replacing rear control arms, any tips?

[nathanVY]

received my new set of rear control arms via australia post the other day. gonna have a shot at putting them in, looks pretty straight forward. anything I should/shouldn't do?

hopefully this will de-shudder the car on take off

[hako]

Easy - jack the rearend up and undo the 2 bolts using a breaker bar and spanner. Align the holes so the new ones slip on. Don't tighten the bolts till the car is on the ground and weight is on the bushes.
Good Luck.

[nathanVY]

just did it, and took it for a drive seemed fine. shudders a lot less but theres still a small shudder in it. I tightened the bolts when it was jacked up, shall go out and re-tighten/check them now. thanks

[Brett_jjj]

Did you do the top control arms as well as the lower ones, the top ones seem to wear out very quickly,especially with the rubber bushes.I went to Nolothane bushes on top and bottom arms and its just so much better.

[nathanVY]

don't think so? where abouts are they? I replaced the entire rear trailing/control arms.

[Brett_jjj]

The two arms that go from the diff to the body at the top of the diff.Theres the 2 lower ones with the springs sitting in them,then theres the 2 top ones.These are the ones that the bushes get flogged out quickly on.

[nathanVY]

brett_jjj - they are the ones I replaced. may have got mixed up with the names.

[Brett_jjj]

The bottom arms with the springs sitting in them could probably do with new bushes if the top ones were stuffed.How many k's has the car done?

[nathanVY]

most likely. 230 XXX

[Brett_jjj]

Id be doing the bottom arm bushes as well,and the panhard rod bushes.I found that when I replaced just the top lot of bushes,and the rest were worn that the new ones flogged straight out again.I ended up doing the top and bottom arms and the panhard rod bushes as well all at the same time.I also used nolothane bushes instead of rubber ones.The new ones I used the first time I replaced them were genuine holden rubber bushes,and they didnt last at all,a couple of months or so.Maybe if Id done them all at once the rubber bushes might have lasted longer .The new arms you bought,do they have rubber or urethane type bushes fitted?

[nathanVY]

thanks for the tip. not sure about the new ones but its black so probably rubber.
i think ill be getting an adjustable panhard rod when I get it lowered.