License2Ill

iTrader: (1)

Anyone have any advice on getting the lower control arms rear bushings into the shells on the lower control arm ??? I've been trying to call prothane but they're not in over the blasted weekend.

Someone told me I might have to have them pressed in.
I have tried numerous ways trust me....including C clamps. and even strong impact gun with a bolt thru both upper and lower bushing but it just will not slip into the shell.

The shell itself is exactly 2 inches in diameter. the poly bush is about a 1/4 in diameter MORE all the way around could be more actually. It just will not fit. A friend says a shop with press can do it....but I dont see how if even with a c clamp the edges are getting caught and its as if anything that presses it down would only force the 2inches in the middle and cut into any extra material.(likely more than 1/4 in. of poly)

Has anyone experienced this problem? I thought this kit was from ES but their from Prothane but the company still exissts so it cant be all that bad. I've confirmed this kit is the correct kit for my car. ALL other bushings have fit upper arm was done months ago. and the other bushing for this lower arm looks like it will fit perfectly. Its the back of the arm that goes into the cars body along the firewall and the new poly bushings sandwich that part of the lower arm.

Please help out with any experience with this co's kit or even with a ES kit since they loook a lot alike anyway.

WS Sick

Have you tried putting the peice in the freeezer for a few hours then trying to press it in? Are the diameter meaurements even close?

License2Ill

iTrader: (1)

No they are not man. Im being honest its 1/4 in if not MORE all the way around. You think a press can still press that in? I feel like cutting into it....fuggin pissed im losing the whole weekend to these poly biscuits that do not fit and I cant call the company.

Havent tried the freezer..is this a known work around. good idea either way.

WS Sick

Well if the measurements are off that much then I dont think its going to go, I would get ahold of the manufacturer and find out the deal.

Yeah pushings of these sort are easier to go in if you shrink then in the freezer and then press them in, but this diference in dia. is too much IMHO.

jaycenk

iTrader: (1)

Are you talking about the front lower control arm or the rear control arms?

hyperzone

I dont know of any magic way to make it fit from what I'm reading. I replaced all the front suspension bushings and it was more of a problem of removing the old junk. Could you take a photo of what your looking at? Is there possibly any part of the old rubber bushing or metal surround material you need to remove yet to put in the new stuff?

License2Ill

iTrader: (1)

I tried the freezer trick and it didnt work. The exact measurement of the bushing is 2.185 and the metal shell is 2 in exact. It will not squeeze into the shell. Its as if they do require magic.

This is for the front lower control arm. The rear of it...that goes against the bottom of the firewall. Im trying to get a hold of Prothane today.

Unless they want you to take out the bushing shell and drop these in instead I dont know how this will fit. The instructions state specifically to no do that tho.

sempire

iTrader: (5)

I had this problem as well. For what it was worth, I just bought TRW oem replacement ones.

License2Ill

iTrader: (1)

Check out this link:
http://www.z28.com/forum/showthread....l+arm+bushings

This guy removed the whole bushing shell.

I got Prothane on the horn...turns out the later revised instructions do tell you to do this.
Me being mr.lucky i have the older instructions. so I lost my whole weekend to this and ruined one pair of these poly biscuits set. They are doing the honorable thing and shooting me out new replacements though.
In the meantime I'll use the other set I didnt ruin trying to cram them into a bushing shell not intended for it...to finish dressing at least this one side of the front.

Nothing is ever easy is it? I planned this past weekend and took a day off. To bump into something this silly. Wish I could say I would have banged out the shell on my own....but this instructions phamplet specifically say NOT to. Oh well....

hyperzone

Nice link with the write up. I was wondering when you kept saying LCA's... your actually talking about the lower A-arms. Thats exactly what all I replaced recently. I burned out the old rubber just like the photos show and then used a dremel with the round sanders to smooth out the tiny remainder. I dont know if I had the better instructions or what but, it was easy from what I remember. Replacing the lower ball joints was trick though with the angles on that lower A-arm. I bent one up on my first attempt and had to hit the junk yard for another. Good luck with the project!

WS Sick

I hate it when that crap happens, all excited about a new part and the crap has old outdated or uninformative instructions.

License2Ill

iTrader: (1)

I also placed an order for rear rotors with Advance Auto and they were supposed to have it for me on Saturday morning....HAH got there on Monday. So lets just say the LT1 gods were not in my favor this past weekend. You can't argue with the flow of things...I ended up hanging out and taking it easy. How does that saying go? The best made plan is no plan at all? or is it the best laid plans?

I didn't touch the lower ball joint...I just didn't see how they intended for us to get to it...also I have the 1thous page Camaro boook(orig Chevy Manual) and it kept referencing the grease nipple and the shoulder around it to determine wear.....well my lower ball joint had no nipple on it. Good news was it does not shimmy or deflect at all and the rubbber grease cover is intact. So I figured it should be in fair to good condition and just left it alone. The outer tie rod ends tho.....they have no looseness but the grease boots are shot to hell...Im going to check how much those go for and see if I can replace those.

Was looking at the front sway bar bushings too...they look kind of shot....this funky poly front end kit did not come with those. I was looking into replacing the front end sway bar with something thicker...but someone told me our stock is 30mm. So I would want to step up to 35mm....but it's not much of a change.....was mulling over skipping the sway bar upgrade and paying for the poly sway bushings instead. I have to imagine they probably play a much bigger role than 5mm's worth of thickness in the sway bar.

Paul Bell

iTrader: (9)

The Prothane front lower control arm bushings for the rear location DO NOT use the original bushing shells. You only use the center sleeves and end washers. You will need a big C-Clamp to press lock the end washers on the center sleeves.

The Prothane front lower control arm bushings for the front location do use the original bushing shells as well as the center sleeves and end washers..

Paul Bell

iTrader: (9)

Hopefully, your streets and roads are better than mine here in NYC or this might happen to you:

License2Ill

iTrader: (1)

dude needed this chime in like a week ago...but thnks anyway.
nice paint job on those arms...what did u hit it with? nice smooth finish.
I hit mine with Por-15 stuff....FinalCote or something like that. Black as hell and strong...but nowhere near as smooth.

License2Ill

iTrader: (1)

Holy potholes batman!!

thats bad bro....stop going into brooklyn and the south bronx.

U think it was the bushings? or maybe u heated it up something wicked when removing the bushing shell? Thats a no joke break. I banged mine out. I don't like heating stuff up so much anymore.

Paul Bell

iTrader: (9)

Sorry-I just saw this thread.

The arms were powder-coated. Nice, eh? Too bad I have to replace them.

The rear bushing makes the articulation of the arm very difficult. This placed added stress on the rear bushing mount of the arm. I'd say this was an extreme example because of the incredible roads we have here and the fact that this is a daily driver. I'm certain many others are using this bushing setup without issue.

I'm going with the recently listed arms from UMI with a Delrin front bushing and their Roto-joint in the rear. In Chrome-Moly tubing, they're over $500.00.

Paul Bell

iTrader: (9)

I didn't need to heat the old bushings to remove them from the arms. I pressed them out complete from the arms.

You'll need to have the rear shells pressed out of your arms. Take them down to any service shop and they'll press them out for you.

License2Ill

iTrader: (1)

I banged them out cave man style...10-15 minutes per.

I figured they break might be cuz of the bushings being too stiff....you think its worth making the donut holes on them slightly larger? for some give?

Potholes are everywhere man....u can never tell. What if you don't feel something like this happen? and go up to 120?

Honestly u got a lawsuit there.

How'd u come to find out it broke up like that?

Paul Bell

iTrader: (9)

I discovered it because I had to do hubs and rotors. The alignment was off and was about to get it aligned. The shop would've seen it.