did you go with the GM tool?
Also, for the rear, is cutting the lower control arm bolt located close to the tank the only option to get it out? The holes in the arms are slotted. Wondering if I can get it out by wiggling the arm/bolt.
Mark @ AMT is the MAN!!
His mono ball kit and OE ball joints made my 2016 Z06 a blast on the road course.
Take his advise and go with it.
$$ but worth it to me!!
Find a shop that knows how to do a proper 4 wheel alignment for your intentions.
Ok, the arms are out. Need to package them and ship to AMT.
It was wishful thinking to think I could get LCA bolts close to the tank out without cutting them…
I really struggled to separate the rear lower ball joints. Tried many different techniques/tools. I ended up combining the fork of the Harbor Freight separator with the body of the Gearwrench separator. That worked perfectly.
Also noticed that my front ride heigh adjustment bolts are totally shot. Will replace those along with the ball joints. Looking forward to having a newish suspension…
Are you going to install the AMT camber/caster adjuster kit while in there? Hey saves $ buying an OE bolt right. Long term getting rid of those eccentrics is VERY worthwhile.
Are you going to install the AMT camber/caster adjuster kit while in there? Hey saves $ buying an OE bolt right. Long term getting rid of those eccentrics is VERY worthwhile.
Expensive but yet another thing that pays for itself.
Even on 100TW tires, I couldn't go a single day on track without needing to reset the alignment. After a few days of getting it "close enough" I'd take it to a shop to have everything properly set which was $200+ Do that a few times a year and the kit has paid for itself. Everything else is gravy. Since installing Mark's kit, I have never had to reset the alignment. In the off-season I take the car to have the alignment checked and maybe a few nips & tucks to account for changes in my driving style or other changes to the car.
Are you going to install the AMT camber/caster adjuster kit while in there? Hey saves $ buying an OE bolt right. Long term getting rid of those eccentrics is VERY worthwhile.
Hum...good question. I was not planning to and bought the eccentrics already...
I am running slicks so it seems it would be a worthwhile investment...
I am also debating upgrading the shock bushings on the rear CAs. AMT is offering Delrin and monoball as options. Any thoughts on that upgrade?
Quick update. I installed the AMT monoball CAs and I am pretty happy with the results. The install was easy and the additional control/feel gain on track is clearly noticeable. On the road, sure there is more NVH but it is not terrible, comfort was also not dramatically impacted (and I live in SoCal where we may have the worst highways in the country).
Also, shoutout to Mark @Mark@AMT Motorsport . Excellent customer service and very responsive!
Quick update. I installed the AMT monoball CAs and I am pretty happy with the results. The install was easy and the additional control/feel gain on track is clearly noticeable. On the road, sure there is more NVH but it is not terrible, comfort was also not dramatically impacted (and I live in SoCal where we may have the worst highways in the country).
Also, shoutout to Mark @Mark@AMT Motorsport . Excellent customer service and very responsive!
I was surprised at the very minimal change in road harshness. And roads around me suck. It’s not a street car but I drove it to the shop and back.
I just did a quick look on one of the GM parts websites. Looks like OE rubber bushings are no longer available. One of the exploded drawings had the bushing drawn but no number for them. One of the arms didn't even draw the bushings. Ugh. On my street/autocross car I really rather just stay w/ rubber.
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Anyone with experience replacing control arm bushings?
. 10 hours seems excessive but I can see where a shop will want to protect themselves from surprises.
