This is the first time I do anything with suspension so please excuse my ignorance. I've also looked to see if the question was asked previously but nothing definate. The car is a 68 Camaro, and previous to now the suspension hasn't been touched in 40 years. I've removed the upper and lower control arms to replace the bushings, and change the cross shaft in the upper to the offset type. I've removed the bushing inner sleeve and rubber. The collar that remains I can't tell if it's part of the control arm or part of the bushing. I'm thinking that it is part of the bushing because there is no way to remove the shaft with both of these in place. I've cleaned the area to the metal and it looks as if it is one piece with the control arm, and I'd hate to start beating on it and ruin the control arm. Can anyone tell me if these outer bushing housings are part of the control arm or not. Like I said I can see no separation at all between the collar and the control arm itself. Your help is greatly appreicated.

The bushing is not part of the arm. The control arm should be clamped in a vise. Once this is done, use an air chisel against the edge of the bushing, pushing away from the arm. The bushing is not part of the arm.

This will remove the bushing, and leave the control arm intact. A liberal coating of penetrating oil prior to chiseling can be very helpful in this process.

The outer boss is part of the arm. Its a small lip on either side. Do not chisel this area.

They are part of the bushing, and will need to be removed.

VJ, the bushings should be pressed out, there are special tools for that. When I changed my bushings and balljoints I brought the control arms to my local Goodyear garage and had them do it with there press machine. Also Ive seen the guys on the forum say that Harbor Freight Tools has a press if you want to try and do it yourself. Just dont beat them out that isnt the right way.

Ok thanks everyone, I'll pass by HFT tomorrow and see if they have a bushing press, if not I'll bring them someplace and have them press them out, and install the new ones.

The outer boss is part of the arm. Its a small lip on either side. Do not chisel this area.

Ok and there is my problem. There is no small lip to the outside. I'm thinking the inside part of it comes out. The part of it on the outside looks to me like part of the control arm. I'll have to take a picture of it tomorrow and post so ya'll can see. Thanks

A pic would definitely help to understand exactly what you're talking about. Pressing the bushings out of the control arms isn't easy. I'm sure there is some roundabout way to do it, but I haven't found it.

http://s348.photobucket.com/albums/q354/vjp819/68%20Camaro%20Project/ (http://s348.photobucket.com/albums/q354/vjp819/68%20Camaro%20Project/)

ok I've taken a few pictures. I've posted 2 of them. Note that the rubber and the inner spool fit inside of this boss. There was no other boss fitting with the bushings. This boss, the rubber, and the inner spool was all there was. This looks like part of the control arm to me. I can see no separation in the boss and the UCA. See what you guys think. You'll have to scroll down, when you follow the link, I'm not much on this linking stuff. Thanks.

The lip your talking about is part of the bushing. Also there is a sleeve covering the control arm shaft that need to come off. If you look close you'll see a slit in the sleeve. Shoot it up with wd40 and turn it with a pair of vise grips or something. I just did mine by myself with no kind of press. I chiseled them out with an air chisel. Got the sleeve off the shaft and pressed them in to the control arm with my vise. Do one side at a time and the thing to be careful about is when pushing them in the CA is not to push the CA together.I got threaded pipe together And put it so I didn't push the CA together.The last 1/8"" had to be hit with BFH but it went together in no time and I diidn't have to pay a local machine shop $100 to do the job

It's always good to have your new parts near by to look at for reference. :D

If Im not mistaken the press they are talking about is more like a special C-clamp not a 20 ton press. Your Autozone may be able to rent you one.

It's always good to have your new parts near by to look at for reference.

I have to agree with you.

A friend removed his by twisting them out with a pipe wrench on the flange.
David

Thanks again everyone. I brought the control arms to work to bead blast them and was able to see that the part of the bushing boss is butted to the bushing flange once it was good and clean. Made a couple of tools from odds and ends in the shop and popped out the bushings and ball joint. Thanks for all the replies.
:beers:

got any pics of the tools you fabbed up?
it's always nice to see how someone solved a problem like this, and who doesn't like to look at tools?

novaderrik all i used was a 5-6" piece of allthread a couple of thick washers the size of the bushing, a nut behind them. 1 1/2 x 3" short nipple as a receiver and a couple of thick washers and a nut behind that. Put the CA in a vice and cranked away on that 7/8" wrench until they popped out. One came out gradually, but the other came out like a shot. Sounded like I broke the control arm :yes:.

All I did with the ball joint was put a 2 1/2" pipe cap behind it as the receiver and used a vice to force them out. I'll install the new ones with a press now that i went bought one. :thumbsup: I'm sure it will come in handy.