[VinnyLSS572]

I pulled the upper and lower control arms off the Chevelle today to install Del-a-lum bushings from Global West.I assemble the uppers with billet offset shafts and they move freely but not as easy as I had expected.I am hoping they will loosen up a bit.
The real surprise came when I pulled the lower control arms,which are stock and found the rear bushings in the lower arm are oval,the Del-a-lum bushings are round.
The kit I ordered was for stock control arms on a 70 Chevelle.Any one else have oval bushings in the lower control arms?
Thanks,
Vinny

 

[FourEightyNine]

on the lowers I had circles in the front oval in the rear. Pretty sure this is fairly common.:yes:

 

[DragRacer]

I believe the oval rear/lower bushing was typically used on "low performance" models and some made their way on to higher performance models in some years??? I

had the same issue on my original 307 SBC Malibu. Gave me reason to put TRZ arms on

 

[supershift67]

I cut the front end off of a 72 monte carlo for my disk brakes and they had oval bushings also.

 

[Skeeveman]

My control arms were oval, but I found a set that used round style bushings... basically, there's 3 things you can do, get a different set of control arms, send your current control arms to global west for conversion, or get in touch with an afco dealer and get their bushing for this, it is the oval shell, but with a round center.

Oh, and I know what you're saying about them not moving freely as you expected. I was expecting them to be floppy. After I installed them, they seemed to be very smooth in articulation, but not as I was thinking. I blame this on the fact that the axis on both upper and lower bushings are not completely on the exact same axis. After I installed the spindles (with no springs), I realized I was overthinking this "concern"... it was obvious, they were flopppy! haha

 

[Texas70]

Mine have ovals and I got the replacements at the local Oreilly Auto Parts. Just press out the old and press in the new.

 

[VinnyLSS572]

I am going up to my Chassis shop in the morning to see if my Oval arms can be sleeved for the round bushing.

Jake,
My arms also move very freely and I think that I second guessed myself because I thought that they would just flop up and down without any load on them.
Thanks to all for the info and help
Vinny

 

[Racing]

Yep, Oval on my '70.

 

[Schurkey]

Oval bushings are useful for adding compliance to the suspension. Of course, adding compliance is the LAST thing you'd do for a "handling" car.

If it were me, I'd find some "used but usable" control arms with round bushings.

 

[rianbechtold]

I have the worst: Oval on passenger side and round on the driver's Makes it real fun to order a "kit":yes:

 

[Bob West]

Oval/round here too. Polygraphites fit perfect

 

[Mikeys69]

My 69 has circles front and rear, top and bottom.
Factory it was a 6 cyl car with a 12 bolt..

 

[BlueSS454]

All 1970-72 non big block GM cars have oval lower rear control arm bushings some big block cars have come with them also from what I have seen. 69-older has round.

 

[Tom Mobley]

My 70 307 car had the oval bushings, they're very common. I rounded up a set of LCAs with round bushings.

 

[CHELKAMINO]

My 71 Chevelle has oval, but the 72 Elco has round?

 

[bracketchev1221]

I'll add mine to screw everything up. My 70 307 car has round bushings front and back. So it appears whatever they had they used.

 

[VinnyLSS572]

I checked with Afco this morning and they said they do not make the Oval bushing?
Vinny

 

[VinnyLSS572]

Bob,do the poly bushings come in the Oval design?

Vinny

 

[Skeeveman]

I checked with Afco this morning and they said they do not make the Oval bushing?
Vinny

That's odd, I could have swore that's who makes that bushing... I just typed in AFCO oval bushing in google images and found that. Oh well, this is the page that was pic was found on.

http://www.krcracing.com/Graphics/fullpartlist.htm

 

[rianbechtold]

Bob,do the poly bushings come in the Oval design?

Vinny

Not Bob, but I got mine from PST and they were nice enough to send one oval and one round, all the other companies I talked to told me I had to order a set of each:sad: