Tool Needed!

[`Michael Southard]

Does any one have a t-arm "bushing/staking tool" they are not in need of anymore, for a reasonable price?

Hate to spend $50-$80 at the vette store, for a tool I'll only use once!

Mike S.

[Joe L.]

Re: Tool Needed!

Mike-----

You may be able to accomplish the same thing using a 4" long 3/8" bolt, 2- 7/16" lug nuts (Chevy nuts), a 3/8 nut of the same thread as the bolt and a few washers to spread the load/reduce rotational friction.

Place the forward end of the a-arm in a vice. Place one of the lug nuts with the cone facing opposite the head of the bolt. Then, put the bolt through the bushing retainer (sleeve). Next, place the other lug nut with the cone facing the retainer and place a couple of well greased thick washers on the bolt. Then, install the nut which matches the bolt threads.

Lastly, run the nut in so that the lug nut cone flares the bushing retainer end. You may have to put some arm to it to fully flare the retainer (it's pretty thick metal), but it can be done.

[Mike M.]

Re: Tool Needed!

check with your local ncrs chapter. several have tools the chapter bought for the membership to borrow gratis. MAC/NCRS has such a tool to lend to MAC members. mike

[Michael H.]

Re: Tool Needed!

Joe,

I'm trying to understand this method of installing the bushings/sleeve but I must be confused. How does a center bolt compress the bushings to design specs before the flair is made if there's no load on the outer washer? Or is there a load? I always had to compress the washers/bushings to make internal contact with each other first, then flair the tube. Would be great if the single bolt method would work but I don't understand it. Probably just me having another one of those "senior moments".

Michael

[`Michael Southard]

Re: Tool Needed!

Mike,
I think Joe is assuming that I am already compressing the bushing enough to be able to flare the tube. At least that's what I assumed.

The nearest local NCRS chapter is 600 miles away in Portland I believe. I'm up here on the Kitsap Peninsula in Wash.

Mike S.

[Michael H.]

Re: Tool Needed!

Ok, that must be the case. I used a pair of steering wheel puller flanges bolted to each side to compress the bushings to zero, then hammered the flair into the tube but Joe's bolt method sounds much easier than the hammer and 45 deg punch.

[Mike M.]

Re: Tool Needed!

call dennis clark and see if the northwest chapter has the tool-loaner program. mike

[Joe L.]

Re: Tool Needed!

Michael and Mike-----

It is best to compress the bushings first, but it can be done without that using the method that I described. Here's the deal: the center bushing retainer (tube) is of a fixed length and is pre-flared on one end. If you use the set-up that I described it will compress the bushings as the the end of the retainer is flared. When you have achieved a flare which is more-or-less identical to the pre-flared side, you're there; the bushings have to be fully compressed and seated or you wouldn't be able to achieve that flare. The only way that you could end up with a "loose" bushing condition would be if the retainer was over-length (which they're manufactured not to be). The "effective length" of the retainer, once fully flared, is exactly the same whether the bushings are first compressed or not and the bushings end up in the same state of compression either way.

Now, the difficult part is that when you do it this way you are BOTH compressing the bushings AND flaring the retainer end. That's why I mentioned that it will "take some arm" to do it. By compressing the bushings first, you eliminate part of the effort required when doing it "single stage". In other words, you make a "2 stage" process out of it. That makes both stages easier.

While I've never personally done it this way, I've talked with a few experienced and "well worn" Corvette guys that have done it this way and they tell me that it works perfectly. In fact, the method I described is not one that I conjured up; it's one that was explained to me by these other folks.

[Michael H.]

Re: Tool Needed!

Thanks Joe, I'm going to try it and see how it works out. I was concerned because I know it takes a fair amount of force just to compress the bushings properly to bottom or zero and then the additional force to flair the tube. I'll measure the width of the original bushing pack and see how the new installed pack compares. A good indication would be the fact that all of the original control arm shims that were removed will no longer go back in with the new bushing improperly installed.

There is/was a Corvette shop not too far from me that replaced many of these bushings but they couldn't figure out why the shims kept falling out after a few miles. I asked if they were sure they had the bushings compressed properly before flairing the tube. I knew by the puzzled look on his face there was no such operation done. I tried to explain the system but I know I never got through to them. I suppose it was a little confusing without a picture like the one in the service manual. Bet there's a lot of Corvettes out there with loose control arms.

[Joe L.]

Re: Tool Needed!

Michael-----

I'm sure there are a lot of Corvettes out there with improperly installed trailing arm bushings, too. However, I think that when you find these, you'll also find a retainer that is insufficiently or improperly flared on one end (the field-flared end). As I say, the effective length of the retainer with the field-flared end properly flared basically ensures the proper compression of the bushings. The bushings have to be compressed to be "contained" within the effective length of the retainer. If the bushing metal sleeves and rubber elastomer were not fully compressed, there'd be no way for the proper flare to be produced. As I see it, it would be a physical impossibility.

Now, as I mentioned, that's not to say that doing this in "single stage" fashion will be easy. It will take a LOT of torque to do it and the 3/8" bolt used had better be a Grade 8 (or better). Even then, one might even break a bolt or two doing this.

[Michael H.]

Re: Tool Needed!

Thanks Joe, I'm going to try it. I agree, if the flair is properly formed and the end or edge of the flair is of the proper diameter, it must mean that the bushings were compressed properly.

If I don't succeed, I'll add the little mini clamp that I usually use to compress the bushings first, then install/flair the sleeve. I'll post a report in a week or two.

[`Michael Southard]

Re: Tool Needed!

I had the chevy dealer do this 20 years ago, and when I put the alignment shims back in, I had to add almost a have inch of shim to each arm. I think it was done improperly prior to that. The rubber was compressed to about 3/32" in this case and it looks good.

I sent the t-arms up for powder coating, and thats why I'm changing the bushings.

Thanks for every ones input, I believe that I will try this Iif I cannot find a staking tool from the NW chapter.

Mike S.

[Joe L.]

Re: Tool Needed!

Mike-----

Keep in mind, too, that there are several different designs for this tool "out there". Some of the commercial "staking tools" are a complete joke. I don't know how anyone could use them effectively. However, I assume that those that have been purchased by chapters and used by members will work ok or they'd likely have been discarded by now.

[Terry F.]

Re: Tool Needed!

Your normal shim package will be a total of 3/4 inch to each trailing arm. Terry

[`Michael Southard]

Re: Tool Needed!

Your right Terry, My typo, I had to add 3/8" to each arm (not an inch). But it does show that some one didn't get it too awful tight!
Mike S.