Second gen A arm mounts

[Skip Fix]

OK guys need some input. Pulling the lower control arms off the 79 Camaro that is going drag car. When i put the autocross springs on year ago I never pulled the control arms. The frame mounts look almost cone shaped where the GM gorrilla tightened the bolt and nut down on the inner sleeve of the bushing. The rubber must have ballooned out the rest of the frame mount. In trying to fit my Globals, Herb Adams weld ins, or some custom press in sphericals all are too wide to fit where it has gotten narrowed in. I guess a large HARD washer on either side tightened to flatten it , or a bolt and a large coupling nut to unscrew to push it out would be my thoughts. Here are some pictures. Also some of my press ins and the Herb Adams.

Well all picture uploads are failing. I'll try later.

[WS6]

If you go to Damn True's build thread in the projects section, he shows how he fixed his issues that are similar. It's basically some thread rod, two nuts, and a couple washers.

[79T/Aman]

yes that is very coomon the mount were flaire a bit, I assume to make assembly faster at the factory but when the bolts were tightened it made it hard tore-install A-arms with new bushings, use a pies of 1/2"Allthread put it in one hole than from inside the mount put a washer,nut, nut, washer, and thread them untill the Alltread goes through the other side hole, with the 2 wasers and nuts in the midle run the nuts apart from each other tho spread the "ears" appart.

[Wayne7]

Shop here, Pontiac dealer... after I nearly bent the suckers trying to get them out told me to melt the rubber out with a torch then the shells would come out easier... I had them do it ..He said the same thing that they were flared from the factory.

edit !

Oops I was talking about getting the bushing out of the A-arm... your talking about the frame mounts... sorry..

[Skip Fix]

Here's the link to some pictures. This other board wll only allow a couple of pictures to stay.

http://www.nastyz28.com/forum/showth...=1#post1421654

[HWYSTR]

Skip, this was the case on my T/A as well, and the way I corrected this was to get a large washer welded onto the frame. I cleaned up the entire area with a wire wheel, slide the bolt thru the washers and frame, then marker the frame with a chizel. Then I drilled the holes in the frame mounts out to the size of the 'cup', replaced the washers and bolts (both sides), lined them up with the marks, then welded them to the frame mounts. You could also use a flat piece of steel instead of the washer if you choose, driling a hole in it.

Those holes in the frame over time get wobbed out anyway, so using the washers gives you a way of repairing in the future as well. The rear mounts/ears are considered a flex point, and many of the roundy-round guys gusset this area as well.

Pressing or beating the area back in will weaken the area, and make the hole smaller, where you would have to drill it out anyway. You could use a grinder and grind the area from the inside of the mount flush, then use a slightly larger washer on the head and nut, but the area touching the bolt will still be reduced. May not be as much an issue with a drag car, but if you go back to autocross or pro-tour, you'll have to repair it then.


FYI - I think I may still have spares of the inserts for the VSE lower bushings....


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[Skip Fix]

OK guys the set of sphericals that came with another set I used here are really tight in their race. They seem to have some funky woven mesh lining instead of a metal race-maybe teflon? Worried the spacer/bushing for the bolt may spin in the spherical vs the spherical itself spinning. It does spin when clamped in a C clamp. Wonder if I should get some others with a metal race?

[HWYSTR]

The spacer that the bolt goes through is supposed to stay stationary between the frame ears, clamped by the bolt, and the outer part of the bushing rotates around it, which is stationary to the arm. FYI. All are going to feel tight in the race, don't worry, they will break in, especially the ones with the teflon inserts. The spacer that goes 'around' the bolt insert keeps the spherical 'cups' from coming apart, like moving apart towards the outside on the bushing/spherical, and rides against the spherical part. (If that makes sense to you). Those are the second design, the aircraft 'ball' type.

Is the insert white? With a spiral cut in it? That's the VSE first type, and I looked, I'm out of those. The first design was pretty much metal to metal, with the teflon insert. I do recall a type of woven mesh insert that you mentioned, but have never used them. I believe those were a stock car products type.

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