Help!! Control arm /end link bushing failure

[anthonymtz]

Ok this has been literally the 3rd set of bushings i have put on my 04 xlt, its the 4.6l, anyways this mf is eating through bushings like crazy, its the end links as they're called if im not mistaken. They are the ones on the control arms in the front that connect to the sway bar, on the rear its the same. im sick and tired of going back and replacing all of them, this will be the 4th time! What would be causing this? Worn shocks? Body mounts? Hard driving? Its a daily driver and I do take some hard corners here and there but this is ridiculous, any advice will be grateful, btw i got some new replacement Moog hubs (non 4wd) and put them in and literally on the 3rd or 4th day both developed play in the 12 and 6 o'clock position, so now im wondering what other brand of hubs i should get.

 

[Joe in NY]

How tight are you making them and are you spraying them with oil?

They should only be snug. As in slightly squish the bushing when tightening.

Do not spray them with oil. It degrades the rubber. A dry film spray or silicone spray would be appropriate.

 

[anthonymtz]

How tight are you making them and are you spraying them with oil?

They should only be snug. As in slightly squish the bushing when tightening.

Do not spray them with oil. It degrades the rubber. A dry film spray or silicone spray would be appropriate.

Hi, thanks for the reply! I did not spray them with any oil and i i snugged them down not too tight, they just had a small amount of squish.

 

[Drewmcg]

Timken front hubs or, if its high mileage, WJB HD (RockAuto). If you're rich get Motorcraft (for which Timken may be OEM).

 

[BrooklynBay]

Are you using the regular grade of rubber bushings or performance polyurethane bushings?

 

[anthonymtz]

Timken front hubs or, if its high mileage, WJB HD (RockAuto). If you're rich get Motorcraft (for which Timken may be OEM).

Thanks! I heard some ok things about Timken so i might give them a go, my Motorcraft hubs had a pretty good life going bad @ 130k miles. When i bought it (2nd owner) at 121k the guy did mostly highway driving.

 

[anthonymtz]

Are you using the regular grade of rubber bushings or performance polyurethane bushings?

Yes, they are the regular ones but im eating through them every 3 or so months, they should easily last a year or more. The ones on my Impala are going on 3 years and they are ebay bushings, i might give it a go one more time and try to snugg them less, i know for sure my shocks are worn especially when getting off the highway coming to a stop, it has a considering the amount of nosedive but I'd like a little more time to gather funds first. Im not sure if worn shocks could be causing the issue due to extra leaning around corners and when making stops.

 

[donalds]

Yes, they are the regular ones but im eating through them every 3 or so months,.

story of my life lol

 

[Joe in NY]

for hubs, usually Timken & SKF & Motocraft & NAPA will be the same hub. (There is no way to justify the cost of so many different plants to make bearing for 3rd gen ford explorers). They used to be USA, then Canada, then Korea, and now India last I saw. The USA, Canada, and Korea bearing looked excellent. Nice clean fit and finish. The India ones still look good but there is a difference and the others just look higher quality. (No surprise)

Want it now? Go to Napa. Want it cheaper? Ebay.

But for play in the 12 & 6 that could be ball joints. Wheel bearing should have play in every position and they will make an mistakable howling noise of which the frequency is directly correlated to speed.

 

[BrooklynBay]

I had to go through bushings until I designed & printed heavy duty bushings with my 3D printer. You could make them if you have access to one of these printers. Here's the link for the 5/16" file: Stabilizer link bushing with a five sixteen inch bore. by BrooklynBay. This is the link for the 3/8" file: Stabilizer link bushing with a three eight inch bore. by BrooklynBay. I recommend using new stainless steel high grade bolts.

 

[anthonymtz]

for hubs, usually Timken & SKF & Motocraft & NAPA will be the same hub. (There is no way to justify the cost of so many different plants to make bearing for 3rd gen ford explorers). They used to be USA, then Canada, then Korea, and now India last I saw. The USA, Canada, and Korea bearing looked excellent. Nice clean fit and finish. The India ones still look good but there is a difference and the others just look higher quality. (No surprise)

Want it now? Go to Napa. Want it cheaper? Ebay.

But for play in the 12 & 6 that could be ball joints. Wheel bearing should have play in every position and they will make an mistakable howling noise of which the frequency is directly correlated to speed.

Funny you mention ball joints, i was thinking of the same thing and was going to lift the front end today and get a pry bar under the wheels to check for play, i got a new set of moog ones sitting in my garage so its not a prob but the ball joints are a PITA!

 

[anthonymtz]

I had to go through bushings until I designed & printed heavy duty bushings with my 3D printer. You could make them if you have access to one of these printers. Here's the link for the 5/16" file: Stabilizer link bushing with a five sixteen inch bore. by BrooklynBay. This is the link for the 3/8" file: Stabilizer link bushing with a three eight inch bore. by BrooklynBay. I recommend using new stainless steel high grade bolts.

Not what i wanted to hear, i do not have access to a 3D printer, thanks so much for the blueprints to it, if i ever do run into someone with one lol!

 

[Drewmcg]

Not on point, by my Timken front hub for a 4th gen (different part no.; purchased on Amazon 3 weeks ago) was "Made in USA."