Upper Control Arm Bushings

[Charlief1]

I did try to look up that number to find why I would want to use  LH arm on the right hand side, but, it did not come up as a valid number.  Thought maybe you bought them all to corner the market.

Take the LH off the part number and you can find the arms. The LH one is 8.5" long and the stock one is 8.45" long. You can get them in different legnths and to get the right one you have to order 2 of the same ones. Most of the guys that use these have different ones left and right to help the chasis roll over in a curve so they get better bite. It has to do with the camber curve of the stock chasis on a circle track.

[Steve Wood]

I love it when both control arm bolts spin when trying to pull the arm off....One of my arms needs to be about two foot longer so I can hold one wrench while reaching over the fender and down to the other end of the bolt...effing cars

[SuperSix]

I had that problem the first time I ever did the bushings - SUCKED.

Can you tack weld the bolts or something?

[Steve Wood]

Think I am going to engineer this way it should have been made when I put it back together....

[SuperSix]

Think I am going to engineer this way it should have been made when I put it back together....

Pics and commentary requested, of course.

[Steve Wood]

1.  Most elegant way...take a strip of 1/8" steel long enuf to span the two holes, drill holes in proper location, weld bolts to strap....a U-bolt in effect.  That way nothing could turn as you undo the nuts, and you can withdraw the strap and bolts to resolve any clearance issues.

2.  Or, slightly less elegant.  Make two straps about two inches long, drill holes, insert bolts and weld.  Straps would  be long enuf to prevent turning very far before locking up....removes need for precision measuring.

3. Or, weld the bolts to the frame....very easy, but, might make clearance issues with the downpipe when removing...hav e not checked that.

4.  Or, call my neighbor to come over for five minutes and hold one end while I tighten the other...being I may never do this again, this is probably the easiest solution 

[ULYCYC]

Easiest way it to pop the ball joint and take the upper arm to the work bench.

[Steve Wood]

well, yeah

But first, you have to get the two nuts off the bolts that hold the shaft to the frame...otherw ise it is hard to get the control arm to the bench 

[SuperSix]

You could bring the bench to the control arm.

[Steve Wood]

When Mohammed gets his mountain to come to him, he can start trying to teach my work bench to come!

Once I changed the rear pushing by leaving the arm on the car and knocking it out with an air hammer and blunt chisel.   Managed to draw the new bushing in somehow...

[ULYCYC]

You mean you didn't have Kenne-Bell self removing exploding bolts installed?

[Steve Wood]

LOL

such a common problem...one would think Moog would come up with Problem Solver shaft retainer bolts...

I need to consult with Chris G to see how he would do it...

[Charlief1]

Once I changed the rear pushing by leaving the arm on the car and knocking it out with an air hammer and blunt chisel.   Managed to draw the new bushing in somehow...

This is one of the easiest ways to do it if you're willing to take the time. No removal of the arm and when you start tightening everything back together you use the air chisel to pus the arms over the bushing. Pretty simple and you can do both side in less than an hour if you're good.

[Steve Wood]

well, hell!

Bushings were worn, but not cracked.  Replaced them and the upper ball joint.

Car still goes left on the shift to second.   May be such a tight converter that the boost is just slow enough coming up that it suddenly makes enuf power to break a tire loose on the shift...not sure.  Pavement is so coarse on the highway that I cannot tell which tire is breaking loose.

[Steve Wood]

theorized the driver's side tire must be breaking loose first near the top of the third so I put ten psi in the airbag to load that tire.   Went out today and it was moving to the right so I guess that theory is right but ten is a bit too much.

Real problem seems to be that it is unloading when the boost gets up in first which is not helped by the Eibach shorter/stiffer spring.  Instant center needs to be pulled back.

Probably be okay on sticky pavement and less air in the Nittos would probably help, but, I like to keep enough in them for good handling.

Maybe a bit less timing in first, but where's the fun in that?