Control arm Bushings....Bummer

[qcetc]

Well I thought I would rebuild the front end this last week. Got all my part numbers in order ordered everything I would need to do a complete front end. Last night a couple buddies came over and we went on to install the new parts in the beautifully sandblasted and painted parts. Well when we went to install the upper control arm bushings they just POPPED right it and fell back out. I thought that can't be right....So we grabbed the next upper arm and the same thing happened...I know the originals were a b*thch to get out and something had to be wrong, so we then went on to the lower arms. Guess what, the new bushings were 1 1/2 thousands too big, after bending the d*mn lower arm in the press we could not figure out what the heck was going on. So we gave up on the whole stupid job and had some installation fluid for the remainder of the night!

This morning i called IAP and the guy I spoke to said yea we were having some issues with these, some would fit, some would not!! Well I think they should have figured this little problem out before sending these out and letting guys ride around on messed up stuff. He knew EXACTLY what I was talking about. He wants me to send all the new parts I just bought plus an upper and lower arm to him for a refund.
While this is fine, the parts should have fit in the first place. They are supposed to know what they are doing. I guess they should measure them before they are sent out or something. Now this somewhat easy job is going to cost about three times more money since I now need new control arms.

Sorry to rave on but this was a bummer and I had ALLOT of time cleaning, blasting and painting everything...

Looked darn good though!!!

[SLOSpider]

Sorry to hear about your not so great bushing party. I find its easier to just get the complete arms and save me alot of cleaning and hassle.

[qcetc]

Well If the parts would have been correct it would have cost next to nothing... $5.99 bushings $20.00 Ball joints.... Way less than $60.00 per arm. I guess i'll know for the next one!

[htchevyii]

You're not the only one.
http://www.fiatspider.com/f08/viewtopic ... =bad+parts
http://www.fiatspider.com/f08/viewtopic ... +bad+parts

I'm afraid to crawl under the car to check the new arms, (fingers crossed).

[mdrburchette]

It's hard to believe IAP knowingly sold inferior parts. Hopefully they'll take care of the problem to your satisfaction.

[qcetc]

It's hard to believe IAP knowingly sold inferior parts. Hopefully they'll take care of the problem to your satisfaction.

Well the only thing they are going to do is refund me for the bad parts that were too big. Nothing for the bent arms.
I had to buy complete assemblies at regular prices....Had the parts fit I would have been done now...

Just the fact that he said "yea we have had a problem with some of those"...? I would think they would have figured it out and sent the right stuff that does fit. Even the metal bushings inside the rubber were different in each one. On would be sticking out the end the next was pushed in too far....? Weird