Replacing VSV bushings is definitely a pain. Your hands look like you put them in a veg-o-matic after you get done.

Quite some time ago southern CA has a cold snap and quite a few engines had ice damage. GE did not have enough lease engines so I remember doing about 6 engines in a row replacing Stg 1 through 16 blades and vanes in the compressors. We did quite a bit of hand blending, had to do blade balance in the field on each stage of rotor blades.

The LM6000 has what is called a "high boss case" Stages 3, 4, and 5 VSVs have a square block bolted to the compressor casing that allow you to remove the boss with the vane. Then the inner and outer bushings can be replaced and the assembley put back into position. This is sweet.

Of course the VSV lever arms, actuators, rings, etc. must all be removed from the outside of the compressor casing, but it eliminates opening up the compressor. Generally on the LM5000 and LM6000 GE has had excessive wear on these later stages so that is why they developed the high boss case for the LM6000.

Not for the LM2500 and definitely not the LM5000 since it was going out of production and being replaced by the LM6000.