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Posted: Mon Feb 02, 2004 2:51 pm Post subject: 77 rear control arms
Well, my 77 rear end feels like it jumps all over the place every time I cross RR tracks or hit a pot hole. I have new shocks and the only thing I can think of is that the bushings in the upper or lower control arms is shot.
Does anyone have any suggestions of other possible causes and/or has anyone replaced those bushings, how big a job is it replacing the bushings, and did it clear up mushy rear suspension in bumpy conditions? _________________ Alabama Sprintman
"77 GMC Sprint (currently)
"73 Elky SS
"71 Elky
Necoa #: 14
Location: 5(NC,SC)
Joined: Dec 07, 2001
Posts: 1761
Year: 1978
Model: El Camino
Posted: Mon Feb 02, 2004 6:50 pm Post subject:
They are not hard to change out if you have access to a hyd. press. I boxed my arms & added poly bushings. It made a huge difference in the the control & possitive feel of the rear. _________________ 78 Camino SS, 355,built 700r4,3.23
Gallery78 Camino SS, 355,700r4,3.23
MSGT 145 AW
NECOA #14
Necoa #: 364
Location: 9(IN,KY,MI)
Joined: Jan 09, 2003
Posts: 1274
Year: 1978
Model: El Camino
Posted: Mon Feb 02, 2004 7:31 pm Post subject:
How much air are you running in the air shocks? If your close to 100psi, the rear will bounch like that. _________________ 1978 El Camino Conquista/SS, F-41 suspension, 350/T5/3:73
(More pics on pg 6 of 5th gen members rides)
Gosh, I am running maybe 40psi, and when they are all the way down to 10psi it does the same thing.
I was reading some old threads that recommended not to get poly if you can get rubber. I have no idea myself. In fact, I'm not sure I can even find a choice of the two. Almost all parts you 5th gen folks can find, isn't usually available pre-78, in fact pre-82 to tell you the truth.
I guess I'll just take what I can get and be thankful for that... _________________ Alabama Sprintman
"77 GMC Sprint (currently)
"73 Elky SS
"71 Elky
Necoa #: 364
Location: 9(IN,KY,MI)
Joined: Jan 09, 2003
Posts: 1274
Year: 1978
Model: El Camino
Posted: Mon Feb 02, 2004 8:14 pm Post subject:
New rubber just might do the trick then. On my '78. I got rid of the air shocks and went with KYB gas-a-just shocks, and BMR control arms with polyureth. bushings. The rear rides MUCH better than with the stock stuff with air shocks. _________________ 1978 El Camino Conquista/SS, F-41 suspension, 350/T5/3:73
(More pics on pg 6 of 5th gen members rides)
Necoa #: 14
Location: 5(NC,SC)
Joined: Dec 07, 2001
Posts: 1761
Year: 1978
Model: El Camino
Posted: Tue Feb 03, 2004 5:04 pm Post subject:
Yes, Air shocks were never designed to give a good ride. I install kyb shocks & air lift bags & have never looked back. Huge difference in ride & handling. First change those bushings. _________________ 78 Camino SS, 355,built 700r4,3.23
Gallery78 Camino SS, 355,700r4,3.23
MSGT 145 AW
NECOA #14
summit racing sells full poly bushing sets for the 77 elcamino! its got suspension and body replacement bushings.. i think it runs like 160.00 or so.. _________________ "First impressions are always best......except against a sleeper!"
Necoa #: 14
Location: 5(NC,SC)
Joined: Dec 07, 2001
Posts: 1761
Year: 1978
Model: El Camino
Posted: Thu Feb 05, 2004 12:38 pm Post subject:
You can order poly bushings from many of the auto parts stores. I got mine from a local speed shop. _________________ 78 Camino SS, 355,built 700r4,3.23
Gallery78 Camino SS, 355,700r4,3.23
MSGT 145 AW
NECOA #14
Necoa #: 1849
Location: 12(MO,OK,KS)
Joined: Nov 24, 2003
Posts: 88
Year: 1977
Model: El Camino
Posted: Thu Feb 05, 2004 6:44 pm Post subject:
NastyN8,
I think the kit to which you refer is Summit's ENS-3-18111G for $169.88. However, unlike similar kits for 3rd gen & 5th gen El Caminos, this kit doesn't include the body mount bushings.
Like 77Sprint noted, it's hard to find some of these aftermarket parts for the 4th gen.
The search goes on... _________________ Poncho Villa
1977 El Camino Classic
Poncho Villa, you are right, my bad. After more research on the web i think i may have found away to get energy suspension to make body mounts for our elky's........ They just need a car to make the first ones, and whosever car they use will get a set of body mounts free....(99% sure on this stuff) call them and see what they cay. By the way energy suspeneion's "shop" is in cali _________________ "First impressions are always best......except against a sleeper!"
Well, I've got the poly bushings by energy suspension at a local speed shop. I am lucky enough to have access to an auto skills center at a local Army base. I went in to do the diry. The shop forman who kind of helps everyone out said the last 4 times he tried to press out the bushings, it calapsed the arm before the bushings moved and he would try again if I wanted to take the risk, well I figured I"d check with my buddies at NECOA and see what the skinny really is. The arms are indeed a "U" channel and without the special factory tools, calapsing the arms looks like a real possibility. And then how hard are the upper control arm bushings in the differential case to get out without the GM bushing puller?
Oh yeah, I got my idiot light pod out and the new tach/gauges in. All I had to do was reorder the pins in that 18 pin connector, and put in a few new lines. So far,everything works except the ammeter (which I have not got the nerve up yet to connect up)... A pain, but was definately do'able... _________________ Alabama Sprintman
"77 GMC Sprint (currently)
"73 Elky SS
"71 Elky
Any ?'s on the torch and air hammer method, let me know. _________________ 1978 El Camino Conquista/SS, F-41 suspension, 350/T5/3:73
(More pics on pg 6 of 5th gen members rides)
That shop forman I was talking about said someone else used a torch to burn out the old rubber and then a hack saw to cut the outter sleeve. Even so, pressing in the new ones could calapse the arm too wouldn't it? and I am not up on the use of an air hammer to get bushings out and then back in..
BTW, I just ordered a new set of lower rear control arms with sway bar from a guy on the internet. The lowers, I may be able to take down to a machine shop and have the bushings put in, but I must admit to being intimadated with changing out the uppers. It seems that if I get too rough with them, I could break out the bushing hole in the rear end..
I'm starting to think the ride in the old elky is good enough to live with _________________ Alabama Sprintman
"77 GMC Sprint (currently)
"73 Elky SS
"71 Elky
I AM REPLACING MY LOWER CONTROL ARM BUSHINGS AT THIS TIME AND I FOUND IF ONCE YOU HAVE REMOVED THE ARMS AND SOAK THEM WITH A RUST PENITRANT FOR AWILE THE SEEM TO POP OUT WITH A PRESS. I SET THEM IN THE PRESS AND UNDER A SMALL AMOUNT OF PRESSURE I HIT THE ARMS AROUND THE BUSHING WITH A HAMMER AND IT BROKE FREE. I DONT THINK THAT THERE IS A SURE FIRE WAY TO GET THE BUSHINGS IN AND OUT.
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I got my idiot light pod out and the new tach/gauges in. All I had to do was reorder the pins in that 18 pin connector, and put in a few new lines. So far,everything works except the ammeter (which I have not got the nerve up yet to connect up)... A pain, but was definately do'able...
with changing out the uppers. It seems that if I get too rough with them, I could break out the bushing hole in the rear end..
