# Rear control arm bushing replacement



## mbergin (Jun 19, 2012)

Hi all, I will be replacing the lower and upper rear control arm bushings in my 69 in a few weeks. Done some research and have a few questions. 
First off, I don't have a lift but will I be able to remove the bushings in the diff with an air chisel ( from under the car)? 
Can I install the bushings in the diff with a 4x4 and a 5 lb hammer from under the car with the rear in place?
How hard is it to reach the upper bolts for the upper control arms? I'll be working from the floor and want to make sure I don't start something I can't finish. 
Also, is there an easy way to remove and replace the bushings once the control arms are out of the car? 
Should I do one at a time?

Any help is most appreciated. 


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## 05GTO (Oct 6, 2004)

I would suggest that you completely remove the rear axle, it should take about an hour or two to drop it. 6 bolts, the brake line hose, the drive shaft and disconnect the parking brake cables.


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## jetstang (Nov 5, 2008)

I did mine, and the hardest part was the middle brake line, which wasn't hard. If the car is northern, the control arm bolts may be hard/impossible to get out without a torch, so if it's rusty, then it may be very hard. You may need a blue wrench and new bolts. Best of luck!


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## ALKYGTO (Mar 29, 2010)

This is definitely a job to do with the axle out of the car. As the others have said it really isn't that hard to remove the assembly to do this. The biggest pain IMO is bleeding the brakes once you get it back in but I digress.

The easiest method I have found to remove the old bushings is to drill out the rubber around the center sleeve. Just work your way around the bushing with a 3/8 drill bit until it falls out. This will save you from trying to pound them out which is an exercise in futility. Then take a hammer and chisel and remove the outer sleeve. :thumbsup: You cannot press the old bushings out of the control arms because they will collapse. Take a piece of wood and cut it to the width that will fit inside the control arm to support it while you insert the new bushings. 

You might consider taking the control arms and bushings to a local auto parts store or machine shop with an arbor press. They shouldn't charge you very much and it will save you a bunch of time and cussing. :cuss:

If you have a welder this is a good time to box your control arms if they aren't boxed from the factory. All you need is a couple of strips of 12 gauge sheet metal. That's what I use but you can go up or down a gauge in thickness. This should all but eliminate any wheel hop your car has and just gives it a more solid feel.


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## chemnick (Nov 16, 2013)

Anybody ever tried using ball joint press (big C clamp) to change the bushings?


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## geeteeohguy (Feb 2, 2008)

Pull the rear end out of the car. It will be 90% out anyway with the arms disconnected from the body of the car. 4X4 won't touch the bushings in the rear end. It's air chisel time. New bushing gets put in the freezer, anti-siezed, and then pressed in with a socket or pipe section and a BFH. On the control arms, you need to use a press and you need to cobble up a c shaped spacer to keep the sides of the trailing arm from distorting/collapsing. Very thin stuff here.


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## mbergin (Jun 19, 2012)

Thanks all for the info. I'm going to pull the rear out and replace the bushings. Much appreciate the guidance. I'm thinking while I'm there, I'll clean and paint the diff, check the rear brakes. I already have boxed lowers so do I still have to worry about the arm distorting when I replace the bushings? The car is a 4speed and I noticed Ames has reinforcement brackets. Not sure where they attach. Any clues as to what is entailed in installing these? Do they have to be welded?
Thank again!


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## the65gto (Oct 9, 2008)

Believe they get placed in where the open end of the arm is. But since you already have yours boxed, that may be difficult. They have a location to be placed in the event you put a sway bar (bolts that hold it to the arm) Brackets should be welded.


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## 05GTO (Oct 6, 2004)

It the braces are the ones I am thinking of they were optional on manual transmission cars. They fasten to the control arm bolts and stabilize the cross member.


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## mbergin (Jun 19, 2012)

Thanks 05. I'm gonna start the project as soon as the weather breaks. I'll be going with the reinforcement brackets. Appreciate the help all!


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## geeteeohguy (Feb 2, 2008)

Regardless of what type of lower arms you have, they must be supported at the open ends where the bushings press through. Very easy to bend these ends up. (Easy to bend them back, though, too!) Good luck. Anti-sieze and the freezer are your friends.


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## mbergin (Jun 19, 2012)

Thanks Geetee. Much appreciated. 


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## mbergin (Jun 19, 2012)

So I purchased the reinforcement brackets from Ames and can't figure out where they attach. They have bolt holes in both ends and look like they go from the upper to the lower arm, but the exhaust is in the way. I noticed that the 67's are different from the 68-72 part numbers. Any thoughts as to where these connect?



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## BearGFR (Aug 25, 2008)

They do connect in front of the rear crossmember, between the upper and lower control arm mounts. If the exhaust is in the way, you'll have to either figure out how to move it or maybe go with some different braces. I used the ones from UMI.










Bear


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## mbergin (Jun 19, 2012)

Thanks Bear. Much appreciated!


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## mrvandermey (Jun 15, 2011)

BearGFR said:


> They do connect in front of the rear crossmember, between the upper and lower control arm mounts. If the exhaust is in the way, you'll have to either figure out how to move it or maybe go with some different braces. I used the ones from UMI.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


Bear, are these braces you are referring to the same thing as the frame connectors sold in rear suspension kits? Where do the braces connect to and from?


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## ALKYGTO (Mar 29, 2010)

BearGFR said:


> They do connect in front of the rear crossmember, between the upper and lower control arm mounts.
> Bear


This _and_ he posted a picture. Every GTO needs these. Heck , every A body GM car needs these!


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## BearGFR (Aug 25, 2008)

If you mean sub-frame connectors, no - they aren't the same thing.

Bear


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## mrvandermey (Jun 15, 2011)

BearGFR said:


> If you mean sub-frame connectors, no - they aren't the same thing.
> 
> Bear


The kit comes with "adjustable upper control arms, boxed lower control arms, *frame braces*, sway bar, housing bushings, and hardware". 

If I am not mistaken (which I might be), "frame braces" are what are in the pics and are what we are referring to in this thread, and are not "sub frame connectors", correct?


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## RunninLeMans (Apr 3, 2014)

Great thread. I've been thinking about the rear end of my '64 LeMans, right now it's stock with air shocks and a 2.56 one-leg (it was a stock 326 2-bbl w/2-spd auto, gone to slighty hotter 326 and a 4-spd). So, in addition to an Eaton 3.08 or 3.23 posi, I'm looking at the Ames S268 kit with the boxed lower control arms and 1" sway bar. From this post it sounds like I should do this all at once with the rear end out of the car, and probably replace the upper control arm bushings. Anything else if I'm more interested in 60 mph back-road handing than burnouts? Also, the front sway bar is stock 7/8", will the car handle funny matched up with a 1" rear sway bar? Most of the kits I see have a larger diameter one in front. Previous owner already rebuilt the front end with poly bushings and what I believe are 1" lowering springs (another headache from what I read here this morning).


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## RunninLeMans (Apr 3, 2014)

Bumpity bump.... I know it's not Hotchkiss, but is the stuff I mentioned from Ames good enough for a 300 hp almost-daily driver, or is it junk?


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## Matthew (Feb 11, 2011)

You might be hijacking the thread here. You are asking for opinions on a couple different items. Might want to start your own thread as there will likely be several. Matt


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## geeteeohguy (Feb 2, 2008)

Runnin', the front sway bar should be larger than the rear for optimal handling. So, you will need to upgrade the front bar if you plan on using that large of a rear bar.


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## RunninLeMans (Apr 3, 2014)

Oops, point taken, Matthew, my apologies to all. Will search again and re-post if I need to.


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