Lower Control Arm Rebuilding

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Rocket

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I am rebuilding the front suspension on my 69 Barracuda. The lower control are shaft bushings are shot so I am replacing them with poly bushings. Is it recommended to change the control arm shafts and metal bushing sleeves when the shaft bushings are changed? I have seen a few articles in magazines and posts on this forum where the bushing sleeves were removed. What is the best process to get the busing sleeve, bushing and shaft back into the control arm? Getting them out has not been a problem.

Thanks
 
On those polys I put a light coat of greas, then found a pipe that fit nice over the unit, then used a press to push them in. Worked real nice!


Make sure you lube them inside and out, they tend to squeak,,,:headbang:
 
Rocket said:
I am rebuilding the front suspension on my 69 Barracuda. The lower control are shaft bushings are shot so I am replacing them with poly bushings. Is it recommended to change the control arm shafts and metal bushing sleeves when the shaft bushings are changed? I have seen a few articles in magazines and posts on this forum where the bushing sleeves were removed. What is the best process to get the busing sleeve, bushing and shaft back into the control arm? Getting them out has not been a problem.

Thanks
Click to expand...

I am trying to do the same thing, however have not found any help yet. That's why I posted on the subject for pics last week, still no help.
 
I just press the bushing in the arm first, then support its inner sleeve while pressing the shaft in. Forget which deep well socket I used there.
I saw a post where someone tack welded flat washers to the sleeves.
 
I just did this last week but used new rubber bushings. I used a 8" pipe nipple I think it was 1" or 1-1/4 N.P.T. and a arbor press and they went right in, did use a little white grease.:headbang:
 
Usually if replacing with poly bushings, you don't remove the outer metal sleeve as it has to be reused. Only if replacing with OEM rubber do they come out. This part of a poly suspension rebuild has been a thing of debate, as people have had a hard time getting them to stay in place. I found that I had to hold them in place with a clamp to stay seated, then put torque on the torsion bars while clamped so they wouldn't slide back out. They don't come all the way out, just about 1/4" to keep them from being fully seated. Some people have done modifications to their LCA shaft to help keep the poly bushings in place.
 
Thanks for the information. Some clarification please. If using Poly bushings if I understood the bushing sleeve stays in the lower arm. Should they be replaced or are the originals sufficient? Using specialitiy tools from American Racing I got 1 out easy enough. Just wondering if the old one is OK to go back in or should both be replaced before the poly bushings and lower arm pivots go in. Should the pivots be changed also or are the old ones good enough. Now is the time to change them if needed.

Thanks again.
 
I used energy suspension bushings and you had to remove the sleeve from the lower arm and leave the sleeve on the pin that goes through the k-member. I hope that clarifies what you are asking.

I used to race an abody on a dirt track (lots of abuse) and I found the poly ones would try to slip apart (the pin would move out of the lower control arm-not a good thing, the torsion bar kinda holds it together). I switched back to the MOOG stock replacment rubber bushing and found they held up much better to the abuse. I now use them on my street driven duster.
 
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