Opinions Please ;

Would it make any sense to install all components from a front end rebuild kit except the springs and A-arm bushings?

Components being :

1) Upper & Lower Ball Joints

2) 4 Tie Rod Ends

3) Front Sway Bar Bushings

4) Idler Arm

Like alot of us, money is tight. I thought I could have the above work done this year and do the Springs and A-Arms next year.

If I do it this way, would I be paying twice on the same labor or are the Springs and A-arms enough of a separate task?

For what its worth, the bushings on the A-Arms look alot better than the tie rod ends.

Kevin KDADDY792009-03-23 14:56:32

I redid my control arm bushings and coils last winter. Started out as replacing the radiator and then I saw how dirty everything was on the front of the engine and that turned into a remove it, clean it, paint it thing and then I stood there starring at them 30 year old dried out control arm bushings with nothing in the way of getting at them, so I went through the R C P thing again and you just can't put it all back without slipping new coils in there.
Coils and bushings are only about $100+ if you can do it yourself. Just got to find someone to press in the new bushings.
Got to undo the balljoints again to get the arms out if you don't do it all at once, but thats probably not a big deal. You would have to pay for another alinement though.

Kevin do yourself a favor and use Moog ball joints, more money but worth it. I replaced mine with ones from VBP and in 6 months the ball & sockets were pitted and galled and had to be replaced. Turned out they were from China. Also go with the rubber bushings. I went with the Poly ones and the squeak like crazy and are very harse. Hey the original rubber one lasted 30 years so why change. Rubber is cheaper also.

If you use the poly, you do have to lubricate while assembling......to keep out the squeaks POLYURETHANE bushings NEED to be lubed!

Polyurethane can be noisy if done WRONG.

WRONG #1 You cannot blend anything into Polyurethane.
Not even Graphite!
Nothing like this works because the family of Urethane
plastic does not like impurities.
(the word Polyurethane means blends of different Urethane plastics)

Graphite does not work for a couple reasons. If you put just a little in
the Urethane then the graphite is fully encapsulated by the Urethane
and the Graphite never touches the metal sway bar or a-arm shaft.
If you add a lot, then the Polyurethane falls apart because
it does not stick to the graphite (remember, graphite is a slippery lubricant).
You might as well throw handful of dirt into it.


Wrong #2 You cannot put in a grease zirk and tell people to grease it.
Polyurethane must have the right lubricant to make it quiet.
There are some lube greases that are bad for Polyurethane.
So there are all these greasable bushings caked up with the
wrong grease and the Polyurethane bushings are still Noisy.

The correct lube is sent by PolyBushings.com with every kit that needs lube.
It works, it's green, it's sticky...and need be applied only at installation.


Wrong #3 You cannot cost reduce your Polyurethane products and
expect a long and quiet life. Polyurethane is like anything else
important to you. It comes in many different grades. Polyurethane
can be designed and tempered a lot like steel.. If you design it to cure too
quickly it becomes harder. Harder Polyurethane is Noisier. Shorter molding
time means less cost. So between the correct chemistry and mold design,
it costs just a little more to do it right. But it sure pays off.

Polyurethane needs to be lubed. 
corvette440hp2009-03-22 17:06:06

Not knowing how bad the front end is; - you might be able to wait until you have all of the parts and then just schedule one visit to the shop next year.

I just purchased a complete kit from Corvette specialties one of our vendors. I bought his exchange upper and lower control arms, all blasted painted ball joints installed and new bushings and hardware. Also bought the new springs and new KYB gas shocks all the way around. Larry gives C3VR members 10% off. I hate doing jobs twice. I'd do as Willis said wait till you can do it all. Then enjoy that new car ride

Some good stuff there, guys. Thanks!

Kev - Im doing EXACTLY what your mentioning.  I had some chewed rubber in the front end.  My springs are fine, the a-arm sleeve bushings are fine.  I have 65k on the car.  I spoke to Mike over at Larrys.  He strongly recommended using rubber instead of poly unless your racing.  Larrys kit is a USA made kit. NO CHINESE STUFF on my car.  The kit has premium ball joints again its all USA and was priced reasonable - about 269.00.  Good Luck, Kevin.

Hey KeBo,