[Droach6498]

I did the 2 lowers but getting at the uppers looks more difficult & I had problems with the lowers
Has anyone r&r these with the car all together, running etc
The vids all show the rearend out of the car, sure thats ez enough but when the cars working,
completely different.

 

[O52]

While the working area is tight it's still accessible. Use a swivel joint for the socket and a drift pin to locate the upper arm. Bolts enter from the muffler side, nut on the axle side.
Do one at a time with the axle and center pumpkin nose supported by jack stands.
Torque to 110 lb-ft if tightening by the bolt or 80 lb-ft if tightening by the nut. Car must be on the ground or all four tires on blocks when tightening to final torque.

Shouldn't take more than a couple hours for both. Easy Day.

 

[Baaad65]

Do you have the shocks disconnected so it will lower down more?

 

[geeteeohguy]

This is a piece of cake if the car is up on a lift with the rear end hanging in the breeze. As stated, don't tighten the fasteners until the car is sitting on all 4 tires under its own weight. You can lower it on blocks or old rims or ramps so you can get under there to get to the parts.

 

[armyadarkness]

I did the 2 lowers but getting at the uppers looks more difficult & I had problems with the lowers
Has anyone r&r these with the car all together, running etc
The vids all show the rearend out of the car, sure thats ez enough but when the cars working,
completely different.

I did the entire job, car assembled, at night in the dark, 14 degrees out, on my back in the driveway.

Pressing the bushings out of the diff and installing new, is the toughest part.

WHATEVER YOU DO!

Make sure you do frame supports at the same time. They make a big difference, and if you skip them now, then you have to take it back apart to install them later.

 

[armyadarkness]

Do you have the shocks disconnected so it will lower down more?

but if you do, then watch the brake line!!!!!!

 

[Droach6498]

2 hours .....right. I just did the 2 lowers which were supposed to be easy, well I had the axle supported and it moved back 2 inches so I couldnt get the last one on I had to take the driveshaft off and shock on the drivers side to push it back. I did them one at a time and tightened them after I lowered the car to the floor. after I got it all I guess the spring got moved I heard a loud twang and the spring had come out at the top. Nothing was a big deal just things dont always go ez.
But my concern about the uppers is pressing the bushings out, not alot of room and pressing them in. Ive watched vids and they all do it with the axle out of the car, well of course thats easier idiot try it with it in the car. So I wanted to talk with someone who did it with them in the car.
From what I read supposed to install adjustable uppers due to the contortion, and whats the deal with the angle?
I jus got all my projects done and probably wont tackle it for a month or so, want to be ready before I get into this one.

 

[Droach6498]

I did the entire job, car assembled, at night in the dark, 14 degrees out, on my back in the driveway.

Pressing the bushings out of the diff and installing new, is the toughest part.

WHATEVER YOU DO!

Make sure you do frame supports at the same time. They make a big difference, and if you skip them now, then you have to take it back apart to install them later.

What do you mean frame supports? Block the frame and let the axle hang? I guess if you do that and it drops , if your installing adjustable, measure the old and make them the same? Thats what u mean?
14 degrees? **** that I dont even like it 55 outside. Ca boy. I used to go around 24/7 with shorts, now Im 70 I wear 3 layers of clothes, unless its 90. Thats what happens when u get old and lose alot of weight.

 

[Baaad65]

What do you mean frame supports? Block the frame and let the axle hang? I guess if you do that and it drops , if your installing adjustable, measure the old and make them the same? Thats what u mean?
14 degrees? **** that I dont even like it 55 outside. Ca boy. I used to go around 24/7 with shorts, now Im 70 I wear 3 layers of clothes, unless its 90. Thats what happens when u get old and lose alot of weight.

He means triangulation bars, it's a "while you're in there" job and they keep you from ripping out the rear crossmember. They attach to the forward mount of the lower arm to the upper arm mount, but get the tubular ones not the flat ones. I put them on mine.

 

[Droach6498]

any particlar reason to install them? I doing the control arms due to wheel hop, and they or the bushings were old and cracked, I did install BMR tubular with poly bushings and a grease port lowers. As it turns out mine had a bar welded across the bottoms which made them solid with bars inside so it wouldnt bend. They were pretty nice, I gave them to a guy whose going to work on my dash gauges, horn & dash lights, plus a bunch of other parts.
I did drive my car today and it really helped with the wheel hop I didnt floor it but gave it just enough to spin the tires a bit, the uppers should really help.
Now Ive been reading that my rearend may not hadle my engine. I do have a rebuilt 66 10" BOP 8.2" posi 3.73 but it states they're good to 400hp I havent had it dynoed but Im sure its at least 450hp Im guessing 475hp. I dont think it has 800 miles

 

[Droach6498]

One more sorry
Can I remove and install the bushings with a ball joint remover? They let you use them at a couple auto parts stores around. Guess I should measure the diameter of the bushings to make sure.
How did you get yours out & in?

 

[lust4speed]

I avoid pressing the old bushings out of the control arm for fear of collapsing the control arm sheet metal. I use a drill and about a 3/8" or a little small bit and drill down in the outside of the rubber until I get around the perimeter. Most of the time the bit will start travelling on its own and spin around the circumference pulling the rubber loose and sometimes out. After the steel center section and rubber are removed I take a chisel and dent in the shell away from the arm. Eventually the shell falls free and out without hurting the arm. The metal on the control arm is relatively thin and can be bent out of shape pretty easy.

When I install the new bushings I make sure the hole in the control arm is very clean by very lightly skimming the hole with a sanding drum to remove any rust or old paint. If you get carried away here the new bushing will pivot in the control arm hole so go lightly. I also made up an appropriate "C" shim that was slightly larger in diameter than the bushing diameter and also touched the inner sides of the control arm wall. I slip it in place before using a press to press in the new bushing. Without the metal "C" the bushing would just crumple up.

The good news is there is only one bushing per upper control arm compared to both ends of the lower arms. I use the same drill method around the inside of the old bushing to remove the bushing out of the cast ears of the center section, and will appropriately cheat and clean up the hole on the cast rearend to help the new bushing move into place. Every time I have attempted to pull in the new bushing I end up ballooning the bushing shell and have found that driving them in the cast iron works better for me. Just remember that you are working with cast iron and the ears can crack and break off if too much energy is applied to the mallet.

 

[armyadarkness]

2 hours .....right. I just did the 2 lowers which were supposed to be easy, well I had the axle supported and it moved back 2 inches so I couldnt get the last one on I had to take the driveshaft off and shock on the drivers side to push it back. I did them one at a time and tightened them after I lowered the car to the floor. after I got it all I guess the spring got moved I heard a loud twang and the spring had come out at the top. Nothing was a big deal just things dont always go ez.
But my concern about the uppers is pressing the bushings out, not alot of room and pressing them in. Ive watched vids and they all do it with the axle out of the car, well of course thats easier idiot try it with it in the car. So I wanted to talk with someone who did it with them in the car.
From what I read supposed to install adjustable uppers due to the contortion, and whats the deal with the angle?
I jus got all my projects done and probably wont tackle it for a month or so, want to be ready before I get into this one.

To get the bushings out, spray them with penetrating oil and get some anvils for your air chisel!

Putting them in isnt so bad... you can get a toss-away press kit off ebay... They suck, but they'll work a few times and they're cheap.

 

[armyadarkness]

any particlar reason to install them? I doing the control arms due to wheel hop, and they or the bushings were old and cracked, I did install BMR tubular with poly bushings and a grease port lowers. As it turns out mine had a bar welded across the bottoms which made them solid with bars inside so it wouldnt bend. They were pretty nice, I gave them to a guy whose going to work on my dash gauges, horn & dash lights, plus a bunch of other parts.
I did drive my car today and it really helped with the wheel hop I didnt floor it but gave it just enough to spin the tires a bit, the uppers should really help.
Now Ive been reading that my rearend may not hadle my engine. I do have a rebuilt 66 10" BOP 8.2" posi 3.73 but it states they're good to 400hp I havent had it dynoed but Im sure its at least 450hp Im guessing 475hp. I dont think it has 800 miles

The frame supports REALLY help a lot with wheel hop and traction!!!!! They tie it all together and they're cheap!

 

[armyadarkness]

One more sorry
Can I remove and install the bushings with a ball joint remover? They let you use them at a couple auto parts stores around. Guess I should measure the diameter of the bushings to make sure.
How did you get yours out & in?

I put an anvil on my air chisel.

 

[Baaad65]

"While you were in there" you should just put adjustable uppers arms with the roto joint and the triangulation bars, then you can adjust pinion angle. You should also pick up this book it explains everything really well.

 

[armyadarkness]

Maybe dont get that book, until you have a Ford 9". Hooking and launching with a BOP diff, isnt all it's cracked up to be. Yes, ditch the wheel hop, but keep those tires spinnin and smokin!

 

[67ventwindow]

I avoid pressing the old bushings out of the control arm for fear of collapsing the control arm sheet metal. I use a drill and about a 3/8" or a little small bit and drill down in the outside of the rubber until I get around the perimeter. Most of the time the bit will start travelling on its own and spin around the circumference pulling the rubber loose and sometimes out. After the steel center section and rubber are removed I take a chisel and dent in the shell away from the arm. Eventually the shell falls free and out without hurting the arm. The metal on the control arm is relatively thin and can be bent out of shape pretty easy.

Was this the prevailing way to do this back then. I remember doing this on a Chevelle in the 80s. I all most lived in the Auto Hobby shop on the Military Base back then so I didn't remember why I didn't just press them out. One of the guys working there must have set me straight.

Thanks for jogging that memory of me.

 

[armyadarkness]

It's how I discovered Global West, in the first place.

Was swapping the bushings on my Vette, and the job went sideways. The press either didnt work, or destroyed the arms... the entire job was a shit-show... a ton of work, for a BS job that, was going to yeild mediocre results, at best.

I decided that I'd rather make monthly credit card payments, and have the best handling car on the road, than to spend another two days cursing and beating myself up, for nothing.

So whaen I got my GTO and saw that the bushings were missing and or ruined, I took a day and converted it all to GW, in an afternoon.

 

[Droach6498]

I avoid pressing the old bushings out of the control arm for fear of collapsing the control arm sheet metal. I use a drill and about a 3/8" or a little small bit and drill down in the outside of the rubber until I get around the perimeter. Most of the time the bit will start travelling on its own and spin around the circumference pulling the rubber loose and sometimes out. After the steel center section and rubber are removed I take a chisel and dent in the shell away from the arm. Eventually the shell falls free and out without hurting the arm. The metal on the control arm is relatively thin and can be bent out of shape pretty easy.

When I install the new bushings I make sure the hole in the control arm is very clean by very lightly skimming the hole with a sanding drum to remove any rust or old paint. If you get carried away here the new bushing will pivot in the control arm hole so go lightly. I also made up an appropriate "C" shim that was slightly larger in diameter than the bushing diameter and also touched the inner sides of the control arm wall. I slip it in place before using a press to press in the new bushing. Without the metal "C" the bushing would just crumple up.

The good news is there is only one bushing per upper control arm compared to both ends of the lower arms. I use the same drill method around the inside of the old bushing to remove the bushing out of the cast ears of the center section, and will appropriately cheat and clean up the hole on the cast rearend to help the new bushing move into place. Every time I have attempted to pull in the new bushing I end up ballooning the bushing shell and have found that driving them in the cast iron works better for me. Just remember that you are working with cast iron and the ears can crack and break off if too much energy is applied to the mallet.

When I did the lower control arms I replaced them so I didnt have to deal with the bushings. The uppers I will also replace but one of the bushings is on top of the differential has to be removed/ replaced. My plan is to replace the busjing and install new control arm, a adjustable one as I hear with alot of ponys its a better way to go. So I did jave some wheel hop prior to replacing the lowers. I took it for a drive yesterday and gave it a little throttle my tires spun instead of bouncing. But for $300 Im going to replace the uppers too. keeping the old ones tsnt worth it. Actually I gave them to a guy hes going to fix my dash for me, the lights & gauges.
When I rebuilt my front suspension I replaced several bushings, just like you said here. Was a pain though even with my roto hammer. Thanks!
I did watch a vid and the guy froze the new bushings went in fairly ez but the rearend was out, big difference