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140 control arm bushing replacement

AndrewNance

Amateur hour!
Joined
Oct 24, 2011
Location
Winston-Salem, NC
I'm trying to replace all of the rotten bushings on this '71 but the upper control arm has me stumped. How do you even begin to press the bushings out with that control arm shaft in there?
 
The procedure in the greenbook calls for spreading the arm enough to get a heavy slotted washer between the shaft and bushing, then using a soft hammer to drive the shaft and bushing out. It looks like a rear axle "C" clip might work. I use an air hammer with a dull chisel bit to carefully drive the bushing out by the flange.

140ControlArmBushingReplacement.jpg
 
Yeah I saw that earlier on k-jet.org but I don't have any useful tools for the job. I thought there was a chance it would go smoothly because I actually put poly bushings in the front of the 122 about a month ago and I didn't need any special tools or a press. They were replaced about two years ago though so I guess that counts for something. Once I got into this car it became obvious that this thing has never been taken apart. I thought I'd be able to do the bushings and throw it back together but the ball joints that came off were scary bad so now I'm basically rebuilding the whole front end.

What if I just send them out to you? I can't find anyone local that I trust not to bend them all to hell. I need the lowers done too. I have all the bushings.
 
Not to bump a long-dead thread, however, this is the first link on google and is the only one that remotely discusses the procedure.
I'm getting ready to do this job on the 145 and found these two videos that other searchers may find useful.

<iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/BD225i3Qkco" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen></iframe>
<iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/anbCINJyvlk" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen></iframe>
 
The process is similar to any old car with A-arms for the upper fronts. Most GM's used this set up for years.
This is basically the same process I used to remove & install mine.
<iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/1X9iOPpaBYA" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen></iframe>
 
I will continue to drag this thread back into the present:

After watching these videos and reading the Phil Singher how-to (for Amazon/1800), I'm wondering how much of a press is needed for these, and if hammering them in is an option. I've got a cheesy 1-ton arbor press but it doesn't have the vertical capacity to fit the whole arm.

If hammering is a no-go, I'll probably drop it all of at Vol-Tech, but as always I am a cheepskate so would prefer to do it myself.
 
I will continue to drag this thread back into the present:

After watching these videos and reading the Phil Singher how-to (for Amazon/1800), I'm wondering how much of a press is needed for these, and if hammering them in is an option. I've got a cheesy 1-ton arbor press but it doesn't have the vertical capacity to fit the whole arm.

If hammering is a no-go, I'll probably drop it all of at Vol-Tech, but as always I am a cheepskate so would prefer to do it myself.

I would not hammer them in.
I have the Harbor Freight ball joint / bushing kit and an add-on kit of additional bushing fittings. This will last me well past my lifetime and did this without any issues.
 
I would not hammer them in.
I have the Harbor Freight ball joint / bushing kit and an add-on kit of additional bushing fittings. This will last me well past my lifetime and did this without any issues.

Thanks for confirming that. I got the feeling hammering was a big no-no.

Is this the tool you used?

And this set of additional adapters?
 
My wee 4 tonne press struggled with pushing out the ball joints and I had to use heat as well. Mine is like this: https://www.machinemart.co.uk/p/clarke-csa4b-4-tonne-hydraulic-bench-press/

When pressing the bushes out just use a 7/8 open ended spanner as the spacer on the top wishbone. What you have to be very careful with is when pressing in the new bushes; make sure you have a spacer made that fits snuggly between the arms so you don?t bend the wishbone arms.
 
C-clamp in a vice, 1/2" impact, I think it took a 15/16" socket, no issues whatsoever. You'd be surprised how easy the ball joints & bushing came out.
But, without an air impact, you are probably correct. Unless you get a giant-ass breaker bar, or put some pipe on one to get some real leverage. Once the bond "pops", then a regular old ratchet should work.
You have to be careful not to bend the arms with a hydraulic press.
The only bushings it didn't work for were the rear control arms. I cut / drilled / burned / summoned Satan to get the old ones out, then made a tool to press in the new poly bushings.

Here's some before & after pics of the lower a-arm, done with the China Freight tool:

uEy0hPV.jpg


gk6TLad.jpg


PVzI0xs.jpg
 
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If you're going to spend the $ on those two items, why not get a heavier duty tool for about the same price?

https://www.harborfreight.com/12-ton-shop-press-33497.html?_br_psugg_q=hydraulic+press

I don't think that c-clamp style would have been strong enough when I did my bushings.

I thought about that but I'd still have to figure out adapters, receiving cups, etc. Unless Y'all say I can do it with regular sockets.

I just bought a set that's similar to the HF tool but cheaper from Amazon :roll: . Hopefully between the included adapters and my selection of sockets, I can make it work.

C-clamp in a vice, 1/2" impact, I think it took a 15/16" socket, no issues whatsoever. You'd be surprised how easy the ball joints & bushing came out.
But, without an air impact, you are probably correct. Unless you get a giant-ass breaker bar, or put some pipe on one to get some real leverage. Once the bond "pops", then a regular old ratchet should work.
You have to be careful not to bend the arms with a hydraulic press.
The only bushings it didn't work for were the rear control arms. I cut / drilled / burned / summoned Satan to get the old ones out, then made a tool to press in the new poly bushings.

Here's some before & after pics of the lower a-arm, done with the China Freight tool:

PVzI0xs.jpg

I have an air impact, so hopefully the C-clamp tool works. My ball joints actually look really good (intact boots that look relatively fresh) so I'm hoping I can disassemble everything without f'ing them up. If I find out they're crunchy, I'll get new ones and have the tools to swap them.

That photo reminds me of the fully rebuilt, painted, and assembled front crossmember and rear end that a TB'er was selling Oregon for like $500 a couple years ago. Wish I had pulled the trigger on that.
 
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