Hey,
So I'm installing a rear sway bar and want the stock arms boxed in. I find a guy on-line that does this and he has many photos of the process and it looks like a good deal. I remove and send him the arms with the bushings left in because his service and price ($65) includes the material and to R&R the bushings. He sends pictures of the completed arms (without the bushings installed) for my approval and I reply my approval and also to make sure the bushings are re-installed before shipping. His reply is that I need to buy new bushings because these are too loose for his liking and he doesn't want the liability if there's an issue. I tell him these are new and he said they pressed out easier than they should have? But if I re-install them I should put a tack weld on them so they don't come out? And then goes on to tell me I can re-install them with a ball joint press and a pipe nipple with a cap. I'm a little pissed about the whole deal but I don't think I'll have any issue re-installing. But has anyone ever heard of this looseness he's referring to? Thanks, Rob

 

If the arms have had multiple bushings installed, the holes get a little loose.

I have tacked them in in the past with no issues.

If the bushings can be put in by hand, find new arms.

 

Those bushings should be a tight press fit in the arms. Any looser and they could slowly wallow out. If they're not quite as tight as they should be, then a tack weld or 2 will generally hold them stationary, and will keep them in place if they do want to come out, and can also be easily ground off if you need to change them in the future.

- Eric

 

I had the bushings installed last year but I don't know if they may have been replaced before. By the looks of them and of all the other front and rear suspension bushings and ball joints I replaced at the same time, they were original. But I guess I won't know what's what until I get them back and go from there. Thanks for the feedback! Rob

 

If you had them done by who I think you did and he says that they will work with the bushings tacked in I would be rest assured that it will be fine. If you had the bushings replaced by Gm service back in the day they would have tacked them too if needed, From what I've been told. I would think that if he told you that you need new bushings then the arms must not be the problem. Did you use Moog bushings or somthing else?
Gary

 

The design of those arms is for 2/3 bushing replacements MAX.

Notice how thin the metal is......

 

Yes, these are Moog. They did have some paint on them as I spot painted them after install so I suppose they could appear older than they are. But after speaking with Glenn about it further, I understand his position and trust his judgement. I'd rather be told there may be an issue and take care of it now instead of tearing something up later on. It won't be a problem tacking them in so that should take care of it. Rob

 

If my replacement last year was of the originals, than this time will be the third go around. I guess I should've thought of boxing them when I had them off last year. Hindsight.....