Darth Cypher

Got all the bushings and ball joints out of my front lower control arms. Ended up having to take them to the shop. First question is that the shop put some dings on the arm getting the stuff off. Not pissed, also not thrilled but is this normal when a shop has to use their press to get bushings and ball joints out? It looks superficial. Is this a problem or can I just remove the raised metal? I am going to paint the arms after knocking off the rust.

Second question, my dumbass forgot to take a pic of the lower control arms prior to me removing the bushings and I cannot remember which direction they get pressed into. In my pic with the whole arm, I can see how my tool was laid out and is still in the same position as it was when I tried to remove the bushing from the arm. On that forward bushing, I can tell that the new bushing will get pressed in from the back (left side in the pic). I just cannot remember how the aft bushing will get pressed in.

In the pic, I laid the arm as it will be installed on that side of the car. So looking at the pic, does the aft bushing get pressed in from the bottom side or the top side? Thanks.

joeformula

iTrader: (11)

From the bottom up

LLLosingit

iTrader: (4)

I will also add this, Don't fully tighten the bolts where they connect at the chassis until you have the suspension loaded, Either by putting the both tires on and setting it on the ground or by supporting both A-arms so that the weight of the car is on them. If you tighten them while the suspension is at full droop it will put tension on the bushings and possibly leave the car higher in the front.

Darth Cypher

Thanks for the info. I saw some pics online but they weren't all that great. I do plan on torquing all the bolts on the bushings with the suspension loaded. I did just wonder if the same should be done with the sway bar end links. I did not remove the sway bar at all but I did get new end links.

LLLosingit

iTrader: (4)

Sway bar won't matter, They can be tightened anytime.

Darth Cypher

I really wish I would think of these things more ahead of time. I'm waiting to get the rust and grime off of the rest of my hardware for my front suspension. The question I now have is do I put some sort of lube on the bolts of the upper and lower control arms? I am putting anti-seize on them so they don't get rusted to the bushings on the arms. Is there anything else that I should do or is this enough?

LLLosingit

iTrader: (4)

It wouldn't hurt to put anti-seize although I don't think it's needed. My S-10 still had the stock arms and the bolts came right out and are in good enough shape that I'm reusing them and I live in the rust belt.

Darth Cypher

I'm mostly worried about wear for when the suspension moves up and down during driving.

LLLosingit

iTrader: (4)

I don't think they are supposed to move after you tighten them, Most but not all GM bushings have teeth that dig in when tightened. That's why it's important to load the suspension before tightening.

Darth Cypher

I didn't think so as they looked dry (but dirty) when I took them off. When I cleaned them up some black **** liquefied and ran off of them like it was some sort of grease. That was what got me curious. Thanks for helping me kill yet another cat.