Upper Control Arm Bolt?

[gyrhead]

The passenger side upper control arm bushing on my `87 is totally wiped out from downpipe heat, and the ball joints need replacing too.

The driver's side upper control arm came out easily, but the passenger side rear bolt is giving me a bit of trouble. The downpipe limits proper access to the 18mm nut, and not even a 1/2" pneumatic air wrench or long breaker bar can break the bolt free.

Any suggestions???

Broken Knuckles in New Hampshire

 

[stickybones]

I just did mine recently, but it wasn't that difficult to break the nuts free. I gave them a shot of PB-Blaster and let it soak for awhile. Then I just did the double wrench trick (put the 18mm box end of a combination wrench on the nut and then slip the box end of another big wrench over the open end side of the 18mm wrench to double the moment arm length of your 18mm wrench) to to get the leverage to break it free. The downpipe made it tight, but there was room to work. If you're that tight on space, then remove the downpipe.

Hey look, my 500th post.

 

[Red Regal T]

Originally posted by stickybones


Hey look, my 500th post.

You're getting pretty gabby.

 

[stickybones]

Another eleventy billion and I'll catch you.

Oh look, another post getting off track and running amok.

 

[gyrhead]

Give me a lever long enough...

Oh well, we invited Archimedes over for morning coffee and together we discovered that an `87 GN control arm bolt is simply no match for a 1/2" breaker bar and a 3 foot iron pipe.

Gotta love those great Greek geniuses....

Now that the GN front end is so sadly and completely dismantled, we're going to press in new bushings and install a new set of ball joints. Any good recommendations on front control arm bushings?

Please note I am NOT a fan of squeaking bushings or a rock hard ride.....

Tom

 

[stickybones]

Well I replaced my whole upper arm with UB Machine UCAs. Buying the whole arm is cheaper than just buying bushings and then having them pressed in.

However, the jury is still out as to whether or not this was a wise choice.

See this thread...UB Machine UCAs ...for more information.

 

[salvageV6]

MOOG rubber replacements, with heat shield method of your choice for the cookable ones.

Should get you 50-80K.

 

[gyrhead]

Moog K6411 and K6421?

Moog lists both a standard bushing and an "improved performance" unit - part numbers K6411 and K6421 for the uppers and lowers.

Are these the ones people recommend?

Are they just a harder durometer rubber than the normal duty bushings?

With respect to the aftermarket UCA's, I went the Global West UCA route on my '69 428CJ Cougar and I found that "bolt-in" evidently means different things to different people. They were far from bolt in, and it kind of soured me on aftermarket suspension bits...Besides, the UCA on the GM intermediate is sprung weight - I'm not too concerned about a 10 lb weight savings on this portly 3,600 lb Buick...

I will likely run boxed arms in the rear however, have run Hotchkiss parts in the past and liked them.

Tom

 

[salvageV6]

I used the improved performance ones, I am not sure what the differences even are.

They ride just fine, couldn't tell much difference from a good stocker.

But considering the cars probably had a few thousand miles of bad stockers on it while I was driving them, any tight bushing would have made me happy.