[budsthe3]

Some of you may have seen my previous thread about my driver's side front control arm bushing. I was able to remove it with an air chisel with the arm in the car. I rented a ball joint press to install it, but the shaft is off centered so the bushing will not go in. I tried lifting the lower control arm with my floor jack to see if I could center it but no luck.
Is there anything else I can try without removing the arm? Should I remove the bolts on the center shaft and alignment shims to center it? Then after bushing is installed, will the alignment shims go back in? With it this close, I'd hate to have to remove the arm, I've never removed an arm before and do not feel that confident. Here's a pic of what I'm working with.

 

[Blackhawk]

Is the car being supported by the lower control arm currently? Would you be able to put another jack or a block of wood under two of the wheel studs to push the top of the spindle back towards the car?

 

[oldcutlass]

Support the car by the lower control arm. Knock the upper ball joint loose from the steering knuckle. Now you can move the upper control arm freely to center things up.

 

[budsthe3]

Is the car being supported by the lower control arm currently? Would you be able to put another jack or a block of wood under two of the wheel studs to push the top of the spindle back towards the car?

The front of the car is up in jack stands, so my floor jack is free. I've tried moving the lower control arm up and down and the shaft moves along the outer part of bushing hole. I'll give it a shot on the wheel studs

 

[Humberd]

Just lube it up and take a bar or large screwdriver and force it over and start the bushing in and give it a few taps to get it started.

 

[budsthe3]

Just lube it up and take a bar or large screwdriver and force it over and start the bushing in and give it a few taps to get it started.

Do you mean force it into there and try to force the shaft centered?

 

[Humberd]

Yes force the shaft and upper arm over first
Then start the bushing in. The you can use your press or a large socket that fits and knock it in
Don

 

[Jim's69Ragtop]

Support the car by the lower control arm. Knock the upper ball joint loose from the steering knuckle. Now you can move the upper control arm freely to center things up.

As stated above, if you put the weight of the car back on the lower control arms (not the wheels), you can safely remove the upper ball joint from the spindle, releasing any pressure that's pushing it off center. The lower A-arm is carrying all of the spring load - the upper supports the spindle and isn't under that same load.

jim

 

[budsthe3]

Just got it in with a socket! Thank you all!

 

[Humberd]

👍😃