anyone replaced the lower Control Arm bushings?

[sehaare]

Hey guys,
I replaced the lower ball joints a year or two ago. Now last weekend when I was replacing the upper control arms i noticed that the lower control arm bushings are dried out and cracking.

Has anyone just replaced the lower bushings and not the entier control arm (If I didn't have brand new moog ball joints I'd just replace the entire LCA)

Do the bushing have to be pressed in and out?

Can they be done withough pulling the LCA off the car?

I did a search but didn't see anything about just doing the bushings.

Thanks
Steve

 

[ccm2001]

I remember reading somewhere their a pia to replace, best bet is to just order a whole new lower control arm

 

[sehaare]

I remember reading somewhere their a pia to replace, best bet is to just order a whole new lower control arm

If it weren't for the brand new ball joints in the current LCA i'd have already ordered them. Hate to throw away good parts (ok I'm also cheap).

 

[sehaare]

If it weren't for the brand new ball joints in the current LCA i'd have already ordered them. Hate to throw away good parts (ok I'm also cheap).

looks like it would be $250 of lower control arms to replace $60 worth of bushings.

Steve

 

[swshawaii]

Curious why the Workshop manual would say this. MANY aftermarket lower and upper control arm bushings are sold separately,
and IIRC a few using the Energy Suspension polyurethane replacements. Does this apply to only the OEM control arms? Is a mega
ton press or other special tools required or is paying a machine shop to press them in the only way it can be done?

http://www.rockauto.com/catalog/x,carcode,1304424,parttype,7532

NOTE: The control arm bushings are not serviced separately. If the bushings require service,
the front suspension lower arm or the front suspension upper arm will have to be installed new.

https://www.scribd.com/doc/275622591/Bushing-8212-Control-Arm-Removal-and-Installation

 

[sehaare]

Curious why the Workshop manual would say this. MANY aftermarket lower and upper control arm bushings are sold separately,
and IIRC a few using the Energy Suspension polyurethane replacements. Does this apply to only the OEM control arms? Is a mega
ton press or other special tools required or is paying a machine shop to press them in the only way it can be done?

http://www.rockauto.com/catalog/x,carcode,1304424,parttype,7532

yep, I just was looking through my manual and saw the same thing. I had also seen the Moog LCA Bushings for sale. I was hoping that someone here had done the bushings before. I have pressed in bushings on old VW with nothing more that a bench vice and hoped that I'd see someone here post the same thing about ford.

 

[Flash]

Poly bushes would probably be easier to install than rubber bushes.

 

[sehaare]

yep, I just was looking through my manual and saw the same thing. I had also seen the Moog LCA Bushings for sale. I was hoping that someone here had done the bushings before. I have pressed in bushings on old VW with nothing more that a bench vice and hoped that I'd see someone here post the same thing about ford.

I can't find anything on the internet where someone has replaced just the bushings. I'm starting to wonder if the Moog bushings are just for the moog replacement LCA like the Moog upper ball joints are just for the Moog replacement UCA.

 

[swshawaii]

Also includes upper bushings. Sounds very labor intensive and a PITA without special tools. IMO, replace the complete LCA's. GL

http://www.energysuspensionparts.com/4.3157

http://www.energysuspensionparts.com/installation_instructions/energy_suspension/17570.pdf

 

[Turdle]

I tried once to replace the lower control arm bushings and for the life of me could not figure out how to jig the arm up in my press without bending it. Just replace the whole arms with motorcraft units as suggested earlier. Pop your "new" ball joints out to use as spares down the road.

 

[sehaare]

I tried once to replace the lower control arm bushings and for the life of me could not figure out how to jig the arm up in my press without bending it. Just replace the whole arms with motorcraft units as suggested earlier. Pop your "new" ball joints out to use as spares down the road.

That's enough to convince me (although I doubt that I'll stil have the car by the time I need those "spare" ball joints). Time to order some LCAs.

At this point I should have just gotten this kit when things started to go.

https://www.rockauto.com/catalog/moreinfo.php?pk=5646801&cc=1304413&jnid=505&jpid=1

 

[intelisevil]

Video on how to replace bushings (not our vehicle but similar setup):

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aPbL9HTHZg0

Good Moog part numbers:
Left - CK620319 - $132.80
Right - CK620320 - $141.04

Lesser Moog part numbers:
Left - RK620319 - $75.64
Right - RK620320 - $76.94

All prices are Amazon and free shipping.

 

[swshawaii]

Just a heads up UNLESS you are using OEM Ford or Motorcraft LCA's.

Moog "Problem Solver" LCA's (CK Series)
http://www.explorerforum.com/forums/showpost.php?p=3453756&postcount=187
http://www.explorerforum.com/forums/showpost.php?p=3453774&postcount=188

Raybestos "Professional Grade" LCA's
http://www.explorerforum.com/forums/showpost.php?p=3093746&postcount=135

 

[sehaare]

Just a heads up UNLESS you are using OEM Ford or Motorcraft LCA's.

Moog "Problem Solver" LCA's (CK Series)
http://www.explorerforum.com/forums/showpost.php?p=3453756&postcount=187
http://www.explorerforum.com/forums/showpost.php?p=3453774&postcount=188

Raybestos "Professional Grade" LCA's
http://www.explorerforum.com/forums/showpost.php?p=3093746&postcount=135

great, one more thing to worry about. I just ordered the Moog.
Thanks for the heads up.

 

[swshawaii]

great, one more thing to worry about. I just ordered the Moog.
Thanks for the heads up.

Sorry about not posting earlier, saw the RF thread AFTER reading yours. Too late to cancel and order the Motorcraft LCA's?

http://www.ranger-forums.com/suspen...arm-loose-torsion-bar-fit-146543/#post2095515

 

[sehaare]

Sorry about not posting earlier, saw the RF thread AFTER reading yours. Too late to cancel and order the Motorcraft LCA's?

http://www.ranger-forums.com/suspen...arm-loose-torsion-bar-fit-146543/#post2095515

Yep they already shipped and will be here tomorrow. But at least I know now to check the torsion bar fit on the new ones as soon as I get the old ones off. And while I have the old one off I can take a look and see if just the busings are replacable.

 

[sehaare]

I emailed Rockauto and talked to Rick at Moog and both places say that they haven't hade any reports of an issue or returned parts. I can't argue with link to the picture that shows the shims installed but I'm really hoping that it is just a bad one or a bad batch.

So the plan now is to pull the torison bar off the vehicle first (once the explofer is up on jackstands) and see how it fits into the new LCA before I take the old one off. If it sucks it's going back to rockauto and I'll have them ship the motorcraft ones.

Thanks for the heads up and I'll let you know what I find out.

Steve

 

[lycan91]

Any update on this? I'm getting my pricing sorted out and such. Now I'm a bit worried about going with the moogs

 

[sehaare]

Yep they are in, they are looser than the OEM but I still had now issue getting the ride height. I'm toying with the idea of driving some stainless steel nails into the gaps but that is probably not necessary.