upper control arm bushings

[warlok]

2001 2wd S10. To remove upper control arm, just jack up at lower control arm, break loose ball joint, pull bolts at pivot shaft, remove... right?

Then just push out the bushings with air hammer and push in new ones, right?

Just making sure before I get at it.
Thanks

[ls1s10onair]

yup.... its a little bit of work, but its not hard

[greencactus3]

Quote: Originally Posted by warlok

2001 2wd S10. To remove upper control arm, just jack up at lower control arm, break loose ball joint, pull bolts at pivot shaft, remove... right?

Then just push out the bushings with air hammer and push in new ones, right?

Just making sure before I get at it.
Thanks

wait. uppers? no, i dont think so.

after popping the balljoints, you will have to remove the nuts behind the cross shaft, then remove the upper along with the crossshaft, where you disassemble the arm from the shaft, where i think SD has a how-to on how to remove/replace bushings.
if you have a 4.3, i had to pop the steering shaft and pull the crossshaft bolts out to get it off

[warlok]

I'm just going to do the passenger side right now as it's the problem side and I'm short on time... but need truck in good shape. Forgive my ignorance but what is "SD"? And is there anything other than putting the alignment shims back where they were that I need to measure/check?
Thanks again.

[ls1s10onair]

sd is suicidedoors.com..... they are sponsors here....

[BudRacing]

Do not replace them with polyurethane. Use rubber stock replacements.

[warlok]

I used stock rubber bushings. That wasn't as easy as I thought it'd be. Just getting the arm out was fun. The studs/bolts wouldn't come loose to lift the arm out so had to tweak the backflow tube and remove the starter to move the arm in far enough to remove it. Of course the bolts fell out as I was lifting the arm out.. Not too hard to push the bushings out and new in. I can't wait to do the driver side.

[RacerXS10]

Quote: Originally Posted by warlok

I used stock rubber bushings. That wasn't as easy as I thought it'd be. Just getting the arm out was fun. The studs/bolts wouldn't come loose to lift the arm out so had to tweak the backflow tube and remove the starter to move the arm in far enough to remove it. Of course the bolts fell out as I was lifting the arm out.. Not too hard to push the bushings out and new in. I can't wait to do the driver side.

The studs that bolt the cross shaft to the frame have "teeth" in them if you will. When the bolt gets pushed into the frame the teeth are pressed into the frame. I found you loosen the cross shaft nuts and you can then get a C-clamp on the bolt (top end of the clamp towards the engine, adjusting side will grab the head of the bolt) Then you can wiggle/tap the clamp towards you and get the 2 bolts out. Then the arm will come right up. Just make sure you remove your shims and set them aside and mark which group went where.

[hamagc]

i just sat there for awhile with an adjustable wrench until i got the bolts out of the cross shaft. 1/4 turn at a time. took to the shop to get them pressed in and out. watch out for shims. i lost most of mine not thinking about them.

[jhall4721]

Sorry for the thread dig but I have a question. Is the cross shaft suppose to have one or two washers on the inside of the bushings? I got the drivers side upper control arm off but there was only one washer on the rear bushing by the cab. Both large washers on the outside of the of the bushings were there an intact.

[MrGoodwrenchGM]

Hey fellas, I know an air hammer is supposed to do the trick, but I don't have access to any air tools at this time. Any chance I can get away with using a cheap hammer drill to pop those bushings out instead?

[BudRacing]

You can try that, but most people torch them out while prying. There's no wrong way to get them out as long as you don't wreck the arm itself.
You can also try a ball joint press from autozone's loan a tool program.

[93_Deuce]

Quote: Originally Posted by BudRacing

Do not replace them with polyurethane. Use rubber stock replacements.

May I ask why you say rubber and not poly?

Most people say poly no matter what. Just wonderin' why you suggest rubber replacements!

[off camber]

Poly binds.

[93_Deuce]

Quote: Originally Posted by off camber

Poly binds.

So are you saying that any control arm bushings and front end bushings should be stock rubber replacements?

I ask because I am in the process of adding drop spindles, shocks, and replacing all steering components (center link, idler arm, tie rods, adjusting sleeves, ball joints) and I want to replace my front end bushings while I am in there.

Up until this thread all I have heard is poly, poly, poly.

You suggest stock rubber replacements for all front end bushings?


Also, didn't realize this was so much of a thread dig. I apologize!

[BudRacing]

I'm against poly in the control arm bushings alone.

Sway bars, transmission mounts, engine mounts--anything that doesn't twist is fine.

I have poly bushings on my control arms and no matter how many times I've lubed them the SQUEAKS come back. I HATE MY POLY BUSHINGS!!!

I would also prefer a little smoother ride, and these stiffen it up to a level just beyond my comfort zone.

[93_Deuce]

Quote: Originally Posted by BudRacing

I'm against poly in the control arm bushings alone.

Sway bars, transmission mounts, engine mounts--anything that doesn't twist is fine.

I have poly bushings on my control arms and no matter how many times I've lubed them the SQUEAKS come back. I HATE MY POLY BUSHINGS!!!

I would also prefer a little smoother ride, and these stiffen it up to a level just beyond my comfort zone.

Thats exactly the type of detailed answer I was looking for. Thanks for the heads up.

I just replaced my wheel bearings and I'm going to be replacing my entire front linkage, ball joints, and control arm bushings when I put my spindles in........so I wanted to see what everyones opinions were.

There isn't anything else in the front end I should replace is there?

[BudRacing]

Sounds like you're on the right track.

[phastford56]

Quote: Originally Posted by BudRacing

I'm against poly in the control arm bushings alone.

Sway bars, transmission mounts, engine mounts--anything that doesn't twist is fine.

I have poly bushings on my control arms and no matter how many times I've lubed them the SQUEAKS come back. I HATE MY POLY BUSHINGS!!!

I would also prefer a little smoother ride, and these stiffen it up to a level just beyond my comfort zone.

Yeah, poly squeaks when the grease squeezes out. It's a lot of extra work but the only solution I have found is
1) install a grease fitting in the outer shell and grind any metal off that sticks through the shell.
2) grind a shallow radial groove around the poly bushing (dremel tool with small round bit)
3) You also have to drill a small (1/8 or less) through the poly bushing in that groove.
4) grind another intersecting radial groove on the inside of the poly bushing.

This is the only way to ensure that greasing poly bushings will actually get grease to all the surfaces that could and will squeak. Damn shame the bushing manufacturers haven't figured that out yet. Otherwise, rubber is the way to go. This is because rubber doesn't need grease since it flexes instead of sliding when the control arms move.

[SH-60B]

This thread is like The Walking Dead.