[66sprint6]

I'm switching out the rear lower control arms to boxed ones, and removing/reinstalling the uppers to replace the bushngs in them this weekend. Do I need to jack up the car and leave the rear end hanging? I'm thinking that I have to for the uppers, and to replace the bushngs in the ears on the rear diff housing, I know that I need to replace them one at a time, I'm just curious if anyone has done this recently and any tips.

Thanks,
Chris

[indymanjoe]

whatever way you find is easiest. Make sure you torque them down with the tires on the ground. that's the hard part for the uppers. I just did this and I would do one arm at a time for sure. The easiest way I have found is to use a 1/2 inch drill bit to walk the rubber bushings out of the axle for the uppers. I used a bunch of 2x10's to stack and get the car higher so I could get my gut under the car..

[66sprint6]

Yes, that's the hard part for me as well. My Kingdom for a lift. I did see a video or two on the web, but was surprised to find that there wasn't some nicely produced video on it, considering how many A-bodies are out there.

[DogMeister]

Try these.

[tempest1964]

I’ve seen several people talk about cribbing like that before. For suspension, exhaust, etc. Nice thing is you can stack ‘em vertical for minimal floor space. Just curious Dog, are they about 12” x 18”?

[DogMeister]

16 X 12. Getting the car up that high can be a little sketchy. I start off with as high as I can get it with the standard jackstands under the frame then start stacking blocks on the floor jack made out of 2 X 4s screwed together. Once it's on there it's solid. There are several YouTube videos on it. Different guys use different dimensions.

[tempest1964]

Thank you sir!

[66sprint6]

Well, we didn't get much done. The bushngs in the rear upper and lower control arms were original to the car. The biggest problem that we encountered was that the bolts through the bushings were seized to the inner metal sleeve in the bushing itself. There's not a lot of room to swing a hammer, so we cut through the bushing housing, then the rubber, grabbed ahold of the inner sleeve with vice-grips, and somehow managed to get a bolt or two out. Tough work in 100 degree heat. We'll be back at it tomorrow.

[66sprint6]

So, this task ended up being a major project. We completely gave up on trying to pull the bolts out. I used a cut-off wheel on the grinder and carefully cut between the bracket and the control arm. Still took a long time, mainly from being careful not to nick the brackets on the rear end and the frame. We had to work on this a little bit after work every night so that didn't help. Last night, we got the last control arm in and hopefully we can torque everything tonight. The bolts for the sway bar should arrive today so we can throw that on as well. I can hardly wait to try it out with these improvements. We were able to do this on a shoestring by getting the boxed control arms off Craigslist and the sway bar from Rock Auto. And of course the labour was free but it took a physical toll crawling around under the car in all kinds of weird positions.

[Jonsie]

I'll tell ya that you're going to love the new handling, the best suspension move I've ever made!

[DogMeister]

Originally Posted by Jonsie

I'll tell ya that you're going to love the new handling, the best suspension move I've ever made!

2X that. I did it a few years ago and have run the Tail of the Dragon in my '67 several times. The car stays nice and level. So much so that a guy following me in an '06 commented on it.

I went with tubular lowers and anti-sway bar from UMI.

[389]

Jack the car off the ground supported at the frame. Then put the jack under the rear end next to the universal and move the rear end up and down. You can do one arm at a time like this.

If your using this car for mainly street use, you will bind up the rear end boxing the control arms like that. Those stock control arms were designed to twist. Best to get some spherical bushings like Currie Johnny Joints and weld them into those arms. That way you will have a stock looking rear end but have a very smooth operating rear suspension..

[webfoot]

Once you get the bolts off, a ball joint press works pretty good at removal and installation. Probably available at one of the auto parts stores for rental. Looks like a big C clamp with several sizes of cups and pucks. Seems like you need 3 hands to run it sometimes but its not too bad.

[Sirrotica]

The easiest way to get any steel jacketed suspension bushings out, is to take an air chisel with a blunt chisel and collapse the steel jacket in to the bushing, then use the air chisel to drive it out. It takes just minutes, replacing them is another matter, and a ball joint press or a regular shop press is easiest. Although in lieu of any type of press, I have beat them in with a 3 lb hammer using sockets to drive on the edge of the steel lip, definitely the toughest way to do the job.

Whatever method you use to install them, grease the OD so it slides into the control arms easier.