Upper Control arm bushings (grease question)

[bobs409]

Ok, can anyone explain to me the logic behind the grease fittings on these???

There is a fitting on the end of both the large nuts that screws on. Grease can go inside that nut but nowhere else? What good is that? Am I missing something here???

Ready to put my second set of these on due to the lousy design. One bushing is shot after only a few years. (and they squeeked on a regular basis)

NEED HELP!

[bobs409]

WOW, finally a question no one seems to have an answer to.

Am I the only one that is curious about this?

[1972SUPERSB]

I wondered this as well when I rebuilt my front end. I guess it protects the metal to metal when you screw down the bushing to the a arm shaft. Because the shaft moves inside the bushing when you hits bumps or what not. That's my understanding anyway
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[Wrenchbender Ret]

Yes it is a metal to metal bushing. If you don't grease them regularly they will be short lived.

[bobs409]

Still makes no sense to me. The grease (what little bit you'll get in it) will be inside the large nut but never gets to the bushing which is rubber. Grease inside the nut accomplishes nothing that I can see.

[1972SUPERSB]

The rubber just keeps the grease in. I don't like the design either.
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[Tx Firefighter]

I always liked the design. Even my heavy 88 model square body cab and chassis still uses that style. When GM went to rubber control arm bushings in 73, they continued the steel ones on heavy applications that needed extreme durability.

Bobs409 is confusing me a bit though. There is a rubber seal to contain the grease but the bushing is steel. I pump grease into them until it oozes out of the rubber seal inside the arm. That forces grease from the zerk all the way across the bushing and out.
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[First c10]

I just updated to 73-87 front arms. because I didnt understand it either and since I was updating the rest why not the arms and bushings just my .02 more like .01

[bobs409]

Originally Posted by Tx Firefighter

Bobs409 is confusing me a bit though. There is a rubber seal to contain the grease but the bushing is steel. I pump grease into them until it oozes out of the rubber seal inside the arm. That forces grease from the zerk all the way across the bushing and out.
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How does the grease get to the rubber seal? The only place it could possibly go would be out the threads and that ain't happening on my trucks. (at least with the new shafts) When I try to put grease in, NO way will it go.

I'm starting to think there might be a design flaw in the new ones. There simply is no place for the grease to go. ???

I think it's time I locate an original used one and compare to the new ones.

[Tx Firefighter]

Maybe the clearances are too tight on the new ones ?

I've always pumped grease through them until it oozes out the inner rubber seal. The grease passes through the clearance between the shaft and bushing.

[cdowns]

back when these things were built you got a grease job every 5000 miles with an oil change

NOW the new school guys grease things about 100,000 miles or after they fall off

[midniteblues]

i didnt use new shafts but i did use new bushings while still in the vice i made sure i got grease through each one and swung them way more through there arch to spread the grease throughout before they got put back on the truck it was tough to pump it it through but it went. now i havent tried since they've been installed

i gotta say that before i put anything together screwing the new bushings onto the shafts dry they were not extremly tight on the threads. they kinda felt like a new nut and bolt screwing together but they were freaking TIGHT in the a arm.

perhaps it is the new shafts that are a lil' tight. i noticed on my shafts that the threads were not quite as "sharp" as a regular thread would be witch i though was correct too let the grease flow through but i could be wrong. either way after i mounted everything they sure were tight too swing up n down.

personally i like the design as rubber bushings definitly have a life span these as long as they are lubed shouldnt ever need replaceing

i would think that if you tightend the bushings on the shaft too much that it could bottom out on the shaft and block off the grease hole inside the bushing...something too think about
sorry for the story but i wanted too ad my 2 cents.

bty bob 69-72 c30 wrecker in the holding yard at ez pull.... looks nice. i had a preveiw