'88 upper control arm cross shaft removal

General Fiero Maintenance including oil changes, air filters, suspension refreshes, restorations, painting, etc.

Moderators: The Dark Side of Will, Series8217

Post Reply
User avatar
Series8217
1988 Fiero Track Car
Posts: 5971
Joined: Thu Jun 02, 2005 9:47 pm
Location: Los Angeles, CA

'88 upper control arm cross shaft removal

Post by Series8217 »

How do I remove the cross shaft from an '88 upper control arm?
The Dark Side of Will
Peer Mediator
Posts: 15610
Joined: Wed Nov 24, 2004 11:13 pm
Location: In the darkness, where fear and knowing are one
Contact:

Re: '88 upper control arm cross shaft removal

Post by The Dark Side of Will »

You have to pull the bushings. That's why I think it should have been a block with bolts in from the ends instead of the silly shaft that GM used.

For rubber bushings, the torch method works well.
User avatar
Series8217
1988 Fiero Track Car
Posts: 5971
Joined: Thu Jun 02, 2005 9:47 pm
Location: Los Angeles, CA

Re: '88 upper control arm cross shaft removal

Post by Series8217 »

I really hate the mess that burnt rubber makes... Can the bushings be pressed out in such a way that's non-destructive to the shaft?
The Dark Side of Will
Peer Mediator
Posts: 15610
Joined: Wed Nov 24, 2004 11:13 pm
Location: In the darkness, where fear and knowing are one
Contact:

Re: '88 upper control arm cross shaft removal

Post by The Dark Side of Will »

You've seen bushing removal with a torch, right? It's not what I would call messy.

Just heat the bushing outer shell from the outside and the rubber will squeeze itself out intact without melting (assuming that the inner sleeve isn't seized to the cross shaft).

Your press setup would have to hold the shaft and push on the control arm.
User avatar
Series8217
1988 Fiero Track Car
Posts: 5971
Joined: Thu Jun 02, 2005 9:47 pm
Location: Los Angeles, CA

Re: '88 upper control arm cross shaft removal

Post by Series8217 »

The Dark Side of Will wrote:You've seen bushing removal with a torch, right? It's not what I would call messy.
I've done it many many many times. The little bits of rubber that come out when it starts to smoke have the consistency of tar and stay that way for awhile.

Maybe I'll just cut the control arm apart with a bandsaw to extract the cross shaft.. It just would have been nice to save the arm as a backup.
The Dark Side of Will
Peer Mediator
Posts: 15610
Joined: Wed Nov 24, 2004 11:13 pm
Location: In the darkness, where fear and knowing are one
Contact:

Re: '88 upper control arm cross shaft removal

Post by The Dark Side of Will »

Ever tried burning a bushing out? *THAT* is messy ;-)
User avatar
Series8217
1988 Fiero Track Car
Posts: 5971
Joined: Thu Jun 02, 2005 9:47 pm
Location: Los Angeles, CA

Re: '88 upper control arm cross shaft removal

Post by Series8217 »

The Dark Side of Will wrote:Ever tried burning a bushing out? *THAT* is messy ;-)
Yep, done that too! I try to avoid it though, since the tapered rubber bushings tend to become flaming projectiles...
fieroguru
Posts: 258
Joined: Sun Jan 15, 2006 1:30 pm

Re: '88 upper control arm cross shaft removal

Post by fieroguru »

I think you have to press one of the bushing sleeves out of the control arm to remove the cross shaft. When I installed poly back in 2005, I couldn't remove the cross shaft with the sleeves in place.
Starlite528
Posts: 316
Joined: Sun Jul 16, 2006 6:02 am
Location: Dallas, Texas
Contact:

Re: '88 upper control arm cross shaft removal

Post by Starlite528 »

I just chopped it in the middle with a dremel ( because I don't have a grinder or anything ) and the new shaft from the fiero store fits through the sleeves without having to remove them.
Despite millions of dollars in research, Death continues to be our nations number one killer.
Henry Gibson - Kentucky Fried Movie.

Image
http://www.lordshadowstar.com
User avatar
Series8217
1988 Fiero Track Car
Posts: 5971
Joined: Thu Jun 02, 2005 9:47 pm
Location: Los Angeles, CA

Re: '88 upper control arm cross shaft removal

Post by Series8217 »

I need the cross shaft, not the control arm.
The Dark Side of Will
Peer Mediator
Posts: 15610
Joined: Wed Nov 24, 2004 11:13 pm
Location: In the darkness, where fear and knowing are one
Contact:

Re: '88 upper control arm cross shaft removal

Post by The Dark Side of Will »

Then cut the control arm.
User avatar
Series8217
1988 Fiero Track Car
Posts: 5971
Joined: Thu Jun 02, 2005 9:47 pm
Location: Los Angeles, CA

Re: '88 upper control arm cross shaft removal

Post by Series8217 »

The Dark Side of Will wrote:You have to pull the bushings. That's why I think it should have been a block with bolts in from the ends instead of the silly shaft that GM used.

For rubber bushings, the torch method works well.
I removed the rubber using the torch method but the cross shaft still doesn't come out. The bushing sleeves actually have to be removed. Lame. I think I'm just going to cut the arm apart.
Post Reply