Hey, I got an 00 Camaro with Eibach sportlines and SLP Bilsteins and the other day while inspecting brakes, etc, I noticed that the lower A-arm bushings in are shot...so replacement time! My question is how hard is it to install new bushings in all 4 arms?? I plan on putting polys in since the rear already has them. I dont want to pay someone else to do stuff that I know I can do. But I dont want to deal with pulling the springs off the strut assembly if I dont have to. Otherwise I'll take it in to have it done... please help!

 

if i'm not mistaken the a arm bushings are pressed in. You don't have to remove the spring from the strut but you do have to remove the strut/spring assembly, at least i'm pretty sure you do.

 

Yep... just pull the spring/shock assembly out of the A-arms, then remove the A-arm. No need to separate the spring and the shock (no "strut"). The stock bushings can be burned out with a propane torch.... stinky and sloppy, but can be done. Then the "can" for the lower A-arm vertical bushing needs to be pounded out of the A-arm, because the ES vertical bushing (if that's the brand you choose) is a different design.

 

Injuneer, Thank you! I love to do new stuff that I haven't done before (that is within my doing). Bonding with the car if you will lol... Sounds like you know your ish! I'm not sure of the brand name, all I know is SpeedInc has the front set for about 50 bucks....any other recomendations?

 

I burned out the uppers, but it took a lot of time, and was messy. I paid $30 to have all 4 lowers removed for me from the local machine shop. Worth the money. I would soak the vertical mounting bolts with penetrating oil every day for about a month prior to removing the lower control arm. Otherwise use plenty of heat or an air hammer, and buy new ones from the dealer at about $16 each. Use anti-seize on the bolt prior to reassembly.

 

Did you take out the "can" when you did the uppers? Were you able to get it back in all the way or was there a small gap between the lip of the "can" and the a-arm?

Just curious because I now have a periodic popping sound and I cant figure out if this would be the cause.

Thanks!

 

Need the "cans" for the uppers. BTW, I had to burn all mine out - the press just ripped portions of one out so I said screw it and laid a torch on it.

 

Yeah, I know you need the "cans". I was mostly curious because I couldn't get them all the way back in. Now I have periodically have a popping/knock sound coming from the front when the suspension travels upwards. I am guessing it's either because i dont have the "can" pressed all the way in or I must not have torqued the upper balljoint enough which I find hard to believe.

 

Any shop equipped to do suspension work should have a press to remove the old bushings if you don't want to do it with a torch

 

i hate to use heat on anything, so i found this trick to aid in removing the old bushings, i just drill large holes in circle pattern around the ''face'' to remove as much bushing material as possable.whats left of the bushing usually falls out after about 5 1/2 inch holes.