Rear control arm re-installation help needed

[Silverbullit]

Spent most of afternoon trying to re-install the rear control arms (1967). Arms completely rebuilt with new elephant bushings. Other than a ginormous hammer, is there some trick to getting these things back into place? Thanks

[edmayo]

Yep, they're tough, you have to wriggle and push until you get the bushing into the mount far enough to see the bolt hole start to appear in the bracket hole, then insert pin punch or something similar and start levering the the rest of the way in using larger and larger levers until the bushing hole lines completely up with the mount hole until the bolt will tap through. Using a C-clamp to more fully compress the bushing will help get you started into the mount.

[neilk]

When I did this years ago, I bought 2 sets of extra long bolts. I ligned everything up and started screwing the first set of extra long bolts in, keep in the bushing cover level with the car. When the first set of bolts bottomed out, I went to a slightly shorter set and continued. When those bottomed out, I was able to then use the factory bolts.

I am assuming the '67 mounts the same as a '73.

Hope that helps.
Neil

[classic]

As Ed said earlier C clamp to get them started, when I fitted new bushes I think the arm was at least 5mm thicker.

[Silverbullit]

Thanks for the tips, guys, esp. the c-clamps. That did the trick. After about 15 years, the suspension is back on.