The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area Engine Shop 67 C-10 control arm

Noticed some thumping going over bumps in back when I came down the dirt road I live on...bed mounts don't look bad,just wondered if it might be worn out control arm bushings and if anybody has put in new ones and would like to relate the experience...they are cheap to buy I see, but are they as much of a nightmare to put in as say,ball joints?

If you can do ball joints, you can do the control arms. You're best off to replace the entire shaft and bushings. Best instructions are found in the factory repair manual.

actually I haven't done ball joints myself, I have just heard that they were a nightmare job...I have in mind to do some front end work ,ball joints included but wasn't sure that was something I wanted to tackle myself...

I have some play in the steering I'd like to make tighter..including but not limited to my steering box (if just changing out the guts wouldn't suffice)and tie rod ends ect...I'm not sure how much of this I want to tackle myself...
but I would like to fix up my front end some...

Usually there is a nut/screw combination on the top of the steering box that can be adjusted to remove slop in the gears. Just loosen the nut and tighten the screw bolt inside it to tighten up the gears.
replacing ball joints is not the worst thing to do if you have access to torches and a pickle fork tool to wedge in the gap. bring a large hammer.

thanks GAZIM...I tried the adjustment on the box..I think it is just about all used up...I tightened it up some but I started noticing a thumping sound after that when I turn the wheel hard to the left...it seemed to go away some when I backed off the adjustment some. I wonder if I could get away with replacing the guts vs the whole box since the guts are pretty cheap..a re-man steering box is around 2 bills at LMC with like a 70 dollar core I think...looks like a better deal than going piecemeal..

irt the ball joints I don't have a torch or a pickle fork..I imagine one could be bought reasonable but the torch is something I would use so little it would be hard to justify probably...back in the mid 90's I had to have upper and lower BJ in a 63 GMC 3/4 I had and it was expensive even then...the parts were cheap but the labor was high...unless I just got reamed...I know I have several things that need attention in the front end but I am limited in knowledge and tools for that area...