Upper and Lower control arm bushing replacement.

[Gregs57]

  Hi all. Well been working on the 57 Niagara 300 for a while now and ready to tackle front suspension. Have read most of the posts and ready to tear into it. Started at the rear of car and moving forward. Does anyone have any cautions, tips, suggestions on the process. I have all the parts for a complete overhaul. Retaining stock A arms. Thanks

[RICH MUISE]

one tip.....grab a length of threaded rod and steel bars, or some chain to run down thru the coil spring...... as a safety in case all doesn't go as planned.

[Gregs57]

Thanks Rich. I've got the threaded rod. Chain sounds a bit stronger. Would you happen to know the best tool kit to push and install. I don't have a press. Thanks Greg

[RICH MUISE]

I assume you're asking about installing the bushings. I did mine with 5/8"threaded rod for both remove and install. I used sockets from a cheap 3/4" Harbor Freight socket set with nuts and washers for the "cups".
The removal is probably going to be difficult because they're going to be rusted in. You can use a drill motor and drill bit to chew away the rubber between the inner and outer sleeves. I may have just used a hammer and chisel at that point to collapse/remove the remaining outer sleeve. Be aware the new bushings are going to have raised "tabs" that are depth stops. They do not get pushed in all the way.

[Gregs57]

Thanks again. unfortunately I gave my 3/4  set of sockets to my grandson when he started his apprenticeship at a John Deere dealership. I'll figure something out. As you said the coil spring is the Boogy Man

[hiball3985]

I use threaded rod, a couple of large washers and a short piece of pipe I use the same set up turned around to remove them

[Gregs57]

Thanks Jim. Looks easy enough

[Gregs57]

Morning Jim. Another question. Have you any idea on where to source the lower control arm pivot bolts. Thanks Greg

[hiball3985]

Greg, I'm sorry I don't know of any but I seem to recall this being asked before and someone else may have the answer.

[Fairlane62]

They are very pricey, but I got mine from Larry's T-Birds.  He sells them as a pair for about $165.00.  Might try eBay also.
James

[Gregs57]

Thanks guys. I was thinking of getting them b4 taking apart just in case but maybe just wait and see how it goes. I saw on another post that you could be lucky on the rears but the fronts can be trouble. I'll wait till I take apart and see. In the meantime I will check sources. Thanks again. By the way. If you have done this did you remove inner fenders. Original shop manual that I have says to do this for uppers. Seems like a lot of work. Maybe a way around it

[hiball3985]

Greg, no reason to remove the inner fenders to remove the uppers. Just remove the four nuts from the bolts that hold it to the frame where the alignment shims are and remove as an assembly

[Fairlane62]

Greg, soak the lower bolts with penetrating oil where they go into the frame, let it sit a day and then heat the surrounding metal a bit so it will expand, then soak again so it will hopefully pull some of the oil in between the bolt and sleeve in the frame. Then locate a large socket that will fit and try bumping back and forth to Break it loose.  This usually helps but i have had some that had to be beat out, thus the need to buy new ones from Larrys T-Birds.  I also found a NOS pair of bolts on eBay once, so you might watch that as well.
James

[Gregs57]

Hi All. Thanks for the tips. Found bolts and bushings as a kit from Jamco. $129 each side. Going to soak lowers and see where it goes. Would like to find just pins as I already have bushings.

[RICH MUISE]

This is cheaper. It's where I got mine..Concourse Parts
https://www.parts123.com/parts123/yb.dll?parta~dyndetail~Z5Z5Z50000051e~Z5Z5Z519365~P82.95~~~~S6KW19MV5A50269818066a~Z5Z5Z5~Z5Z5Z50000051e