Rear upper control arm bushings

Discussion in 'The whoa and the sway.' started by Bearchillz, Feb 21, 2016.

  1. hugger

    hugger Well-Known Member

    Some times you can spray some kind of creeping penetrate, then take a big set of vise grips arou the flanged end and twist while you hit the bushing shell from the other side , you'll want to hit it on the ed of the shell down towards the rubber if that makes sense
     
  2. GSX 554

    GSX 554 Gold Level Contributor

    You can mock up all kinds of things to use instead of sockets. I have a drawer full of bearing races from ones I have replaced. I have used them many times. Every time I replaced bearings and races I have saved them. From small A-2 bearings to tractor 4 -6 inch in diameter races.

    I just wanted to give you a general idea. Any good Repair shop should have some races laying around.

    This is just for installing. As I wrote before to remove the old bushing you need to drill out the rubber and remove it then destroy the metal sleeve .
     
  3. Bearchillz

    Bearchillz Well-Known Member

    Okay, so after a while I finally got the bushing in. We used a threaded rod through a flat steel plate thing, big fat pipe wrench opened between it and the ear, and big ol' washers to push it in. Ever so slightly deformed the outside of the bushing so putting the new arm on was kind of a bitch, but manageable.

    I appreciate all the comments, god knows I need all the helping hands I can get.
    This is frustrating work, especially on your back and lacking the appropriate tools for the job.


    One quick question: To anybody who has used it, that bushing tool from HRpartsNstuff pushes out the whole bushing, right? http://www.hrpartsandstuff.com/images/tools/bushingtooloutinsm.jpg
    I mean, the rubber, big deal. Drill it out. But I'd would very much like to Not spend another half a day screwing around with that stupid metal sleeve.

    Also, do you suppose that tool will ever be useful to me again? Pretty much talking about spending $100 on something I'll use once. I'm redoing the front end after the rear. Is there a way it might come in handy for anything in that regard? I guess, to save $100, I could suck it up and beat that sleeve to hell for hours like the last one, and then try to come up with a combination that works better to press the new one in withOut deforming it...
     
  4. Ken Warner

    Ken Warner Stand-up Philosopher

    I resemble this method.
     
  5. john.schaefer77

    john.schaefer77 Well-Known Member

    The HRParts tool does the whole bushing. Removal and install. It is really a nice unit. I remember somewhere someone suggested freezing the bushings overnight before install because they slightly shrink. Dont know if this is true or not.

    Just watch beating them in. You will be sorry if those ears break. I know they are tough but be careful. The tool installs without deforming. You could always sell the tool after you use. I bought it just for a one timenuse and have had many friends borrow. You never know when you will need a "one time use" tool.
     
  6. Bearchillz

    Bearchillz Well-Known Member

    On the last leg of the rear. Just have to install the shock, spring, and lower arm on the passenger side.
    And then figure out how to install the sway bar.
    The second bushing came out fairly easy in about 15 minutes. Putting the new one in was a pain.. until it wasn't..

    The ball joint press was literally impossible to use on the driver side, so I (wrongly) presumed it would remain useless for the duration.
    I would have never guessed that those ears are Not in identical placement on the axle. To my mind, it makes perfect sense to assume that they would have to be symmetrical to make the car aligned properly. But I was wrong.

    Long story short: the ball joint press does fit (for the most part) on the Passenger side bushing, but Not the driver side.
    Broke 2 threaded rods of my makeshift presses and exhausted all other ideas before I realized there was more space to work with behind the second bushing.
    Once we got the ball joint press on there, the bushing went through in 2 minutes.
     
  7. Ken Mild

    Ken Mild King of 18 Year Resto's

    I drilled the rubber out as well and then deformed the shell as previously mention and pounded out with chisel.

    New bushings can EASILY be pounded in with a hefty dead blow hammer and some oil or Vaseline on the outside of new bushing.
     
  8. rkammer

    rkammer Gold Level Contributor

    There is a shop in Orlando that specializes in Buick work. They have the press for removing the bushings from the control arms including the one that removes them from the rear housing ears. The shop is called KDK Performance Automotive. Owner is Kevin King.
     
  9. Bearchillz

    Bearchillz Well-Known Member

    Hahaha, speak for yourself. I had a hell of a time getting em in.
     
  10. Ken Mild

    Ken Mild King of 18 Year Resto's

    Honestly you probably would have been a lot less frustrated bringing this to a shop and handing them the new bushings and saying "call me when its done". :laugh:

    Of course, where's the reward in that though. :bglasses:
     
  11. Bearchillz

    Bearchillz Well-Known Member

    You're absolutely right about that haha!
    I'm just trying to save money where I can now by doing things myself, so that when I get to the body work I'll have plenty to take it somewhere and be able to pay them to do a Good job. And Then, of course, painting the car and redoing the interior is gonna be a mountain of cash I'm sure.
    It'll never be like a Barrett Jackson worthy car, but I really don't want be cheap with the body work and paint
     
  12. Bearchillz

    Bearchillz Well-Known Member

    I started another thread, but in case people in here may not have seen it..
    Anybody know where I may find some instructional videos on rebuilding the front end suspension?
    I've googled and searched youtube but haven't come up with very much..
     
  13. LARRY70GS

    LARRY70GS a.k.a. "THE WIZARD" Staff Member

    You don't need a video. All you need is this,

    http://www.ebay.com/itm/1972-Buick-...ash=item3abe064503:g:89wAAOSw5ZBWQRas&vxp=mtr

    That is a screaming deal for all the information you will get from that one book. I tell guys all the time, it should have been the second thing you bought after the car.
     
  14. Bearchillz

    Bearchillz Well-Known Member

    Actually, I already have one lol. And it has helped me on other occasions.
    The diagrams aren't bad and it IS helpful, but only so much..

    I'm a 'monkey see, monkey do' learning type.
    Looking in the manual can give me ideas to start with, but sometimes I just can't wrap my head around written theory until I see it done.
    Plus, most of you car guys always know incredibly helpful tricks that you usually won't find in a manual written 44 years ago
     
  15. LARRY70GS

    LARRY70GS a.k.a. "THE WIZARD" Staff Member

    Maybe you should ask questions on what you don't understand. A body ball joints are all the same, you need to press them in and out on the bottom. Tops require you drill out the factory rivets, new ones go in with bolts and nuts. The other parts like center link, tie rods, and idler arm pretty much just bolt in and out.

    There are lots of you tube videos on all of this.
     
  16. Bearchillz

    Bearchillz Well-Known Member

    Since I don't have the book in with me to look in right now, here's another dumb question for you:
    Do these cars have coil spring insulators up front, like they do in the rear?

    I found a few videos of people removing and installing front coils with a floor jack, but I didn't see them put an inslator on top of the spring.
     

Share This Page