First Generation Firebird-L Mailing List Re: Re Bushing Replacement on 68 Firebird by "x1r1 x" <x1r1@hotmail.com>
(back) Subject: Re: Re Bushing Replacement on 68 Firebird From: "x1r1 x" <x1r1@hotmail.com> Date: Tue, 13 Feb 2001 22:28:37 -0800 Sweet manual Lee! I just did lower control arms and springs on a friends '65 wagon, and can add a few things. >Gamboas said that they would rather I went to Carquest< >across the street :)< Sissies! >I can say if you are doing this your self, have fun< >getting them damn lower arms off.< I try to use an impact wrench, and a half inch socket on a breaker bar. If the arm is pinched by the subframe, the BFH dislodges it pretty fast. The bolt is not supposed to be a wearing part, as the Sleeve sould be clamped in place when the bolts are torqued. >I used a hydro press to get the lower ball joint out,< if you raise the inboard end of the arm on a 4x4, and set the outer tip on = somthing solid (harder than wood,a 2x4 with a peice of 1/4" plate over it works great)then take a mighty swing at the top of the ball joint with the = BFH, and usually they pop out on the first swing. The one that gives me problems is getting a torque wrench on the right = rear control arm shaft stud. I can't seeem to get a socket around the header tube. aside from torque, my imitation Clenchwrench works realy well on those. Hope this helps somone, Rowan*68 >From: Lee <pyre400@yahoo.com> >Hey folks: > >I wanted to let you folks know how I was doing with >the bushing swap. > >I took everyone=92s suggestions into consideration, and >I thank everyone who replied. > >The first thing I did was called around to the local >Parts Plus shops, Pep girls, Gamboas, and Carquest >shops. I found that Pep girls would do it, but could >not give me a price... Actually I called them by >mistake, I can't stand their outfit. I then called 2 >Parts Plus shops by my house. Both are owned by >really cool folks, and they have helped me in the past >with some old school wisdom that you can only find >from these guys. > >The one Parts + place told me that they don't do that >work, but they would show me how to do it my self. > >The other Parts + place told me they would charge $20 >a bushing!!! They said that its a terrible job, and >they would just rather show me how to do it my self. >$160 for Parts + to do the job. > >Carquest wanted $70 for the upper control arms, and >$20 for the lowers.... A total of $90. > >Gamboas said that they would rather I went to Carquest >across the street :) > >I must say that removing 34 year old bushings was not >bad at all. I did it my self and saved some cash... >The worst thing of all was the damn bolt that is >hidden inside the crossmember!!! How the heck does >anyone get a good grip on that?? I also had one of >the control arm shafts fuse its self to the sleve in >the bushing ( nothing the old bone saw could not fix ) > >I am glad that I replaced the bushings. One of the >sleeves became a permanent part of the control arm >shaft which would have made the bushing function >improperly. I had planned for this problem since I >had 2 types on each side. I went and ordered new TRW >replacements a week ago, so this was no biggie, now >both are the same. > >I wanted to take pictures for you folks to see, but I >think the bushings will explain how I did it. You >need an Air-Hammer, or a BFH with a cold chisel ><5/8">. I drilled the rubber, or what was left of it, >out with a 1/4" drill bit so that there was nothing >supporting the shell. Then I hit it with the air >hammer with a chisel bit. I then took a blunt bit and >collapsed the shell almost to the shaft. After that I >did the same thing 180 degrees around the bushing. >this made the contact area much less from the bushing >to the control arm, and I could then tap it out with >my small 3 lb hammer. > >I used a hydro press to get the lower ball joint out, >and a socket with some washers and a bolt/nut to get >the lower bushings out. Those popped out no problemo. > >I can say if you are doing this your self, have fun >getting them damn lower arms off, and expect to need >new upper control arm shafts. > >A word of caution... I had not noticed this while the >suspension was assembled, but the bolts which held the >arms to the frame had worn to half the diameter!! A >big bump might have snapped these and caused a control >arm failure... Not a good situation, an even >situation to repare (them springs scare me). > >Thanks again for the words of wisdom, I might have >brought them in if everyone did not hate doing it so >much. I think that Air Hammer is what saved me some >sweat!!! > >Talk with you folks soon > >Lee _________________________________________________________________ Get your FREE download of MSN Explorer at http://explorer.msn.com