Procedure of replacing rear end both upper and lower control arms bushings

[gnonyx]

Okay since this is my first time of replacing the rear control arms, is it possible of doing one side only without having the rear end to drip downward?
The procedure I was thinking as follows:
The car is supported on all four floor jacks and the hydraulic jack is supporting the rear end
remove wheel
remove lower control arm, and then remove the shock absorber nut to lower the rear end a bit in order to remove the spring.
Once the spring is remove this will give me better access to remove the upper control arm while all of the passenger side control arms and spring are still intact.
Would this sounds okay, you is there something that needs to corrected?
Thanks

[Steve Wood]

Correct, do one at a time.  It's been a few years, but, I don't think I pulled the springs.  It can be a bit hard to see the front  bolt on the upper arms, but, if you slide under the car with your head being to the front of the car, you can clearly see the bolt and it's not hard to get wrenches on it.  So, I suggest before pulling the spring, slide under and see if you see the bolt and it's as clear as I recall

[ULYCYC]

With the body on jacks and rear end supported with a floor jack. Disconnect the shocks and lower. The spring should just fall out unless they are after market load levelers. Remove them or they will find your head and it hurts.  The hardest problem is removing the upper bushings from the rear end housing. You will need a press or I find it easier cutting it out with a sawzall. Some upper arms come without the housing bushings so check what you  ordered.

[gnonyx]

Correct, do one at a time.  It's been a few years, but, I don't think I pulled the springs.  It can be a bit hard to see the front  bolt on the upper arms, but, if you slide under the car with your head being to the front of the car, you can clearly see the bolt and it's not hard to get wrenches on it.  So, I suggest before pulling the spring, slide under and see if you see the bolt and it's as clear as I recall

Yes, you are right the upper control arm bolt might probably harder to remove since it looks like the bolt is inside a half of frame channel. This is why I was thinking of removing the lower nut of the shock absorber, lower the rear end until the spring falls out while watching out I don't stretched out the brake flex hose. once the spring is out then I reconnect the shock back to hold the rear end for support.

[gnonyx]

With the body on jacks and rear end supported with a floor jack. Disconnect the shocks and lower. The spring should just fall out unless they are after market load levelers. Remove them or they will find your head and it hurts.  The hardest problem is removing the upper bushings from the rear end housing. You will need a press or I find it easier cutting it out with a sawzall. Some upper arms come without the housing bushings so check what you  ordered.

I was thinking once I get to the upper control arm I might this tool instead of dealing with a small area of any type of sawing
https://www.hrpartsandstuff.com/products/tools/controlarmbushingtool.htm

[ULYCYC]

Tool works most of the time but many are stubborn and need sawzall or impact chisel.  If your car spent most of the time garaged and didn't see much bad weather  then above tool should work 

[Steve Wood]

The front upper bolt was not difficult to remove at all for me once I actually saw it.  As I said, I am pretty sure I left the spring in but once you are in position under the car, you will see if it is in the way.  I hate the upper shock mount bolts more than anything.

I have that tool, but you can make your own using a strong bolt a socket of the right size and some hd washers.

If you are putting the stock arms back on, the worse part of the job, imo, is getting the old bushings out without crushing the ears on the bars in-particularly if you arms have not been boxed.

[gnonyx]

The front upper bolt was not difficult to remove at all for me once I actually saw it.  As I said, I am pretty sure I left the spring in but once you are in position under the car, you will see if it is in the way.  I hate the upper shock mount bolts more than anything.

I have that tool, but you can make your own using a strong bolt a socket of the right size and some hd washers.

If you are putting the stock arms back on, the worse part of the job, imo, is getting the old bushings out without crushing the ears on the bars in-particularly if you arms have not been boxed.

Years ago when I replaced the upper A Fame bushings, I made a tool like the one you just mention, but I was hard to do without a vise to hold in place. During that time I did the work outside and finished in time before it started to get dark since I place the car in the garage.
I did bought the ball joint tool kit as I mention before of doing the both lower A Frame balls and both bushings.
I'm wondering if the tool would also work with the upper control rear end ears.

[Steve Wood]

might.  it has to have a "socket" larger than the bushing that will fit on one side and one a hair smaller than the bushing hole in the ear to press against the shoulder of the bushing and pull it thru.

[xracerx13]

A couple months ago I received the HRpartsnStuff upper box non adjustable rear arms with his special axle ear bushings but I'm getting to old to do this stuff on my back. Once those are in, the suspension is complete front and back. Its so much easier on a lift might I add. Good luck gnonyx.

[gnonyx]

A couple months ago I received the HRpartsnStuff upper box non adjustable rear arms with his special axle ear bushings but I'm getting to old to do this stuff on my back. Once those are in, the suspension is complete front and back. Its so much easier on a lift might I add. Good luck gnonyx.

Thanks, I'm going to need all the luck when dealing with these cars.
I already replaced the all of the original front end stuffs; and I'll say it again, I don't like working with the front coil springs, compressing with that much tension is still dangerous. At least the rear coil springs should be easier

[TexasT]

I bought these to see about swapping them on . I have the hr parts bushing tool but will have to dig that up. Went ahead and bought some longer studs to be kinda legal with the prostar wheels I want to run.

Not sure if these 2.5" long units will work or I will need some 3" ones.

I would say, make sure you have the vehicle supported so it doesn't come down when you are under there pushing and pulling stuff.

What are you going to use for replacement bushings?

[gnonyx]

I bought these to see about swapping them on . I have the hr parts bushing tool but will have to dig that up. Went ahead and bought some longer studs to be kinda legal with the prostar wheels I want to run.

Not sure if these 2.5" long units will work or I will need some 3" ones.

I would say, make sure you have the vehicle supported so it doesn't come down when you are under there pushing and pulling stuff.

What are you going to use for replacement bushings?

I'm going to replace with the original Moog K6178 bushings on both lower's and uppers
As you can see in the pictures, I have front ramps, floor jacks at rear, and also floor jack underneath rear end axle.
I do have a question, How do you remove the driver side upper control arm bolt? What a PIA of trying to get at it never mind trying to remove it.
I already removed the lower arm and also the spring in order to give me more more for the upper removal

[nocooler]

Disconnect the shocks and let the rear end droop more, like close to full extension. Right now it's just up in your way.

[Steve Wood]

I will see if I can see it on my car that is on the lift tomorrow.  I don't think I removed shocks or springs.  I just put a jack under the rear end after I jacked the car off the ground to keep it in place while changing the control arms.

these instructions are exactly the way I did it.  I had no problem get wrenches or sockets on the nuts.  Mine were not rusted hard and maybe that was the reason it was easy for me.

https://static.speedwaymotors.com/pdf/1853025B.pdf