Energy suspension front contol arm kit HOW TO

[redrocketws6]

Okay this very well might be in the wrong spot but I recently bought the front c/a kit. My upper c/a busingd are shot. the instructions that come with it are
Pretty much useless. I was wondering if there was a write up of any sort. I'm trying to look something up on my iPhone bit it is not working with me.


And my major question for today is by doing your control arms, do you need to get your car aligned? I'm going to try to call the company but they are not open yet

[pajeff02]

I moved your thread to the suspension section.


Although I have not swapped out my bushings, they appear to be like any other suspension bushing that is pressed in place.

[redrocketws6]

Yes you'll have to get an alignment.

Super Chevy: Along Came Polyurethane

Maybe word hasn't gotten to the ls1.com crowd yet, I haven't checked, but polyurethane bushings are atrocious in most applications for the 4th gen f-body.

They really are better suited to static applications like mounts. Anything that requires a movement other than pure rotation (as most every control arm location on the 4th gens isn't pure rotation) is going to cause binding and possibly failure of the bushing, part its installed in, or both. The caster location on the lower control arm is especially susceptible to failure.

So you're recommendation would be not to use the polys? In all honesty the only thing wrong is my passenger side upper control arms are shot. Those are an easy fix. I'm really not looking forward to installing all of those other bushings. I probably don't have the tools or the experience on these cars. Being it is my only car I can't afford to be without it.

So should I just go to the local auto store and get the rubber bushings?

[redrocketws6]

If this is a street car my recommendation would be stay with rubber.

People will swear up and down that poly "really tightens up the handling", this is the placebo effect. A couple of things can play into that perception. 1) the bushing they had were so worn out, anything new would feel like an improvement. 2) What is really happening is the suspension is being prevented from moving correctly thanks to the hard grabtastic plastic that was put in place of the rubber.

Makes sense. It's true people love the polys. I use to sell them all the time. But yeah it's just a street car and I wasn't looking forward to ripping all this shit apart. Like i said it was just the two upper control arm bushings.

Alright cool you saved me a bunch of work and money!