Lower control arms help needed.

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Elís Máni

Elís Máni

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I have two extra control arms that i was going to install new bushings and pivot shafts. Fo i just press the pins out with a press? Is there something i need to do before?
Also i took a closer look at them and noticed they are a bit differant. It looks like one has sone sort of reenforcement *See pictures*
Also how much are they suppost to move? The end where the pivot shaft is does not really move one the "renforced" one but the other one moves quite freely with very little wiggle.

Thanks!

20190405_093119.jpg


20190405_093115.jpg
 
To get those out, I pressed out the inner sleeve, then dug out the rubber with a screwdriver and needle nose pliers.

The outer sleeve is a challenge. I used a sawsall to cut a groove through the side of the sleeve, then a cold chisel to bend it in towards the center. Finally, I was able to go through the back side and knock it out. Trouble with these bushings is there is a shoulder at the bottom.

Looks like someone welded a support on. I wonder if they were afraid the bushing may come out. I would be concerned if that one was loose. They should be press fit. To install, the pivot pin goes in the bushing first, then the two are pressed into the control arm.
 
I just pressed the pin out with a ball joint press. The Pull the rubber bushing out with a pliers
Then welded a bolt in the bushing case and drove it out with a longer bolt on the back side of the control arm. Then the pin will have a sleeve on it you have to remove as well. For that I just chucked it in my vice and took an air chisel (a hammer and chisel will work too if you dont have an air chisel)
And every 90 degrees around the diameter of the sleeve I hammers a line straight down the length of the sleeve. Then took it out if the vice and it slid off with pliers.
I have some pics if you need them.
 
66fyssh said:
To get those out, I pressed out the inner sleeve, then dug out the rubber with a screwdriver and needle nose pliers.

The outer sleeve is a challenge. I used a sawsall to cut a groove through the side of the sleeve, then a cold chisel to bend it in towards the center. Finally, I was able to go through the back side and knock it out. Trouble with these bushings is there is a shoulder at the bottom.

Looks like someone welded a support on. I wonder if they were afraid the bushing may come out. I would be concerned if that one was loose. They should be press fit. To install, the pivot pin goes in the bushing first, then the two are pressed into the control arm.
Click to expand...
Wow we posted at the same time lol.
Yea I agree about the welded part I dont know what that was about. I noticed it too.
 
Last edited:
66fyssh said:
To get those out, I pressed out the inner sleeve, then dug out the rubber with a screwdriver and needle nose pliers.

The outer sleeve is a challenge. I used a sawsall to cut a groove through the side of the sleeve, then a cold chisel to bend it in towards the center. Finally, I was able to go through the back side and knock it out. Trouble with these bushings is there is a shoulder at the bottom.

Looks like someone welded a support on. I wonder if they were afraid the bushing may come out. I would be concerned if that one was loose. They should be press fit. To install, the pivot pin goes in the bushing first, then the two are pressed into the control arm.
Click to expand...
When i say the end does not move and the other does i mean this part *see picture*

20190405_114128.jpg
 
One of mine on my Barracuda was tight too when I rebuilt the front end. I soaked it good with penetrating oil to get it moving a little. Still wasn't as smooth as the other side. I finally drove a chisel between it and the control arm (carefully) to give them a little extra spacing. That loosened it up to be more like the other side. I then welded a reinforcement plate to the bottom to hold everything more rigidly.
 
Don't remove the inner sleeve from the pin until you have chosen and acquired the new bushings. Some aftermarket hard poly bushing require you retain reuse that sleeve inside their bushing.
There is a Youtube video about correcting the spacing/gap between arm halves, correcting torsion pivot movement. He does weld on the aftermarkets reinforcement plates but a few little pieces of flat bar welded across accomplishes the same tie together.
And another member linked a video before I could finish my post. LOL Good luck with it.
 
RedFish said:
Don't remove the inner sleeve from the pin until you have chosen and acquired the new bushings. Some aftermarket hard poly bushing require you retain reuse that sleeve inside their bushing.
There is a Youtube video about correcting the spacing/gap between arm halves, correcting torsion pivot movement. He does weld on the aftermarkets reinforcement plates but a few little pieces of flat bar welded across accomplishes the same tie together.
And another member linked a video before I could finish my post. LOL Good luck with it.
Click to expand...
I ran into this myself the new bushings ID was larger than the pins OD and I didn't realize it until I already had them pressed into the lca! So I had to press them out again and start over. The 2nd time around I bought proforge bushings they fit much better!
 
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