5 replies to this topic

[dylant]

Hi all-

I'm very pleased to have FINALLY diagnosed a steering problem- bad driver's side control arm bushings. The silly part is the PO replaced only the passenger side in the past. I found the problem torquing the driver's wheel on the ground- lean on the rachet, and watch the wheel move independent of the car. Stick my head under there and watch the bushing flex.

New parts are in from FCP Groton, and I'm itching to fix this. I can easily imagine using lots of PB Blaster, the right ID iron pipe, and a long bolt and big washers to pull these bad bushings out. I could also imagine cutting the old bushings out with a hacksaw blade mounted in my sawzall.

Has anyone done this replacement without a press, and with the control arm on the car? I'd like to fix this myself, just for the sake of pride.

Thanks for any input-
-Dylan

[dylant]

I thought the '94 aluminum control arms with removable ball joints (three nuts and bolts) were not interchangable with the '95 on control arm assemblies with integral ball joints.

Is this incorrect?

Thanks, and by the way, thanks for the great service in the past!
-Dylan

[jens94850]

Unless you have a very early 1994 (still 1993 model), your control arm should be the integral type. My 94 has the integral arm/ball joint combo. I saw some info on eeuroparts for changing the entire 1993 suspension set up to the 94 and later setup, but am not sure if the control arms are interchangeable without going to extremes.

[dylant]

Nope. A parts guy helped me out with this ID in the past, and my car is an early '94. Separate ball joints, aluminum control arm.

Thanks for the help, though. I think with the right size tubing and a long c-clamp this should go okay. I happen to have two new ball joints too, so I might make a larger project of it.

-Dylan

[jens94850]

Without a press, you might want to try a bar clamp...I've found they'll withstand a lot higher pressure than a c clamp...you can get the kit at harbor freight and use a piece of steel piping.
You could also try the trick for pressing in the torque mount bushing on top of the engine, using two pieces of flatbar and two bolts (drill holes and use the bolts to turn the flatbar into a press).

Good luck.