a-arm control arm shaft question - The 1947 - Present Chevrolet & GMC Truck Message Board Network

**68bowtie** · 01-24-2016, 01:08 PM

i'm wondering how one knows it's time to replace these. do they wear out or are they just replaced due to rust? or just the rubber seals failing? they seem to be just steel tubes. i'm planning my front suspension rebuild and i figure i'll replace them while i replace everything else "just because". UNLESS someone recommends inspecting, cleaning them up, and reinstalling them??

i want to fix everything that needs fixing, but it just seems like a simple part that wouldn't wear out. they are not too expensive, but they're not cheap either. any help is appreciated.

TexasLS1 · 01-25-2016, 03:11 PM

I ended up replacing mine "just because" while I was doing my drop and rebuilding the front end, and I'm glad I did. One of the originals looked fine, and I suspect I could have reused it, but the other had worn funny inside the bushings. I could not tell it from visually inspecting while assembled, but the shaft had worn funny inside the lower control arm bushings. The Arm wasn't bent, so I'm not sure why it had worn off-axis like it did. I figured I'd just put all new shafts in it while I had it all apart to replace bushings and seals anyway.

I replaced the upper shafts because I could not buy the upper control arm bushing set without buying the shafts as well. I think in most people's case, you could reuse the shafts? I'm not sure how much wear actually occurs on the threaded portion inside the bushings - it did not appear like much as long as they stayed greased.

Hope this is some help, or maybe someone else can chime in....

**68bowtie** · 01-25-2016, 11:51 PM

this is helpful thanks. for now i think i'll plan on waiting to buy them until i get them off and see how they look. but i bet i end up doing the same. still curious to hear if others have thoughts too.

Gonepostal · 01-26-2016, 09:14 PM

Well after a u-bolt broke on the lower control arm I just pulled it all and did both upper and lower shafts and bushings along with up grading to 1/2 u-bolts. Shafts were not worn and bushings looked ok but seals were gone.

63frankintruck · 01-26-2016, 09:53 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 68bowtie

this is helpful thanks. for now i think i'll plan on waiting to buy them until i get them off and see how they look. but i bet i end up doing the same. still curious to hear if others have thoughts too.

Is there a trick to installing these bushings and new shafts that screw in? I'm getting ready to install mine soon and have only installed the press in bushings in the past.

TexasLS1 · 01-27-2016, 12:04 AM

Here's a good write-up that Sharps40 did. It was pretty helpful to me. Be sure to pack the bushings a bit with some grease before reassembly, and thread/tighten the bushings onto the shaft equally so the shaft gets centered in the control arm. I just wish I had put 90-degree grease fittings on the lower rear bushings - it's hard to get the grease gun on the straight ones bc of my headers

http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/s...ry+lee&page=23

01-24-2016, 01:08 PM	#1
68bowtie Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Turlock, CA Posts: 8,494	a-arm control arm shaft question i'm wondering how one knows it's time to replace these. do they wear out or are they just replaced due to rust? or just the rubber seals failing? they seem to be just steel tubes. i'm planning my front suspension rebuild and i figure i'll replace them while i replace everything else "just because". UNLESS someone recommends inspecting, cleaning them up, and reinstalling them?? i want to fix everything that needs fixing, but it just seems like a simple part that wouldn't wear out. they are not too expensive, but they're not cheap either. any help is appreciated. __________________ I live in California, but identify as a Texan "If a job's worth doing, it's worth doing well" Survivor "Lil’ Mint" (67 c10 40k mile light green original paint) Project "C10 Fever" (68 factory black 396 swb) Project "Little Sister" (70 c10 blue original paint refresh) Project "Blue Bomb" (70 c30 blue original paint refresh) SOLD Project "Vitamin C" (71 c10 orange original paint refresh) SOLD

01-25-2016, 03:11 PM	#2
TexasLS1 Registered User Join Date: Jul 2012 Location: Jonestown, TX Posts: 469	Re: a-arm control arm shaft question I ended up replacing mine "just because" while I was doing my drop and rebuilding the front end, and I'm glad I did. One of the originals looked fine, and I suspect I could have reused it, but the other had worn funny inside the bushings. I could not tell it from visually inspecting while assembled, but the shaft had worn funny inside the lower control arm bushings. The Arm wasn't bent, so I'm not sure why it had worn off-axis like it did. I figured I'd just put all new shafts in it while I had it all apart to replace bushings and seals anyway. I replaced the upper shafts because I could not buy the upper control arm bushing set without buying the shafts as well. I think in most people's case, you could reuse the shafts? I'm not sure how much wear actually occurs on the threaded portion inside the bushings - it did not appear like much as long as they stayed greased. Hope this is some help, or maybe someone else can chime in....

01-25-2016, 11:51 PM	#3
68bowtie Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Turlock, CA Posts: 8,494	Re: a-arm control arm shaft question this is helpful thanks. for now i think i'll plan on waiting to buy them until i get them off and see how they look. but i bet i end up doing the same. still curious to hear if others have thoughts too. __________________ I live in California, but identify as a Texan "If a job's worth doing, it's worth doing well" Survivor "Lil’ Mint" (67 c10 40k mile light green original paint) Project "C10 Fever" (68 factory black 396 swb) Project "Little Sister" (70 c10 blue original paint refresh) Project "Blue Bomb" (70 c30 blue original paint refresh) SOLD Project "Vitamin C" (71 c10 orange original paint refresh) SOLD

01-26-2016, 09:14 PM	#4
Gonepostal Registered User Join Date: Jun 2012 Location: Mobile Al Posts: 103	Re: a-arm control arm shaft question Well after a u-bolt broke on the lower control arm I just pulled it all and did both upper and lower shafts and bushings along with up grading to 1/2 u-bolts. Shafts were not worn and bushings looked ok but seals were gone. __________________ US Army Bomb Squad 83-96 There is no problem that a suitable amount of explosives cannot solve

01-27-2016, 12:04 AM	#6
TexasLS1 Registered User Join Date: Jul 2012 Location: Jonestown, TX Posts: 469	Re: a-arm control arm shaft question Here's a good write-up that Sharps40 did. It was pretty helpful to me. Be sure to pack the bushings a bit with some grease before reassembly, and thread/tighten the bushings onto the shaft equally so the shaft gets centered in the control arm. I just wish I had put 90-degree grease fittings on the lower rear bushings - it's hard to get the grease gun on the straight ones bc of my headers http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/s...ry+lee&page=23



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