Does anyone know of a good procedure to remove old front (upper and lower) control arm bushings and install new ones without damaging the new ones on my '71 Malibu? The lower arms have the rear oval bushing.
Thanks
Ron

Do a search for control arm bushings in this forum. It's been discussed a lot and there are too many suggestions to list.

You may just want to take them to a shop and have them do it, around $20 an arm. Lower arm bushings are a real PITA.

Yes take it to a shop. I just spent the better part of a day taking mine apart and reassembling the tops. The bottoms are not done yet. Pain in the A**, definitely not one of the best designs.

If you use poly bushings, drill or burn out the rubber, clean up the inside of the original shells, install the new poly bushing into the original shell. No pressing of shells, no distorting of control arms. It's a driveway project, you don't have to subcontract anything to a shop.

I'm just not sure if poly bushings are available to fit the oval shells.

Thanks for the tips. I did a search on the site and found alot of good info still there. Regarding burning out the rubber bushings, will this distort the original upper control arm links. I wanted to use the original links, but I am afraid the heat of a torch will bend or flex the control arm links. Along those lines, will the heat also affect the control arm shells that the bushing fit into?

Schurkey, to answer your question, PST does make oval poly bushings for the lower control arms. You just need to specify that you need them when ordering.

Thanks again.

Originally posted by Schurkey:
If you use poly bushings, drill or burn out the rubber, clean up the inside of the original shells, install the new poly bushing into the original shell. No pressing of shells, no distorting of control arms. It's a driveway project, you don't have to subcontract anything to a shop.

I'm just not sure if poly bushings are available to fit the oval shells. If you have oval bushings I think you have to use the original shell, you can get a bushing for it, just can't get the shell. Yes you can use all the original shells as well, but if they're rusted or pitted on the inside you need to clean that mess up. Most times the bushing hasn't separated from the shell anywhere so no rust but other times...

I air chiseled mine out and put the new ones in the freezer over night.That causes shrinkage which helps to install them.

Mine are oval. Got a new PST poly set. Just have to press in!

I have the energy suspension kit and it came with Oval bushings with new shells also.