Just took my car to the mechanic on saturday and lifted it on the elevator. Mechanic noticed one of the bushings of the left rear control arm was not installed properly and looks as it is bitten.

 

Do i need to replace only the lower control arm bushing forward and rear?

 

http://www.zcarsource.com/rearsusp-diagram.HTML

 

Please advise as i do not want to purchase the wrong bushings! I have already replaced all the bushings contained in the Energy Suspension 7.18101R Hyperflex Master Kit for Datsun 240Z. Maybe the former mechanic istalled this one too tight!

 

I am also thinking on sandblasting and painting these arms. If so what color and what is the correct procedure?

Edited August 18, 20159 yr by jalexquijano

I can't tell on the bushing. It looks fine in the picture to me but maybe I am missing something. As for blasting the control arm. Blast them and paint them black or powder coat them black.

It looks like the rubber in the picture is just a round washer-shaped seal at each end of the spindle pin , not a bushing.

 

You can remove the nuts to inspect and make sure.

  On 8/19/2015 at 1:02 AM, Patcon said:

I can't tell on the bushing. It looks fine in the picture to me but maybe I am missing something. As for blasting the control arm. Blast them and paint them black or powder coat them black.

I do not have a sandblasting machine! I was planing on using a wire brush. Do you recommend any home non industrial sand blasting machine as the ones sold by amazon?

 

http://www.amazon.com/Campbell-Hausfeld-30-Pound-Capacity-Sandblaster/dp/B0000DD1C4/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1439999682&sr=8-1&keywords=home+sandblaster

I see the problem he has identified - it is the right side inner bushing that is damaged.  Pulling off the outer nut will not show anything.  The only way to be sure is to pull the spindle pin and separate the LCA from the upright.  The damage likely occurred at the time the bushings were replaced - when the LCA was being positioned around the upright.  With new bushings, this is a force fit requiring some lube and gentle working into place.

 

As to painting or other refinishing, after cleaning be sure to thoroughly neutralize that rust with something like POR-15 Metal Ready or a similar phosphoric acid product before any paint is attempted.  The POR product is good because it leaves behind a zinc oxide protective coating, ready for primer.

Isn't that really just a dirt and dust seal?  The actual bushing rubber is inside, between the bushing sleeve and the control arm.  And the bushing sleeve is pressed against the strut casting by the spindle pin nut.  The missing rubber will only allow a little bit of extra water and dirt in to an area that's probably already rusted.  Probably not worth fixing.

  On 8/19/2015 at 7:17 PM, Zed Head said:

Isn't that really just a dirt and dust seal?  The actual bushing rubber is inside, between the bushing sleeve and the control arm.  And the bushing sleeve is pressed against the strut casting by the spindle pin nut.  The missing rubber will only allow a little bit of extra water and dirt in to an area that's probably already rusted.  Probably not worth fixing.

 

This is my  take on it as well. Not a big deal. If the bushing itself is bad there will be discernable play in the joint between the upright and the control arm.

So should i replace the seals or not???

If there is not a lot of excess movement like the bushing is shot then some would say "no"

  On 8/19/2015 at 8:13 PM, jalexquijano said:

So should i replace the seals or not???

 

That depends on how you approach the cleaning and painting operation. If you are going to clean and paint in place, I see no need to replace the seal. If you are going to take it all apart to clean and paint you might as well replace the seal while you have it apart.

Replacing the seal would require removing the spindle pins.  It could turn in to a big job for a very small, if any, benefit.  I'd say no, leave it as it is, it won't hurt anything.

If the rubber bushings are replaced with the poly bushings, do you still install those rubber seals on the outside of the spindle pins, or are they not necessary?