| Page Title |
1957 Corvette RestoMod
Chapter 5: How To Remove & Install C4 Corvette Front Bushings & Ball Joints
Chapter 5: How To Remove & Install C4 Corvette Front Bushings & Ball Joints
| "How To" for the Beginner! |
 | |  | |  | |  |
| About Chapter 5 In this long and detailed chapter, I show you the easy and correct ways to remove and install all front-end bushings and ball joints. These too often overlooked replacements are critical to driving safety and suspension component longevity - not to mention even and long tire wear. In 32 pages, 28 steps, and 88 photos, all bushing and ball joint processes are covered. |
| Chapter 5 starts by giving you a few "heads up" on safety and methods, then quickly moves to the tools needed. I list required and optional tools because some procedures can be accomplished a couple different ways. Next, your workspace is outlined and explained. |
| First, we tackle the upper control arm. These bushings can be difficult to remove, or the arm can be damaged if the wrong method is used to remove the bushings. I show you two methods to remove these bushings - with a shop press, or with my "home grown" method. Either way works without damaging these valuable pieces. New bushings are from Energy Suspension, one of leaders in performance suspensions. Energy Suspension sells polyurethane bushings for the Corvette - both front and rear. Polyurethane is stronger than rubber - so they last longer and provide firmer handling. Next is the upper control arm ball joint. Mine were completely shot. The grease boots were torn and the joint was very loose. This condition will eventually damage your Corvettes front bearings and create terrible tire wear. My new ball joints were from Moog, a Federal-Mogul company. Moog is one of the premier replacement part manufacturers of suspension pieces - most NASCAR teams use Moog parts. I bought mine from Jegs Performance online. |
| The chapter then explains removal and installation of the lower control arm bushings. The arm bushings are straightforward, but the end-link bushings can be a problem without the right tools. A small shop press makes all these jobs much easier. I bought mine from Harbor Freight for under $120, and it was the best tool buy in the whole project. Again Energy Suspension is my supplier for all replacement bushings - and their Help Desk does a great job! |
| My replacement lower ball joints are from Jegs Performance and are made by Moog. They come with their own dust boots, but I elected to use Energy Suspension's boots supplied with their kit. A shop press and specialty ball joint kit are needed for this operation - those lower ball joints are tough! |
| Chapter 5 next turns to steering. New outer tie rods from Moog and Rock Auto were installed. Also, instead of rebuilding the old rack & pinion steering unit, I elected to buy a remanufactured one. It comes with a warranty, and is refurbished by AC Delco - the GM standard. But a very important part of the steering needs to be removed first - my book tells you all about it. There are a couple of little tricks I learned while installing the outer tie rods, and my book goes in to depth on these. Don't toss your old rack & pinion unit - the "core" needs to go back to the manufacturer. |
| The final part of Chapter 5 illustrates the removal and replacement of the stabilizer bar bushings. Often called the "anti-sway bar", the stabilizer bar bushings from Energy Suspension are engineered differently than the stock bushings - and I show you how to best install them. Newman Car Creations, who re-engineered my stock frame, also supplied the Guldstrand Wedge. Made by Dick Guldstrand, a legend among Corvette enthusiasts and racers, the wedge accomplishes a very important task in the set-up of your C4 front end. This chapter is a must for those looking to replace any or all of the bushings or ball joints in the 4th generation Corvette. |