skyhigh

Are the front upper and lower control arms the same on a 72 four door as the two doors? when searching for parts they never mention the four door models lol, same question on the rear upper and lower. I would like to get rid of the wheel hop on the car and I went ahead and ordered umi tubular kit for the rear and some new bilstein shocks. I don't think I can get tubular for the front due to the car having drum brakes. So the front will be re done with stock. Switching over to disc brakes isn't an option at the moment since I would like to get the suspension back in shape first due to the high costs of car parts in Canada lol..

Rear Control Arm Kit:

https://www.summitracing.com/int/par...01-b/overview/

Shocks:

https://www.summitracing.com/int/par...9294/overview/

Front Control Arms I think I need:

https://www.summitracing.com/int/par...0-pr/overview/

https://www.summitracing.com/int/par...6-pr/overview/

joe_padavano

Yes. The only difference in the chassis among the 68-72 A-body cars is the wheelbase. Suspension is the same. Yes, some have oval bushings in the front LCAs and some have round, but the LCAs interchange among all A-body cars of those years.

Schurkey

OEM disc or OEM drum...makes no difference in terms of control arms.

Aftermarket, thin-steel control arms with oval bushings on the lowers? I'd rather have the GM originals.

skyhigh

It matters from what i read...cant use tubular up front due to drum brakes...they wont fit..stock is only option for drum i think. Aftermarket tubular would be alot stronger than stock.

bry593

If on a budget, don’t waste money on aftermarket control arms. Money better spent on moog bushings and springs and some kyb shocks. Will make your car ride like new.

Aftermarket control arms cost a lot for the good ones. The cheapos can cause fitment issues with springs, shocks, sways, improper geometry, low quality bushings, etc.

skyhigh

I agree with you there, but i wouldn't be able to tie my friends hoist up. I'm pretty sure i couldn't do all that bushing work in a day lol..that rear control kit from umi wasn't cheap at all..pretty close to 700 Canadian after shipping and brokerage fees lol...200 for the shocks lol..and the bill for the front probably gonna be much more..i need to get my work done on the rear in a day so that why Im going new so i don't have to do all that bushing work.

newmexguy

Believe it has been documented - Asian off shore arms with failed welds, and broken ball joints. Save your money or go with ones that can be proven to be North American manufactured.

Schurkey

You're going to remove and install the control arms no matter what.

Beyond the R&R time, installing Polyurethane bushings in the rear arms would be about a two-hour job, if you go into it with a fresh propane cylinder for your torch, and an adequate supply of emery cloth and Scotchbrite pads so you don't have to make a parts-run in the middle of the job.

"I" would be more likely to give the friend some cash for extra shop time, than to buy substandard parts to "make the job go quicker".

bry593

Sure are a lotta Canucks on this board.... Feels a bit like an episode of "Trailer Park Boys" meets "RoadKill", also known as "ColdWarMotors". Check out the ColdWarMotors vids on youtube. Great way to procrastinate working on your own car.

skyhigh

It was a fight replacing the rear upper and lower control arms, 50 years of rust lol. It was the upper bolts that went through the frame causing headaches, had to use a sawzall for those using multiple blades lol. One of the two rear end housing bushings came out easy, shocks were the easiest to remove. I have a few things to do today before I'm done with the rear end but I need you help with the torque specs, I dint get install instructions with https://www.summitracing.com/int/par...01-b/overview/

from reading other posts here, I need to torque the bolts with the weight of the car on the ground, and I need your help with that please and thanks. When I bought the car it didn't have a manual to refer to the specs and I'm not sure that would even be the same with the tubular and urethane bushings..

droldsmorland

Yes torque with the car on the ground, full weight on the chassis. Google...Look up the bolt diameter, grade, and thread count for torque.

Schurkey

Specs at Summit web page say that those arms have Polyurethane bushings.

There is NO need to torque them with the suspension at normal ride-height. Those bushings are not bonded to the shell and sleeve like rubber bushings.

If you had rubber bushings, you'd need to have the suspension at normal ride height before torquing.

skyhigh

Thanks 4 that. At the moment im having a hard time getting that ring on the back of the bushing..the pumpkin is really tight on the drivers side..the bushing looks like its set all the way in..passanger side went on easy

classicmuscle442

Torch would speed things up considerably, heat the nuts red hot and usual they come right off.

Schurkey

FIFY. Propane and MAP-Pro would likely be a waste of time.

skyhigh

The umi tubular upper and lowers are in, bilstein shocks and the sway bar..supper happy with the feel. Love the poly bushings and happy to say the wheel hop is gone..