Control Arm Bushing Replace and Rust?
 

For those who've replaced bushings on the front control arms, have you had to do anything to protect the arms after sanding the paint off to get the new bushings glued on? I did mine about five years ago and I noticed there's some rust blooming from under the bushings. Surely I can't be the only one that got some rust after replacing bushings?

I re painted mine with rattle can satin black, will have to check an see if they are rusting

Powder coated mine. Still look new!

How were you able to paint or powder coat after putting on the new bushings?

You don’t glue the bushings on, you press them on and why would you sand to bare metal?

I had mine blasted and then powder coated. Wasn’t expensive and looks fantastic! And to echo some other folks, just use dish soap for lubrication to install and then let them sit for 24+ hours for the soap to dry prior to installing.

Have your control arms powder coated in Columbia coatings semi gloss epoxy black. it will protect and not react with the rubber bushing.

I have this project coming up. Research says use some soap to help with install, but yes, the bushings are installed without any grease.

Oh that's right--I was mixed up between replacing with the regular rubber bushings and replacing with the spherical bearings. The spherical bearings need the control arms to be sanded down to epoxy the inner races onto the arm, both for RSR and ER sphericals. I'm considering doing that and want to know how to protect the arms after epoxying on the inner races.

Huh, I wonder why I'm getting rust on the arms, the paint shouldn't have been touched when I replaced the rubber bushings.

It’s probably just surface rust from moisture around rubber. Like I said Columbia coatings semi gloss epoxy powder is great for control arms et.

once you epoxy on the races the bare metal will be covered with epoxy. You can touch up anything that is exposed outside the race.

My 74 had a few scrapes and chips, so i sand blasted and cleaned up the arms, then tried Por 15 satin black, just brushed it on, two coats.

Wear an organic filter mask, the vapors are hazardous, i think the paint is basically super glue, (polyisocyanurate, with black pigment) and that stuff is TOUGH, it really adheres very very well, far better than rattle can paint. I tried to scrape some off of an area i didn't want it and i had to use a razor knife and work at it to get it off.

This will be less than powder coating, if you don't count your time.

The soap is far better for installing rubber bushings because it evaporates and allows the rubber to stick to the arm, where as, grease of any kind will allow the bushing to slip and wear - not good.

Be sure of your "clocking" before you press the a arm mounts on to the bushings. Elephant has a great video of the install process.
chris

Like others above, I sand blasted and powder coated mine. I installed the RSR bushings. When I installed them I had to lightly sand the powder coat but it didn't go down to bare metal....but even if it had, I epoxied the bushings in place so it would have been sealed.