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#1
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Control Arm Rebuilds - Lever Family Racing
I just stumbled across this video of a rebuild. Looks like $90 a side plus parts. Have you heard of this company.
I can't afford Global West and Hotchkis tubular. What do you think. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x4Gx...ature=emb_logo https://www.lever-family-racing.com/...m-a-body-64-72 |
#2
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It's $90 per side, plus parts, plus shipping both ways. In my view, replacing bushings and ball joints on GM A-body control arms is not rocket science and is not such a specialized task that it requires paying to ship them to someone who owns a hydraulic press. If you're going to go through the trouble of removing the control arms yourself anyway, just take them to a local mechanic and save yourself the costly added expense of shipping big heavy parts. I know he says that he blasts and powder coats them, but frankly, you can just use a wire wheel and hit them with some durable paint on your own. Doesn't sound like you're working with a show car, anyway.
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1966 Pontiac GTO (restoration thread) 1998 BMW 328is (track rat) 2023 Subaru Crosstrek Limited (daily) View my photos: Caught in the Wild Last edited by ZeGermanHam; 12-08-2020 at 12:57 PM. |
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#3
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There's no real need to blat the parts. Hit them with some heavy grit sand paper, knock it down after that with some red scotch bright and then use some chassis paint on them. Put a set of ProForged .5" tall ball joints in the upper arms and a quality moog ball joint in the lowers, then select a good quality high durometer rubber bushing for the arms. It may be "easier" to ship these out and get them sent back ready for install, but you'll save yourself some money and come back with an equal or better product if you take on some of this yourself and use a local service.
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-Jason 1969 Pontiac Firebird |
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#4
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Glenn is a member here. Got a long thread when he was building his dragster. Think he sold it when he got sick a while back. Don't think he's posted here since then.
https://forums.maxperformanceinc.com...d.php?t=644003 Clay |
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#5
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Well if you are looking at global west control arms, I am assuming that you are okay with upgrading a bit if the cost is reasonable. With that in mind, Global West does offer their del-a-lum bushings to install into your factory control arms. Put in a tall ball joint and in my view, you would have a substantial improvement over stock without investing a ton of money.
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71 Formula 433, Splayed cap 400 block, 4" stroke Scat forged crank, 6.8 Eagle rods, custom Autotec pistons. SD 295 KRE D ports, Old faithful hybrid roller, Torker II, Holley Sniper Stealth, Tribal Tubes, TKO 600, 3.73 Eaton posi. |
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#6
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Stock arms, Polyurethane bushings (no need for a press, DON'T remove the outer shells from the control arms) and new ball joints.
Worst part is removing the OEM rivets on the ball joints. Bushings get melted-out with a propane torch.. Easy. And when you put them back on the vehicle, you don't need to torque the control arm bolts/nuts with the vehicle at normal ride height. You MUST have the control arms at normal ride height before torquing if you use rubber bushings. |
#7
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Will Rivera '69 Firebird 400/461, 290+ E D-Ports, HR 230/236, 4l80E, 8.5 Rear, 3.55 gears ‘66 Lemans, 455, KRE D-Ports, TH350, 12 bolt 3.90 gears '64 LeMans 400/461, #16 Heads, HR 230/236, TKO600, 9inch Rear, 3.89 gears (Traded) '69 LeMans Vert, 350, #47 heads: Non-running project |
#8
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I can walk a set of these in to probably 2 or 3 shops just in my town of about 100K people and have them back by the end of the day or the day after.
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-Jason 1969 Pontiac Firebird |
#9
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Wow- a couple shops actually told me not worth their time of off the car...at least they were honest
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Will Rivera '69 Firebird 400/461, 290+ E D-Ports, HR 230/236, 4l80E, 8.5 Rear, 3.55 gears ‘66 Lemans, 455, KRE D-Ports, TH350, 12 bolt 3.90 gears '64 LeMans 400/461, #16 Heads, HR 230/236, TKO600, 9inch Rear, 3.89 gears (Traded) '69 LeMans Vert, 350, #47 heads: Non-running project |
#10
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No press, no damage to the control arms, no special tooling. You need a propane torch + sandpaper/emery cloth, and a Scotchbrite pad. And unlike rubber bushings, you don't have to torque the bolts with the suspension at normal ride height. So even the installation back into the chassis is easier. |
#11
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So the rubber bearing shells remain in good shape enough to put the poly bearings in place?
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Will Rivera '69 Firebird 400/461, 290+ E D-Ports, HR 230/236, 4l80E, 8.5 Rear, 3.55 gears ‘66 Lemans, 455, KRE D-Ports, TH350, 12 bolt 3.90 gears '64 LeMans 400/461, #16 Heads, HR 230/236, TKO600, 9inch Rear, 3.89 gears (Traded) '69 LeMans Vert, 350, #47 heads: Non-running project |
#12
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I've seen very few bushings that were worn so bad the outer shell had to be replaced. It can happen, though. Generally a matter of the rubber is GONE, so the inner steel sleeve is banging against the outer steel shell. I suppose there could be massive corrosion that would make the shells unusable, but I've never actually seen that. My K1500 had the inner sleeves corroded to death, but the outer shells were fine. |
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