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Control Arm Lower Shaft Bushings?

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Control Arm Lower Shaft Bushings?

Posted: 10/5/08 7:58pmMessage 1 of 5
P
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Apache Junction, AZ - USA
Joined: 10/15/2006
Posts: 285
Vette(s): 1982,150K,Renegade CFI,Hooker Side Pipes,85 fuel pump,Bilsteins,HD suspension, Aluminum radiator, SharkBar/w 5-Point Restraints. 3:73 gears coming soon.
Started my complete rebuild of my front end this weekend - long hours and slow going. The slow going is from a torn pectoral muscle on my right side that I have not given a chance to heal - I had all my parts sitting in the living room and they kept talking to me all damm week.....
Anyway,
  The Left upper I changed the shaft and bushings with not much trouble, but the lower bushings were rusted to the shaft and I could not get them off without damage to the control arm. I pre-soaked everything with PB Blaster 24 hrs before I started but it didn't help with the lowers.
  Will my machine shop be able to remove the bushings and shaft without damaging the control arm? Should I go ahead and get new lower shafts also?
  I replaced the top shaft because the bushing was bare metal to metal and rusty coated.  I cleaned the old shaft up on the wire wheeled it and it looks new; not bent or worn, so would I be able to do this with the bottom shaft(s)?
  I am looking at the options here; replacing the lower control arm(s) as I am sure the right lower shaft/bushings are in the same shape or the above mentioned.
What do ya think?Thumbs%20Up 
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Control Arm Lower Shaft Bushings?

Posted: 10/5/08 8:49pmMessage 2 of 5
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burleson, TX - USA
Joined: 8/30/2008
Posts: 58
Vette(s): 78 silver anniversary L82 black int
Your shafts should be metal to metal. I just rebuilt my 78 and the shafts  are pressed into a sleeve inside the bushing. If the sleeves are intact, there shouldn't be any damage to your shafts.  I had a tough time with my lowers. I had to press the inner sleeve and rubber bushing out of the control arm then had to split the outer sleeve with a chisel and collapse the sleeve and drive it out, but was able to reuse all 4 control arms and shafts.  Are you using a press??
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Control Arm Lower Shaft Bushings?

Posted: 10/6/08 8:32amMessage 3 of 5
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Mounds View, MN - USA
Joined: 5/24/2007
Posts: 1034
Vette(s): 70 LT1 coupe, 69 350 HP coupe, 69 390HP 427 coupe, 71 LS5 convert, 85 coupe, 93 coupe
Again, be sure to use a spacer to keep the control arm from squeezing together when you press on it.  It is easy to damage the control arm.

Larry
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Control Arm Lower Shaft Bushings?

Posted: 10/6/08 9:28amMessage 4 of 5
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Apache Junction, AZ - USA
Joined: 10/15/2006
Posts: 285
Vette(s): 1982,150K,Renegade CFI,Hooker Side Pipes,85 fuel pump,Bilsteins,HD suspension, Aluminum radiator, SharkBar/w 5-Point Restraints. 3:73 gears coming soon.
Don,
  Metal to metal - I mean that the rubber on the upper bushing was gone, but the sleeves were intact on the bushing so the shaft was okay.
Larry,
  Good idea on the spacer! I was worried about that.

Tonight I will use a propane torch to help loosen the lower bushings and split them if needed as Don said. No, I do not have a press but think I will go get one from Harbor Freight.

  I will keep you all informed and of course post any problems - stayed tuned.

And I thought this would be a weekend job...... I am cleaning everything up and painting as I go; can't wait for the finished product!
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Control Arm Lower Shaft Bushings?

Posted: 10/6/08 6:26pmMessage 5 of 5
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Dorr, MI - USA
Joined: 8/21/2002
Posts: 2581
Vette(s): 71 Colonnade Hardtop Coupe Torch Red with black interior originally L48 built to push around 360hp

I found Moog shaft and bushing kit really wasn't that much more. So what I did was cut a chunk out of the middle of the shaft, and drove the old busing out with a big hammer and a socket. It really didn't go too bad. 

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