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Is there a DIY for replacing the upper and lower control arm bushings? I have poly now for a few years and am getting tire of taking them apart and greasing them.
The upper control arm bushings were cake to replace using a standard bushing tool kit rented from any auto store. I would recommend that you put the nuts from the upper arms in the U shaped area to minimize the bushing tool crushing the arm. See attached picture to see the area I am talking about. I did this and still got the U to bend a bit but nothing bad.
For the lower control arms, I am guessing you mean the ones for the front as well. Those I needed to take to an auto shop to have them press them out as the rust had a pretty good hold on the bushings.
I have not messed with the rear LCAs but I have heard several people also taking them to an auto shop to have the bushings replaced.
OK so you stuck the nut in there that's what I was thinking because it looks like the tool would just crush the control are. Thanx.
I'm just going to do the fronts because the noise is killing me. The rear for some reason (poly) does not make any noise.
I replaced all my bushings with Moog and couldn't be happier.
Yea it looks like I'm heading that way. They have a newer rear lower control bushing but don't seem to sell the front one separately, I'll probably use GM OEM for that one bushing, cannot see buying 2 different types of rear lower bushing.
Yea it looks like I'm heading that way. They have a newer rear lower control bushing but don't seem to sell the front one separately, I'll probably use GM OEM for that one bushing, cannot see buying 2 different types of rear lower bushing.
Front upper and rear lower control arm bushings shouldn't be that much of a hassle. I did my rear lowers out in the barn with a bench vise lol. It was my first time ever messing with bushing and YES, the control arm will bend if you don't have a socket or some kind of reinforcement around the outside edge of the control arm to keep it from bending inwards once you start to press the bushings out/in. Luckily it was mostly elastic deformation so it wasn't permanently deformed too bad. A little bending is fine, but only a little.
I had also bought Moog's special Problem Solver bushing for the front lower vertical bushing. In theory it looks like it would perform better than a regular bushing but I honestly wouldn't buy two sets of bushings for 1 front lower control arm again. I have no idea if it contributes to actual performance gains on the street or track. If it does it would be very minimal. The only upside to that would be that the bushing would probably outlast the car, but a regular replacement bushing would last another 50k miles anyways. Depends on how long you plan on keeping your car I guess
I'm going to buy that fancy bushing then just get an OEM front from GM not buying the same bushing twice. I currently have 334,000 miles on the Z and am planning to keep it till 500,000.
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bushing replacement 
