Premium Pivots = Better Handling
Last month we showed you how to lower your '73-'87 Chevy/GMC truck with new suspension products. A quality suspension is vital to a daily driver, but I quickly realized that since my '73 had a better stance and suspension parts, I needed to get it aligned so that it would steer straight and handle properly in all driving situations. The problem was that the original rubber suspension bushings were so worn out that they were no longer round. The truck couldn't be aligned properly until I replaced them, so the next place I took the Brown Bomber to was Energy Suspension's corporate headquarters located in San Clemente, California. The company's R&D facility was the perfect spot to learn the merits of Energy Suspensions' Hyper-Flex polyurethane bushing technology and get the truck on track for miles and miles of great driving experiences.
After installing the new Belltech...
After installing the new Belltech suspension components, the Brown Bomber was handling considerably better, but the old, worn-out rubber bushings were letting the truck down and leaving a lot of cornering potential on the table. Arriving at Energy Suspension, in San Clemente, California, it was time to make the truck handle better than ever with new bushings.
The upper and lower bushing...
The upper and lower bushing kit comes complete with the appropriate size sleeves for the '73 Chevy C10 control arms as well as Formula 5 Prelube, a slippery substance used to lubricate the bushing to quell squeaks and reduce friction at the pivot points of the suspension. The Hyper-Flex polyurethane bushings will last a long time thanks to their resistance to breaking down under attacks from oil, fuel, moisture, and road salt.
Once again the ball joints...
Once again the ball joints were separated from the spindles so that the coil springs could be removed. It went a little easier this time since the guys at Belltech had already broken the parts loose once before.
The lower control arms were...
The lower control arms were removed after the U-bolts and 9/16-inch nuts were unfastened.
The upper control arms soon...
The upper control arms soon followed.
The original rubber bushings...
The original rubber bushings were dry-rotted and completely shot.
An air hammer and an air chisel...
An air hammer and an air chisel (not pictured) were used to force the old bushings...
...out of the control arm...
...out of the control arms.
Old and new parts: the factory...
Old and new parts: the factory bushings weren't even round anymore so it's no wonder why the truck pulled to the left and vibrated on the road.
The new bushings needed to...
The new bushings needed to be pressed into place and aluminum pucks were employed to keep the press from distorting the bushing sleeves.
A liberal amount of lube is...
A liberal amount of lube is paramount to a squeak-free suspension. The inside diameter of the sleeves...
...both surfaces of the b...
...both surfaces of the bushings...
...and the retainer washers...
...and the retainer washers all received Energy Suspension's Formula 5 Prelube.
The upper control arms were...
The upper control arms were assembled...
...and a 1/2-inch-drive impact...
...and a 1/2-inch-drive impact gun and 3/4-inch socket was used to bolt the control arm centerlink together inside of the bushings.
In addition to bed, cab, and...
In addition to bed, cab, and sway bar bushings, Energy Suspension also manufactures ball joint grease caps. Ours were torn by the fork tool used to separate the ball joints from the spindles so we replaced them too.