control arm bushings

[jpar1983]

Hey all, I've got a control arm bushing that is cracking and needs to be replaced. Is this a job for an amateur grease monkey?
What tools do I need to pull it and press the new one in?
Is it hard to get the control arm out to do the job?
thanks for your help!

[sparcx]

a recent discussion about the control arms....

http://oldsmobileforums.com/forums/s...ad.php?t=13335

[pfofit]

In the referenced link, Buddy at the end says there is no difference between the GP arms and the intrigue despite the different numbers. From my experience the arms themselves appear similar, never had two side by each. However, the slots in the front vertical hockey puck bushing on a GP SE were straight, front to back and the intrigue slots were at a 20 degree angle or so. Why, I do not know, but probably do to handling characteristics.

These bushings have a slight flat side on the outer ring .
I use this as a marker for replacement by using a flat blade screwdriver or awl to scratch this flat into the control arm before removal of bushing . It helps for proper alignment and up or down placement of the new bushing. Just don't go removing your mark using a wire wheel when cleaning around the old hole.

It is important to note the orientation of the slots in the front bushing if you get a bushing with slots. As well the bushing on the right side is pressed down and the one on the left side is pressed up into the arm..
I have replaced these front bushings with the arm left on the car with a homemade press of a nut,bolt and collars i had laying in my pile. I left the ball joint intact and I believe i removed the bolt from the horizontal bushing and or disconnected the sway bar link.
Once the internal rubber is removed, sometimes they fall right out, with an air chisel the outer ring is easily bent into a letter "C" shape and removed.

Images copied from rockauto, The middle arm below is a GP right side and the right image is an Intrigue left side. You can see the orientation of the slots and the up down placement of the bushing.

Have fun
cheers

[jpar1983]

Is the control arm difficult to remove? I've gone under the car and looked at it and it doesn't look too bad, but are there any particular precautions I should take or tools I will need to get it in and out?

[LittleHoov]

Youll probably need a ball-joint press to get them loose on that side.

Also it might a really good time to replace your ball-joints, depending on how many miles youve got. Something to think about, they arent terribly expensive, and that way you only have to do everything once.

[pfofit]

Other than the precautions I've mentioned above re the position of the bushing. The front bushing bolt is in an adjustable slot. and requires a semi large torx, maybe a T35 or T40, bit on the bolt head and a box end 17,18 or 19mm on the nut above. Use a marker or something to mark the top and bottom perimeter of this bolt nut combo in relation to the frame member so that you can place it exactly where it was positioned, so as not to mess up the alignment. There is a fair bit of play on that front bolt.

When I have done them it was just the bushing and did not remove arm completely cause i didn't want to mess with the ball joint and protecting the boot etc.

As I mentioned above, I believe the horizontal bushing bolt was removed to allow for some rotation of the arm. The sway bar link bolts tend to seize up around here and need a bit of heat to keep them from snapping but cannot remember if it was needed to rotate the arm out into position.
Either way, to get more room if needed, only the upper nut of the link is removed to allow for disconnection of the sway bar. Do both sway links nuts at the same time and the sway bar will lift up out of the way nicely. The plastic spacers on the link bolt become part of the bolt, around here, and will be damaged if you try to seperate them without due care.

After removing the old bushing I clean out surface rust in the bushing hole and the area under where the new bushing flange will sit and wet it with a thin smear of grease. Then pulled the new part it in with my homemade press assembly. If'n you can't make a press, I remember they went in fairly easy and I suppose one could use a couple of large vise grips or clamps on the outer ring and tapping the perimeter with a hammer of sorts would do the trick.to pull it in.

Added:
After thinking a bit more i believe after removing the two bolts I pulled the arm, and knuckle strut assembly away and I stuck the flat side of a 2x4 between the frame and arm to hold it out. so I could play with it and not fight the system.

[LittleHoov]

Im sorry I wasnt thinking!

I suppose its probably not necessary to loosen the control arm at the ball joint end for what you are doing.

Though it might be easier to work with the arm/bushings if you did. In which case, its a good time for new ball joints if you planning on keeping her for a while.

[jpar1983]

I don't know how long we will keep the car. It's my wife's, and has 175k on it, but mine needs to be replaced eventually too so I don't know. It just doesn't run as smoothly as it used to.