Control Arm Bushing

97sceco · 11-05-2009, 01:52 PM

I am doing my upper and low control arm bushings this weekend and have some questions.Are the uppers different bushings or are they both the same? Also has any one had any luck getting the old ones out with out bringing it to a shop.I called a shop they want $150 to take all 8 out and put them back in.

JohnnyDigits · 11-05-2009, 02:01 PM

Ricky at Suicide doors did a good write up on this process a while back. Check out the SD linky in the S10 forum

ls1s10onair · 11-05-2009, 02:03 PM

they are different bushings upper to lower..... as for difficulty level.... its hard to say... i have a shop, but i could easily do them with hand tools and a vise, but this is what i do for a living...

97sceco · 11-05-2009, 02:27 PM

Quote: Originally Posted by ls1s10onair

they are different bushings upper to lower..... as for difficulty level.... its hard to say... i have a shop, but i could easily do them with hand tools and a vise, but this is what i do for a living...

What tools do you use to remove them besides the vise?

mostizzle · 11-05-2009, 08:46 PM

burn the rubber out of em with a torch and cut thru the sleeve carefully with a sawzall and the sleeve will come out. this is how i did em on a few cars,not the correct way to do it but i was told to try it by a few old wrenches and it's worked for me every time

mrmontebuilder · 11-05-2009, 11:16 PM

I just did these on my uppers today, I used an air hammer with a half moon shaped chisel and walked them right out in about 20 seconds a piece. I used a big socket that just fit over the rubber part of the bushing and rested on the metal lip and drive them right in with the shaft in the vise and the lip of the arm resting on the edge of the vise. No problem other than getting wrong bushings twice, one set from RockAuto and other from Carquest both right # but boxed wrong. Be careful with the spring it WILL kill you if mishandled!!! Also you will need to knock out the bolts that go through the upper arm shaft to the frame, at least on mine I did as the arms hit the exhaust manifolds way before they would clear to come off the bolts. Also wire wheeling the shafts where they are threaded and the bolts that hold it to the frame is a great idea and helps when you put it back together. Soaking the nuts with PBblaster or similar a few times before you start is helpful too, the left rear nut on mine took me almost an hour to get off it was so freaking loaded with crap and there was NO access to get anything at it and I had to get it from underneath.

drew5149 · 11-07-2009, 11:38 AM

Can you please tell me if the one washer that is on the steel rod that goes into the upper control arm goes to the back or front thanks

mostizzle · 11-07-2009, 10:14 PM

do you mean the spacers that go between the cross shaft and the frame or the washes on the ends of the cross shaft? if ur talkin about the ends then there should be two one for each side and they go on the outside then the nut goes on. if ur talkin about the ones between the cross shafts and the frame i wouldn't really worry about it cuz ur gonna want to drive it directly to the alignment shop when ur done and they'll hook that up if they know wtf they're doin lol

97sceco · 11-16-2009, 06:12 PM

Update. Turned out only the uppers needed to be replaced so I took the control arms out and Goodyear removed the bushings and installed them for $50.Put a new idler arm in and got it aligned.

There was nothing left of the old bushings. Metal on metal. After the alignment It felt like a new truck.

Now on to the Exhaust.

koeberle04 · 11-16-2009, 06:37 PM

sounds like my truck right now, got the bushings and PP balljoints in a box ready to put in, i hate the metal on metal clank im hearing

97sceco · 11-16-2009, 08:07 PM

When you get the new bushings in you wont believe how more solid the front end feels. Didn't realize how bad mine was until I replaced them.

MrGoodwrenchGM · 11-17-2009, 04:36 PM

I also have that same problem: Need to replace my upper bushings, but don't want to work too hard for it. My bushings don't make a clanking sound, but hear a loud creaking sound. By any chance, is there any way to pull off the bushings without pulling off the control arm? I thought an oxygen sensor socket and a heavy mallet should slide them off without having to go through all the trouble of pulling off the control arm itself.

fastr68 · 11-17-2009, 06:52 PM

its always the uppers that are toast especially pass side rear one like on my 91 2wd recently

i did mine and the hardest part of the entire job is getting the arm shaft off the two studs because the 4.3L exh manifold is in the way directly

i had to break out the clips ohlding the studs in the frame bracket and slide them out a little to get the arm out pst the manifold

after that cake walk

cut out the old bushing shells and freeze the new bushings in the freezer and grease slide them into the arm

cake walk

truck rides waaaaaay more better like a whole new truck now,
97 sceco is right on.,

the bushing was worn all the way through completely in one place and rubbing metal to metal

the squeaking for a week was the warning sign and then when i jecked up the frame over there and grabbed the arm i could pull it in and out almost an inch by hand...

so yeah...

i knew right then bad arm bushing..

12 dollars and some wrenching and it was fixed

11-05-2009, 01:52 PM	#1
97sceco Registered User Age: 18 Join Date: Feb 2009 Posts: 20 Location: Weeki Wachee FL User is: OffLine	Control Arm Bushing I am doing my upper and low control arm bushings this weekend and have some questions.Are the uppers different bushings or are they both the same? Also has any one had any luck getting the old ones out with out bringing it to a shop.I called a shop they want $150 to take all 8 out and put them back in.
	[Reply w/Quote]

11-05-2009, 02:01 PM	#2
JohnnyDigits Low Class Age: 29 Join Date: Aug 2009 Posts: 217 Location: NC User is: OffLine	Re: Control Arm Bushing Ricky at Suicide doors did a good write up on this process a while back. Check out the SD linky in the S10 forum
	[Reply w/Quote]

11-05-2009, 02:03 PM	#3
ls1s10onair Local Tech Age: 26 Join Date: Jan 2008 Posts: 3,241 Location: westwood, nj User is: OffLine	Re: Control Arm Bushing they are different bushings upper to lower..... as for difficulty level.... its hard to say... i have a shop, but i could easily do them with hand tools and a vise, but this is what i do for a living...
	[Reply w/Quote]

11-05-2009, 02:27 PM	#4
97sceco Registered User Age: 18 Join Date: Feb 2009 Posts: 20 Location: Weeki Wachee FL User is: OffLine	Re: Control Arm Bushing Quote: Originally Posted by ls1s10onair they are different bushings upper to lower..... as for difficulty level.... its hard to say... i have a shop, but i could easily do them with hand tools and a vise, but this is what i do for a living... What tools do you use to remove them besides the vise?
	[Reply w/Quote]

11-05-2009, 08:46 PM	#5
mostizzle You...Tonight Age: 32 Join Date: Aug 2009 Posts: 786 Location: St.Clair Shores,MI. User is: OffLine	Re: Control Arm Bushing burn the rubber out of em with a torch and cut thru the sleeve carefully with a sawzall and the sleeve will come out. this is how i did em on a few cars,not the correct way to do it but i was told to try it by a few old wrenches and it's worked for me every time
	[Reply w/Quote]

11-05-2009, 11:16 PM	#6
mrmontebuilder Registered User Age: 39 Join Date: May 2009 Posts: 131 Location: User is: OffLine	Re: Control Arm Bushing I just did these on my uppers today, I used an air hammer with a half moon shaped chisel and walked them right out in about 20 seconds a piece. I used a big socket that just fit over the rubber part of the bushing and rested on the metal lip and drive them right in with the shaft in the vise and the lip of the arm resting on the edge of the vise. No problem other than getting wrong bushings twice, one set from RockAuto and other from Carquest both right # but boxed wrong. Be careful with the spring it WILL kill you if mishandled!!! Also you will need to knock out the bolts that go through the upper arm shaft to the frame, at least on mine I did as the arms hit the exhaust manifolds way before they would clear to come off the bolts. Also wire wheeling the shafts where they are threaded and the bolts that hold it to the frame is a great idea and helps when you put it back together. Soaking the nuts with PBblaster or similar a few times before you start is helpful too, the left rear nut on mine took me almost an hour to get off it was so freaking loaded with crap and there was NO access to get anything at it and I had to get it from underneath.
	[Reply w/Quote]

11-07-2009, 11:38 AM	#7
drew5149 Registered User Join Date: Oct 2009 Posts: 1 Location: User is: OffLine	Re: Control Arm Bushing Can you please tell me if the one washer that is on the steel rod that goes into the upper control arm goes to the back or front thanks
	[Reply w/Quote]

11-07-2009, 10:14 PM	#8
mostizzle You...Tonight Age: 32 Join Date: Aug 2009 Posts: 786 Location: St.Clair Shores,MI. User is: OffLine	Re: Control Arm Bushing do you mean the spacers that go between the cross shaft and the frame or the washes on the ends of the cross shaft? if ur talkin about the ends then there should be two one for each side and they go on the outside then the nut goes on. if ur talkin about the ones between the cross shafts and the frame i wouldn't really worry about it cuz ur gonna want to drive it directly to the alignment shop when ur done and they'll hook that up if they know wtf they're doin lol
	[Reply w/Quote]

11-16-2009, 06:12 PM	#9
97sceco Registered User Age: 18 Join Date: Feb 2009 Posts: 20 Location: Weeki Wachee FL User is: OffLine	Re: Control Arm Bushing Update. Turned out only the uppers needed to be replaced so I took the control arms out and Goodyear removed the bushings and installed them for $50.Put a new idler arm in and got it aligned. There was nothing left of the old bushings. Metal on metal. After the alignment It felt like a new truck. Now on to the Exhaust.
	[Reply w/Quote]

11-16-2009, 06:37 PM	#10
koeberle04 Static Addict Age: 23 Join Date: Mar 2009 Posts: 311 Location: Zephyrhills, FL User is: OffLine	Re: Control Arm Bushing sounds like my truck right now, got the bushings and PP balljoints in a box ready to put in, i hate the metal on metal clank im hearing
	[Reply w/Quote]

11-16-2009, 08:07 PM	#11
97sceco Registered User Age: 18 Join Date: Feb 2009 Posts: 20 Location: Weeki Wachee FL User is: OffLine	Re: Control Arm Bushing When you get the new bushings in you wont believe how more solid the front end feels. Didn't realize how bad mine was until I replaced them.
	[Reply w/Quote]

11-17-2009, 04:36 PM	#12
MrGoodwrenchGM Registered User Join Date: Oct 2007 Posts: 29 Location: User is: OffLine	Re: Control Arm Bushing I also have that same problem: Need to replace my upper bushings, but don't want to work too hard for it. My bushings don't make a clanking sound, but hear a loud creaking sound. By any chance, is there any way to pull off the bushings without pulling off the control arm? I thought an oxygen sensor socket and a heavy mallet should slide them off without having to go through all the trouble of pulling off the control arm itself.
	[Reply w/Quote]

11-17-2009, 06:52 PM	#13
fastr68 easterwabbit Join Date: Sep 2002 Posts: 597 Location: Lincoln, IL User is: OffLine	Re: Control Arm Bushing its always the uppers that are toast especially pass side rear one like on my 91 2wd recently i did mine and the hardest part of the entire job is getting the arm shaft off the two studs because the 4.3L exh manifold is in the way directly i had to break out the clips ohlding the studs in the frame bracket and slide them out a little to get the arm out pst the manifold after that cake walk cut out the old bushing shells and freeze the new bushings in the freezer and grease slide them into the arm cake walk truck rides waaaaaay more better like a whole new truck now, 97 sceco is right on., the bushing was worn all the way through completely in one place and rubbing metal to metal the squeaking for a week was the warning sign and then when i jecked up the frame over there and grabbed the arm i could pull it in and out almost an inch by hand... so yeah... i knew right then bad arm bushing.. 12 dollars and some wrenching and it was fixed Last edited by fastr68 : 11-17-2009 at 06:53 PM.
	[Reply w/Quote]