Hey all.

I burned out the stock rubber bushings from my front control arms and, after cleaning the bushing shells, was preparing to force the Energy Suspension pieces in. This is where it became weird. The small bushings take a fair amount of force to push in (not to mention the force for pressing the sleeves in), but the large bushings nearly fell into their shells. I mean they slide in with a tiny wobble once in place.

So I'm at a decision point: Assume that the bushings will swell under pressure and mate with the shells (which sounds worse as I type) or press out the large shells and use the ones that came with the Energy kit, provided that the new shells mic the same as the originals on the OD. I have a press so I can do this if I brace the arm ears near the shells themselves. In the worst case I may be looking at new arms from a vendor...but wow, that would suck $$$-wise these days.

Anyone else deal with this? It's the last thing I have to deal with before hanging the Ed Miller LS1 kit (you rock, Ed!) and putting this thing back on the ground for the 383 swap. Any input appreciated.

K

 

I have never heard of leaving the factory bushing shells and just trying to replace the rbushing rubber with urethane. You need to press out the old bushings entirely (shelll and all) and press in the new ones.

 

Thanks for the insight man. Funny thing though, since in the past it's all I did (and still see it in mags from time to time, with the shells remaining after the rubber is drilled/burned out). It works on A-body cars left and right, and is how I did the front LCAs and the U/L rear arms on my Skylark. Never a problem in 15+ years on that car. But of course that doesn't mean it always works...

I checked the OD of the new shells and they match the old units, so I'll brace the LCAs and hit the 12ton press for some new shells. Thanks again man.

K

 

I welded braces to mine also before pressing them. Keeps the ears in shape and further braces the flexable stamped factory arms. I keep it to a minumum though to keep the weight down. Thumb down on this page link and you can see a pic of my arms braced. http://www.cardomain.com/ride/518752/6

 

Thanks for the link. Interesting bracing across the arm to tie the spring cup in with the rest of the arm btw.