bubba211

I just bought a bunch of bushings and some are obvious to install like teh sway bar end links and bushings. BUT how do you install the control arm bushing? also, what is the easiest way/steps/procedure to replace ALL of the tie-rods and studs and still be able to drive the car to get it aligned?

Rx7carl

Control arm bushings need to be burned out with a torch (yucky, smelly, smokey mess). Or drill small holes all the way arond the rubber to loosen it up and punch it out.

Tie rods. All new parts? remove as an assembly and make your new ones the same length. It'll get you to the shop for a final alignment.

'85 GSL 302

For the tie rod, don't touch the back nut, just unscrew the front one and pull the shole thing out. If you do that, you can swap the bushings and still keep the same dimensions. If you want to replace all the nuts, dab some whiteout on the end of the nut and thread so when you unscrew it you know where it was. Then just screw the new nut down until is meets the mark.

As for the LCA's, you'll have to press out the old bushings and press in the new ones. I used a floor press on the old ones, and they ripped and came right out. The new ones I used a large socket as a spacer, and a C clamp to press them in. They went in with no problems. I don't know if you can use a C clamp to press out the old ones or not. Most shops will do it for you for a small fee if you bring them the arms.

bubba211

this mayyyy be a stupid queston, but can a remove the whole arm, without removing the suspension? Also, isn't it the upper control arm bushing? i thought there wasn't a lower, just a ball joint.

Rx7carl

Yes the arm comes off. The lower bushing is in the pivot/attachment point on the LCA to the engine cradle. The upper is a bearing in a rubber mount, non replaceable except with caster camber plates.

'85 GSL 302

There is no upper control arm. It's a strut. There's one bushing on the arm, at the cradle. The arm will upbolt from the strut, and you can remove it. It will take some time, I spent probably 4-6 hours doing my bushings, and removed nearly all the suspension. I also combined it with a rotor replacment, so it may be a little less involved with you. Honesly though, you sound like you don't have much of an idea of what you're doing, so unless you're very mechanically inclined, and can feel your way through projects, you might want to just have a shop do the whole thing for you. Might save you some huge headach in the future.

bubba211

i wouldn't worry about the mechanically inclined part, i can't even remmeber allll the stuff i've fixed so far on the rex, but the only thing I haven't touched yet is the suspension (which i am doing in less than a month) and and most of the bushings on the car I am replacing now. I am also very stubborn and am determined to do almost everything on my car myself, i'll just have my friend, works at a garage, press the bushing in and out, thats all i can't do myself. thanks for the help guys

Rotary7s

hatkit was this and howmuch was it..is it the Polyurathane?

bubba211

not a kit, i bought everything from victoria british, except the outer tie rods are from a guy in Canada

gamble302

the kit from http://www.p-s-t.com/fekpgimp.html was 159 shipped and had everything but inner tie rods

anyone know which pillow ball mounts to get? or would a castor/camber plate setup replace that...

jutny

including that bushing that goes into that bracket that mounts the thing opposite the steering box (on the frame, passenger side)? Because that's just... not there on my car.