Contour Enthusiasts Group Archives Forums Modifications Suspension Rear control arm bushings

Ok, so I'll probably make an a$$ of myself again, but oh well.

I searched and found that the rear LCA bushings have to be burnt out, and I did that and with the help of an ancient arbor press pressed in the energy suspension ones. It was hell and took forever. I came back and searched some more and in this thread Pole says that the bushing go in the blue areas, but thats the tie rod, not the trailing control arm. I put the bushings in the figure marked 4 in the sketch below. Not the skinny one on the right but the doubled walled one on the left. Did I do good?

The bushings are a perfect fit for Item 6 and the knuckel connection it makes.....When i went to install the bushings i held them up to all 3 of the arms in the rear and they seemed to only fit in those arms.....got pics of what you did?

No pics yet, I'll try to snap a few tommorrow. I didn't replace the knucle bushing becuase I still need to swap in my dics brakes (I know I know). Here's what I did.

1) with control arm off of car, drilled holes in the rubber around the inner most sleeve, then used a propane torch to burn into the drilled holes.

2) pressed out the inner sleeve and some rubber with arbor press.

3) used a propane torch and burnt out the remaining rubber

4) used a die grinder to remove any residue and polish the inner shell( I removed quite a bit of material from the shell's edge to camfer it)

5) using arbor press and lots of liquid wrench lubicant pressed in the new bushings.

It was a very snug fit.

Well Josh, it looks like you and I are the only ones who've ever done this before!

One thing I left out of my steps was that I ground down the "lip" on the bushings on a grinding wheel. Poly grinds down very nice on a wheel with a good stone.

I didn't get any pics of all this yet, unfortunately, because I was pressed for time and couldn't get my friend's digicam while it was up on the lift.

I'm going to be doing the poly bushings in my SVT's arms as well, so i'll write up a how-to for putting them i nthe arms taht runs lengthwise with the car. The lip on the bushings is what holds it in place on the arm. You burn out the bushing and leave the "sleve" taht is insided and is wider than the arm, the lips on the bushing sit just outside of the tube ans secure the bushings. I also figured out a quick and easy method for getting the bushings in, so i'll include taht in my how-to.

I would still like to see pics of what you did though.

Josh

Do tell. I'm thinking of doing these bushings soon. I think my OEM bushings are shot.

Bump... I'd like to see this as well.

id probably use an air chisel to remove the old bushings. jsut be real careful not to mess up the inside area where the new bushing goes

I guess we're all starting to get around to needing new bushings, I'll be getting Energy Suspension bushing kits to cover all four corners this weekend, althouhg I probably won't get around to installing anything for a few weeks.

I've had my set for almost a year now and didn't install them yet. My car is going into the shop in the next few weeks for a complete suspension rebuild so it would be good if I can give them a few install tips.