Saturday, December 13, 2008 - 03:05 pm, by: Daniel Clarke(Dieseltrain)
Removing the whole control arm is quite simple. It is only 5 bolts from memory. However, you DO need to get the new bushes pressed into the arms. Once you fit them to the car, you have to get a wheel alignment done as the control arm bolts are used as adjustments.
If you dont live too far from a suspension place, go and grab a quote with them removing and fitting and yourself.. See if/how much you will save and if its really worth it?
Saturday, December 13, 2008 - 09:30 pm, by: Chris Papas(Papasc)
Thanks. I will check, although I'm not near a city and I haven't found anybody yet who I feel comfortable with. They never seem to know the car at all, especially when they go to jack the car up and don't listen to the warning re the air struts.
Never leaves me with much confidence they really know much about the car.
Saturday, December 13, 2008 - 10:45 pm, by: Matt Newman(Soarersrock)
hey mate get hold of some supperpro bushes then u wont need a press to fit them just a soft hammer as i just replaced mine with supperpro and just had to tap in the metal center. good luck matt
Monday, December 15, 2008 - 06:35 pm, by: Chris Papas(Papasc)
Does anyone have a pic of the upper control arm bushes.
It seems my lower have all been replaced some 7 years ago. It's only traveled 50K since then, so I might just get the upper front done. Was quoted 3 hrs labor for upper or lower. Seems very reasonable, I'm not sure they have done a soarer before with air suspension.
Wednesday, December 17, 2008 - 09:51 pm, by: Matt Newman(Soarersrock)
well getting the old ones out was fun ended up drilling through the rubber and then pushing out the sleeve with a cold chisel and hammer. but as for the new bushes i took them to work to use the press and found out i didn't need it lol
Kim Hunt TryHard nsw Supercharged SC400\Soarer GT-L UZZ31
Tuesday, December 23, 2008 - 10:42 pm, by: Kim Hunt(Lxtasi)
i found a link somewhere on this site or planet soarer. plus using my mechanical experience i just went upon doing it myself with the items i had at home.
remember this is what i had at home
-first mark the position of the camber settings which are on the lower control arms.just so you get it all roughly back to the right setting -then take out the Lower control arm -get your self a out door stove or a butane torch. i just used the outdoor stove ($16) to burn the bushes out of their metal outer sleeves. -once all bushes have been burned out get the arm, its time to put i in a vice -get your self some cold chisels and a hammer or if you can just use an air chisel(much easier) -you have to chisel out the bush's old outer metal sleeves out of the arms.(easier to do with a air chisel) -once you have managed to get them out you are on the home stretch. -then clean up the inside of the arm where the bushes will go with sand paper etc.. -get your bushes (i used super pro but you can use nolex (i think that's the name)if you want but super pro are great) -also make sure you have the right bush in the right place eg. front and rear -make sure you use all the lube spreading it all over the bushes (inside and out)Also in the arms -insert the bushes along with the metal inner sleeve (thingy) -if your all good and happy, its time to replace the arms making sure that you put the camber settings back to where you marked them.
well i hope that helped you's out a little bit}}
Kim Hunt TryHard nsw Supercharged SC400\Soarer GT-L UZZ31
Sunday, May 10, 2009 - 02:44 pm, by: Chris Papas(Papasc)
Sunday arvo fun. I'm in the process of removing the front left upper control arm. Do I need a special tool to remove the ball joint, I've managed to remove the nut but it wont budge.
Tuesday, May 19, 2009 - 05:38 pm, by: Matthew Werner(Matto_888)
or... get a knockometer (big hammer).. knock the outside of where the bolt goes through the stub axel doovy... take the nut off the ball joint and go to town on the outside of the metal it goes through.. (don't bash the thread.. an don't bash the control arm down...) this practise is an easy way to loosen ball joints without damaging thread or the ball joint itself.. as they cant be replaced (new control arm in other words)