Bushing install questions..........
06-21-2010, 05:49 PM
#1
Bushing install questions.......... So...if I take my upper and lower control arms off....can I bring them to any auto mechanic shop to have the old bushings pressed out and the new Moog bushings pressed in?
-Also, do the upper and lower ball joints get pressed in, with a press or any special tools, or do they simply get popped in there and thats it?
-How about the tie-rod ends (outers).....anything special about replacing those?
-AND.....sway bar bushings are looking ratty....are they as simple as unbolting the sway bar nuts and putting the new ones in?
I'd like to remove everything myself, just for kicks, and have the bushings removed and installed by a mechanic with the proper tools.....but are there any surprises I'm looking at by thinking I can do this without a problem?
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-Also, do the upper and lower ball joints get pressed in, with a press or any special tools, or do they simply get popped in there and thats it?
-How about the tie-rod ends (outers).....anything special about replacing those?
-AND.....sway bar bushings are looking ratty....are they as simple as unbolting the sway bar nuts and putting the new ones in?
I'd like to remove everything myself, just for kicks, and have the bushings removed and installed by a mechanic with the proper tools.....but are there any surprises I'm looking at by thinking I can do this without a problem?
.
06-21-2010, 06:40 PM
#2
Sway bar ends are very easy to do yourself.
Tie rods just need a simple puller, available at Harbor Freight, auto zone, pep boys...
Upper Ball joints need to have the rivets drilled out, new ones are bolted in.
Upper bushings can be done with a vice or hydraulic press (Harbor Freight has them on sale all the time, if you have the space and one in your area), but you need to take care and put something in the u channel to avoid bending it.
As for the lower bushings and ball joints, unless you have a press, I wouldn't try it.
The first time I paid to have it done at Pep Boys (I took them the lower A arms and purchased the bushings & ball joints there) it cost me $120. I bought a hydraulic press for $99 then next time I needed them done on my other F body.
If this is your daily driver, I'd suggest buying a used set of A arms and getting it done ahead of time then just swapping out the A arms. you can usually find them very cheap on here and eBay.
Tie rods just need a simple puller, available at Harbor Freight, auto zone, pep boys...
Upper Ball joints need to have the rivets drilled out, new ones are bolted in.
Upper bushings can be done with a vice or hydraulic press (Harbor Freight has them on sale all the time, if you have the space and one in your area), but you need to take care and put something in the u channel to avoid bending it.
As for the lower bushings and ball joints, unless you have a press, I wouldn't try it.
The first time I paid to have it done at Pep Boys (I took them the lower A arms and purchased the bushings & ball joints there) it cost me $120. I bought a hydraulic press for $99 then next time I needed them done on my other F body.
If this is your daily driver, I'd suggest buying a used set of A arms and getting it done ahead of time then just swapping out the A arms. you can usually find them very cheap on here and eBay.
06-21-2010, 07:04 PM
#3
Sway bar ends are very easy to do yourself.
Tie rods just need a simple puller, available at Harbor Freight, auto zone, pep boys...
Upper Ball joints need to have the rivets drilled out, new ones are bolted in.
Upper bushings can be done with a vice or hydraulic press (Harbor Freight has them on sale all the time, if you have the space and one in your area), but you need to take care and put something in the u channel to avoid bending it.
As for the lower bushings and ball joints, unless you have a press, I wouldn't try it.
The first time I paid to have it done at Pep Boys (I took them the lower A arms and purchased the bushings & ball joints there) it cost me $120. I bought a hydraulic press for $99 then next time I needed them done on my other F body.
If this is your daily driver, I'd suggest buying a used set of A arms and getting it done ahead of time then just swapping out the A arms. you can usually find them very cheap on here and eBay.
Tie rods just need a simple puller, available at Harbor Freight, auto zone, pep boys...
Upper Ball joints need to have the rivets drilled out, new ones are bolted in.
Upper bushings can be done with a vice or hydraulic press (Harbor Freight has them on sale all the time, if you have the space and one in your area), but you need to take care and put something in the u channel to avoid bending it.
As for the lower bushings and ball joints, unless you have a press, I wouldn't try it.
The first time I paid to have it done at Pep Boys (I took them the lower A arms and purchased the bushings & ball joints there) it cost me $120. I bought a hydraulic press for $99 then next time I needed them done on my other F body.
If this is your daily driver, I'd suggest buying a used set of A arms and getting it done ahead of time then just swapping out the A arms. you can usually find them very cheap on here and eBay.
So hows this price for the lower arms?
http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/98-02...Q5fAccessories
I can't find used upper arms.
.
06-21-2010, 07:20 PM
#4
Sumbitch.....sometimes it just takes a nudge from someone. Good idea, never thought to do this.
So hows this price for the lower arms?
http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/98-02...Q5fAccessories
I can't find used upper arms.
.
So hows this price for the lower arms?
http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/98-02...Q5fAccessories
I can't find used upper arms.
.
The good thing is, V6/V8, Camaros and TAs are all the same, 93-2002.
