FirebirdStud

iTrader: (5)

HAHA sorry for the awkward title, but I wanted to be specific.

On the drivers side, the lower front control arm, rear bushing has the damn bolt frozen in the bushing. UGH! I got the nut off fine, but for two days I have been soaking it in rust penetrant. Its not working. I have an air hammer and I have been hammering away at the bastard, with no luck. That passenger side was seized too, but I managed to air hammer the crap out of it and got it out. No such luck with the drivers side. Soo... those who have had this problem, how did you resolve it?? Im at a loss here, save for trying to sawzall the bushing in half while it is on the car, and even then no garentees Ill be able to split it and get it out.

This shock install is a pain in the damn ***. I started with strano springs and koni shocks, and since I was in there I decided to replace all the control arm bushings and ball joints. Got the shocks out and there is soo much rust and corrosion on top Im gonna have to replace that metal bracket/plate that bolts to the car. UGH! Anyone know part numbers/availability on those parts??

I got the upper control arm bushings and ball joints in, piece of cake. but the lower control arm is a PITA! I got the bushings in, but the moog ball join keeps wanting to go in sideways. Ive tried hammering on it to get it straight (yes Im aware the destructions say not to do this, but damn this thing is heavy duty so I figured it was alright) abd still no luck. I have a press at home and that wont push it in straight either.

This project has turned ugly fast. But, Im going to keep plugging away, as Id like to drive the damn thing again.

So, back to that bolt, any suggestions??

FirebirdStud

iTrader: (5)

Day three, got sick of waiting. I sawzalled the bastard out. PITA but I need to make progress if I want to drive it again.

amr84ss

iTrader: (4)

You can get the upper shock mount from your local auto parts, the should be about $50 bucks apiece. I just did mine this past weekend. But I did not have any problem getting my lower arm apart.

FirebirdStud

iTrader: (5)

50 bucks?? Where did you get them from, and what brand? I work for GM, and so I get parts discounts at all the chains, and the cheapest I can get moog was 68 each, and the kybs were 78... please let me know the details!

Thanks.

sjsingle1

iTrader: (1)

if you work for GM........i would not get any other brand of mount.......the 1s i got at autozone did not fit

amr84ss

iTrader: (4)

Yeah the moog were the ones i used. The kyb were like 80 bucks, but the monroes were almost the same cost as the moog. I get a pretty good discount at one parts store close to me. I do believe That i payed like 55 bucks a side. I was not right in my estimate of price, I forgot that I got a good discount on them.

Blackfly

iTrader: (13)

THIS^^^

I was going to use aftermarket but was afraid I was going to have alot of problems. I have a STB and the bolt stems on the aftermarket Shock mount were not long enough to get my STB back on. I took it back.

a GM will cost close to $250.... for 1

amr84ss

iTrader: (4)

I almost could not get one side of my STB to screw down due to the studs not being long enough, but i finally got the nut started and got it tight.

FirebirdStud

iTrader: (5)

Yeah, the GM ones are not an option, they are double the moog ones in price, and that is what I can get them for. What a joke.

I have decided to reuse the stock ones. I cant really find anything wrong with them, as the control arm plate and the car shock tower was rusted, not the boot. Oh and that shock insulator that goes inside the mount was rusted to hell, but I got new ones of those.

So... for now the stockers are getting reused. I too have a hotchkiss strut tower brace, so I dont want to deal with too short of studs.

Gonna put the shocks and springs together at work tomorrow. Got the control arms painted and new bushings/ball joints in, so tomorrow we will start going back together.
Woohoo!!!!