Z28 rear upper outer bushing advice

[Cyber10]

Overhauling a large portion of the rear suspension in the next week or so and looking for some advice on changing these. I'm not planning on dropping the cradle(not upgrading subframe mounts) but will have most of the rear suspension out of the car so I should have some room in the wheel wells to move around. I know I had seen a post once about getting to these bushings but can't for the life of me find it again. Something about a long arm angled wrench if I remember correctly.

Anyway, any advice on tools or methods to get at these guys is greatly appreciated!

[Synner]

You'll still loosen the bolts to lower slightly, just keep an eye on the fuel pump harness or disconnect, takes 2 seconds. Yes you want a flex head wrench, worth their weight in gold anyways.

[Nick S]

Originally Posted by Cyber10

Overhauling a large portion of the rear suspension in the next week or so and looking for some advice on changing these. I'm not planning on dropping the cradle(not upgrading subframe mounts) but will have most of the rear suspension out of the car so I should have some room in the wheel wells to move around. I know I had seen a post once about getting to these bushings but can't for the life of me find it again. Something about a long arm angled wrench if I remember correctly.

Anyway, any advice on tools or methods to get at these guys is greatly appreciated!

I just went through this process on my car. Granted I have a lift in my garage which likely made it a little easier but I did not do anything with the subframe to lower it down. I never touched the sub frame bolts. If you are going to have the rear shocks out and if you take the rear upper control arm out you will have pretty good access to the two bolts that hold the bushings to the subframe.

The hardest bolt to get access too is the bolt that is installed from the rear that holds the upper control arm into the bushing. I tried swivel adapters, short extensions, deep wells, etc.... The only tool I found to work decently was just a regular combination Open end/Box end wrench that has the box end with a slight bend in it. Mine was just a regular ole Craftsman combination wrench. The angle on the box end gave me just enough clearance to swing about 1/4 turn at a time. I did have the rear sway bar removed as well since I was also changing that out. That also helped give more room to access the bolt. I also had taken the rubber exhaust hangers off on the mufflers and just under the center of the diff off so I could lower the rear exhaust down a little. I had to lower the exhaust a little to get my sway bar out easier. But I was able to get it done this way.

Just be patient and it shouldn't be too bad.

[Cyber10]

Originally Posted by Nick S

I just went through this process on my car. Granted I have a lift in my garage which likely made it a little easier but I did not do anything with the subframe to lower it down. I never touched the sub frame bolts. If you are going to have the rear shocks out and if you take the rear upper control arm out you will have pretty good access to the two bolts that hold the bushings to the subframe.

The hardest bolt to get access too is the bolt that is installed from the rear that holds the upper control arm into the bushing. I tried swivel adapters, short extensions, deep wells, etc.... The only tool I found to work decently was just a regular combination Open end/Box end wrench that has the box end with a slight bend in it. Mine was just a regular ole Craftsman combination wrench. The angle on the box end gave me just enough clearance to swing about 1/4 turn at a time. I did have the rear sway bar removed as well since I was also changing that out. That also helped give more room to access the bolt. I also had taken the rubber exhaust hangers off on the mufflers and just under the center of the diff off so I could lower the rear exhaust down a little. I had to lower the exhaust a little to get my sway bar out easier. But I was able to get it done this way.

Just be patient and it shouldn't be too bad.

I'll have the sway bar, struts, and LCA's out as they're all being replaced and will remove anything else around them as needed. Unfortunately I'll be working on the floor, will have access to a lift in the future but not planning on waiting that long just to be able to get the car in the air. I could remove the entire back end of the exhaust if I really needed to, mine disconnects about a foot or so in front of the differential but last time I took it off on the ground it was a real PITA since the clamps were corroded, the hangars near the tips sucked to take off and put back on as well and I'm pretty sure one of the hangars isn't fully seated so the tip doesn't sit where it's supposed to

Really my biggest worry is making sure I have the tools to get to the bolts, I don't want to get all of this out and not have something that can access those bushing bolts. I'm probably going to buy a long arm ratcheting set with flex heads just in case I need them, I have regular size combo and ratcheting wrenches if a shorter wrench is better. I figured if there's room to get a long wrench up there though the added leverage might be a big help.

[KillboyPowerhead]

Not sure what it takes to remove said bushing without dropping the cradle, but as mentioned, dropping the cradle an inch or two is quite easy to do even on jack stands and crawling around on the floor. I know what you mean about not having the tools when the car is half apart in the air , so if need be, don't be nervous about lowering the cradle some.

As for the exhaust hangers not seating properly, I found some soapy water sprayed all around the rubber bushing and hanger makes things easy; I removed the hangers near the tips when I lowered the cradle to do my subframe bushings, and the extra lube made things easy.

[Cyber10]

Do any of you guys know what size bolts hold the bushing in place? I've seen both 18mm and 21mm so not sure what's correct. Unfortunately I don't have anything over 19mm so if it is indeed over 19mm I'll need to buy more sizes.

[larry_g]

Originally Posted by Cyber10

Do any of you guys know what size bolts hold the bushing in place? I've seen both 18mm and 21mm so not sure what's correct. Unfortunately I don't have anything over 19mm so if it is indeed over 19mm I'll need to buy more sizes.

21 mm and you may need a couple of different versions

Sent from my Pixel XL using Tapatalk

[wakespeak]

21mm rear facing bolt holding arm to bushing. You can get in there with a breaker bar + socket. I used a 22mm socket which allowed some latitude without rounding off the bolt. I did this with everything bolted up tight including solid bushings (so the cradle doesn't droop any) and exhaust. Reason: I had the wheels on to time the bushings. I could only move about a 1/4 turn at a time, really tests your patience.

To install I dropped the cradle a little to access the bushing to cradle bolts.