Upper Control Arms, Installation Suggestions?

[geeves]

Ive always used a ball joint separator but the hammer method does work. Its not a gentle or medium tap though Think about your last argument with the boss when you hit it and dont miss. If you use the wedge type seperator expect to have to change the joint which looks fairly tired anyway

[stardog]

Last time i used the wedge one i broke it it snapped on me now i have one that clamps on screw it up then whack it with a hammer works every time and dosent wreck your ball joint or rubber covers.

[geeves]

I use the type that looks like a g clamp but the bolt goes though the centre. Its hard to find one big enough to do the bottom joint but Kingchrome do make one.
The wedge type is for when all else fails. Dont buy the repco one its to soft.

[98Rodeo]

the bolt came out with a "gentle" tap with a hammer on the arm, kind of stuck until tomorrow now, couldn't get the bushes to come out of the control arm, getting them pressed out at work tomorrow

[stardog]

Give them a heap of wd40 to soak through over night might press out a bit easier tomorrow. Those bushes are muthers to get out mine was.

[98Rodeo]

just another quick question... do the calmini bushes come with the metal outside bush?
mine are just the poly bush and the inner metal tube

*Edit, nevermind that one, found an image on the website looks like they don't for some reason

[stardog]

The metal ring for the bushes are built in by the look of it. Did you manage to get the old bushes of the old arm easy or very stuck.

[98Rodeo]

took them into a local suspension joint yesterday, he couldnt press them out, fortunately he's a good bloke and burnt them out with his oxy and bashed them out without damaging the pins and it only cost me 30 bucks.
If I ever do this again I will be buying new pins and upper ball joints before I start.
All installed now, I'll throw up a picture later, just got to bleed the brakes and adjust the torsion bars up.

[stardog]

Yep those bushes dont like to move wait intill you have to do the bottom one's they are just as much fun to do. Good to hear he only charged you $30 to remove them a garage around here wanted to charge me $200 yeah right im that stupid with my money thats why this bloke isnt getting much work. I got them out my way didnt take me long and installed the new one's.

[98Rodeo]

Im glad it ended up the way it was, I tried to buy a press sunday morning from supercheap, but they had sold out, lucky that or I'd be 70 bucks down and still not have the bushes out.
Here's a couple of pictures of it anyway, got the torsion bars wound up, brakes tomorrow night then off for a wheel alignment, looks pretty close by eye now though so wont be to bad.

[stardog]

How is your rodeo now much improvment in the ride or not much and was it worth fitting .

[98Rodeo]

is hard to tell if the ride has changed as a result of the control arms, the front end certainly feels a lot more positive and soaks up corrugations well. the reason im unsure is because the shocks i took out had nothing in them so weren't doing a lot. Going on a trip over easter so will update on how they perform

[98Rodeo]

Was just looking through here to see when I installed these arms! They have been great as far as performance goes, front end seems more stable still.

Have an interesting question now aswell, after the 3 and a bit months these have been in I have covered about 10,000ks and the bushes are shagged,
I am ordering another set from the states, does anyone know if there are places around where I could send the poly ones and get some rubber ones made up.

Not looking forward to it if I cant as this will mean new bushes every few months and a wheel alignment each time

[geeves]

Did you lube the bushes? They shouldnt of given up that quick. If your luck factory rubber bushes from holden will fit

[98Rodeo]

I am going to check my holden bushes that came out tonight to see if they are the same size, I don't think they are.
Used loads of grease when i put them in, I have covered about 10,000km and done a few weekend 4x4 trips since they were there, but yes it is a bit dissapointing that they are falling apart already.
I got a quote from calmini direct and the parts are only $35, but the postage is $70.

[turnturn]

While you were talking to Calmini did you ask them why their bushes have failed so early? They might have a conscience and send them freight free or something.