From time to time we get faced with some really bad trailing (rearward) front lower control arm 9 FLCA) bushings. Replacing them should be a snap(!) and once the new bushings are installed, if you have chosen the Powell spherical all weather cabs, you can look forward to trouble free CAB life for the rest of your happy ownership experience!

The problem is, sometimes the bolt is seized. I have tried all sorts of ways to get them out, cutting the bolt , the arm etc. Heat helps but the bushing can catch fire and there is potential damage to the car as a result. Not recommended.




these are the remains of a brutal control arm bushing removal. Up until know, I had figured that the primary issue is corrosion seizing the cradle/control arm bolt captive nut. Its probably not. Its the control arm bushing center sleeve seizing on the bolt and stopping the bolt from dropping as you unwind it, and therefore tearing the captive nut out of the body.

Soaking with PB blaster etc should help but if the bolt is tight its hard for the penetrating oil to wick into the center sleeve. So that wont help much at all. This is a steel arm. Happily the sleeve was not seized on the drivers side. The passenger side was not so lucky as you can see from the previous picture.



Here is how to deal with it.IF the trailing control arm bolt takes huge force to break loose ( IE AIR IMPACT WONT MOVE IT. 3 FT EXTENSION PIPE BREAKS MOVES IT BUT NOT EASILY? STOP!!!

Remove the cradle; it can hang on the upper engine mounts. remove the plastic splash shields, the ball joint cross pins to the knuckle and the sway bar end links; the lower front engine mount cross bolt and the three rear cradle mount bolts, the steering rack bolts ( lock the steering wheel in place) and then undo all the cradle bolts, dropping the cradle.


you will be left with the control arms in place and you can now deal with removing the seized cab. Heat and a hammer on the end of the cradle bolt and it will now ( with a struggle) come out, and happily the captive nut will be undamaged. Assemble with lots of anti seize.
this is a new arm with spherical trailing and composite /stainless leading bushings. Older cars the leading bushing will be damaged. The ball joint outlives the inner joints by a bunch on alloy control arm cars. (SS and 2.4 /GT G5)


These are a set of arms, corrosion visible on the sleeve of the Powell spherical in the background but not a deal breaker, and a bent arm in the foreground with the spherical not sitting correctly- in fact will fall out. It should be a hard press fit. Be prepared to replace the entire arm on older cars.




Good luck.

 

Nice write up. Thank you John.

 

I wondered if the CAB seizing up the bolt was part of my problem. But even after jacking up the arm to a level position and trying, I had no luck. I might just try your method of cutting the head off, then dropping everything, and then dealing with it. Well have to talk about what to replace my bolts and captive nuts with in the most proper form.

 

I had this exact problem last week. Unfortunately for me heat and a hammer didn't work it had gotten to the point of almost bending the subframe. Thus out came the saw already had to replace the bushing so adding a bolt to the mix was only another 9 bucks. You better believe I loaded it with anti seize this time.

 

I loved this mod, still need to get forward one

 

How can you tell if your stockers need replaced?

 

i usually put a torque wrench on the lugnut while the wheel is on the ground. if when tightening, the wheel and arm shift excessively to the rear, they are done

 

Mine were fine, I just changed them because any powell upgrade is worth it.

To answer your question: frankly I don't know

 

Excessive wheel hop, and pulling left or right when under load or braking
This this when you know the inner sleeve is gone as pictured

 

when i order these, you sir are going to have to give me a hand lmao

 

Their cake

 

Installing these on one of the upcoming weekends. Hoping that the relatively favorable (=dry) weather conditions in Colorado will have been kind on the bolts and nuts ;-) Will post pics.

 

This.

Also clunking.

I replaced my endlinks thinking that was the issue, but it turned out to be my cabs.

 

Jack the car up. Stick a pry bar against the lower control arm in the cab area. if it deflects sideways excessivly it's shot.

 

The stock replacement bolt with a stainless washer and nyloc. That would do the trick

 

If the car is over a year old they are done. Such crap for such an important part. John Heinricy says racing a n/a cobalt at road America with stock cabs the car is slowed down as the deflection causes the toe in to change so much

 

john, would you happen to have the gm pn for the replacement bolt ?

 

Looks like I've found another Powell product I need to throw my money at I should just start a powell race shop parts savings account

 

Just set up a direct deposit straight from your employer to Powell with every payroll. 25% of net should do it :-)

 

nice write up mr powell. i really need to replace most of my suspension components. but i need to know which parts to replace with which, as i'd like to upgrade them as i go along so it doesn't all just crap out again

 

I'm sure john would like that

 

When I brake and accelerate I get the sensation of torque steer. My car also feels like it wanders allot on uneven ground. Mor than it should. I have 97000kms and am on original suspension with Stage 2 Powell trans mounts.

You figure it is the cabs that need replacement? They probably need it regardless but I don't want to start replacing random parts with no improvement.
What do you figure?

Where is the best place to buy Powell products? The online store doesn't seem to be working.

 

Just send an email to gloria@powellraceparts.com

 

this was by far the worst job on any car i've ever had to do, but was for sure worth it.

luckily, after heating the captive nut to break it loose, i was able to get the sleeve loose by wedging a bigger vice-grip in there and clamping it as tight as humanly possible. big impact gun spun it after that.

things to try...

props again to powell for a phenomenal fix. money well spent

 

like he said if the cars over a year old the cabs are shot. i know that my car with 65k they were torn to all hell when i replaced em