[Chevykid]

You needed to use a half pipe slice of some steel pipe or exhaust pipe from a 4 banger. It goes in between the ears for support when taking bushings in and out. People who recommend replacement of the $100 control arm because they can't tell you or don't know the procedure to replace a $10 bushing have no business wasting their time on a repair forum

 

[Chasemon42]

This is really all new to me. I picked a 95 s10 automatic about two months ago. First day I had it blew a lower ball joint here in the apartment complex. Had no previous experience doing suspension work short of a set of shock absorbers. While I was at it a friend of mine noticed upper control arms at least on driver's side were loose as a goose. It was a job and half for me figuring out how to tighten up. Mostly it was hard to access the underside of control arm. I don't think I had considered to look from the to at least to hold bolt or nut. Jacked the control arm up to get access to underside. Pita

 

[aitch]

You needed to use a half pipe slice of some steel pipe or exhaust pipe from a 4 banger. It goes in between the ears for support when taking bushings in and out. People who recommend replacement of the $100 control arm because they can't tell you or don't know the procedure to replace a $10 bushing have no business wasting their time on a repair forum

Apparently, there are folks here that are not as omniscient as others.

 

[Rhotpursuit]

You needed to use a half pipe slice of some steel pipe or exhaust pipe from a 4 banger. It goes in between the ears for support when taking bushings in and out. People who recommend replacement of the $100 control arm because they can't tell you or don't know the procedure to replace a $10 bushing have no business wasting their time on a repair forum

A little crisp today aren’t you? It’s up to you, but you might want to lighten up a little. By the time you buy quality bushings and ball joints that probably need to be replaced, bump stops that are probably shot, and a press that you probably don’t have not to mention the time saved, loaded control arms are a bargain.

 

[needawheel]

i got 4 new arms for less than $100 total... delco, moog, dorman (they all appear to be from the same china factory by the way)
i doubt anyone could save more than their hourly wages in the time it takes to r/r bushings on 4 control arms.

 

[Rhotpursuit]

Who cares where they're from?

 

[needawheel]

Who cares where they're from?

the 'regular' prices were very different for the 3 brands and there was evidence that they all came from the same factory sooo my point was: save your money and buy the cheaper of those 3, maybe even other brands too... bc they are, in my estimation, the same. mine is a 2wd, 2000, s10 pickup

 

[Rhotpursuit]

OK...

 

[Chevykid]

Someday, you won't be able to just buy a control arm. Doing so is wasteful, and you are selling yourself short on your abilities while also being delusional in the worth of your time. It's not that I'm crispy, or omniscient. Who in their right mind throws away something that's perfectly good except for a couple small parts that are easily replaceable with a hammer? You don't need a press, you don't even need an air hammer, just a hammer. Not a single person told the guy the actual cause or solution to the problem, you just recommend replacing the whole assembly and assume you need a press because you've never done it before. That's just laziness or ignorance, and doesn't help anyone. Do you really assume he's so lost as to not know you can just buy the assembly? Give him an option other than the one that is so blatantly obvious and more expensive; It should've gone without saying. If you can't afford the time to replace $10 bushings and instead have to opt for buying the $100 control arms whole, what are you even doing working on your own car, let alone trying to give advice to people on how to work on cars? This isn't your forte, and your time and expertise can be much more valued elsewhere.

Discouraging people from buying tools and forfeiting the possibility of them doing the in-depth repair is something that you'd expect to hear from people in other trades who are ragging on mechanics and how expensive repairs are, while being completely naieve to the fact that the tools and knowledge are what could make their cars and motoring hobbies affordable and sustainable.

No one, and I mean no one, goes on here hoping the solution is "replace the entire assembly for $100 more, and save yourself 30 minutes of time". They get that advice from the teenager cashier at advance auto or even a McDonald's, not a repair forum. I hate signatures, but if I had one, those last couple of sentences would be the one thing I'd drill into everyone's head.

 

[aitch]

Someday, you won't.......................be the one thing I'd drill into everyone's head.

Thanks for the discursive jeremiad - it has been duly noted and properly filed. 🚮

 

[needawheel]

post 4 said he probably bent it on install... what more can one ask for here on the free forum?

i dont care who you are, if you R/R enough bushings you will get a few that will fight you on the way out or on the way in... and those odd few literally make it time consuming and not economical to r/r bushings, especially when new/decent quality arms are so inexpensive.
most vehicles use aluminum arms now... theyre barely worth trying to rebuild. the aluminum is nearly 'one and done'. and press-less rebuilds are a definite safety risk in aluminum... so the knowledge skills and tools are nearly obsolete...

no one advocated to 'throw away' arms... but he should toss a bent one because its almost certainly not worth rebuilding now...

your point is semi-valid but the 'insults' or whatever are wholly invalid.

"Someday, you won't be able to just buy a control arm. " and what makes you think you will 'just be able to' buy bushings and ball joints on that day?? is it 'wasteful' to throw away shot bushings and balljoints instead of rebuilding them like they do in the 3rd world? or is it economical and time saving?