Looking for LCA Bushing advice

Ok so I've only found a few threads that go into detail on their experience in replacing the LCA bushings, and they seem pretty bad. I'm getting ready to replace UCA's and LBJ's. While I'm in there I would like to just do the LCA bushings to save time since everything will be blown up. I've seen the thread where someone had to hacksaw and drill out, burn and nuke his bushings out and I bookmarked the thread for reference....I'm looking for others experience in doing this job.

So my questions here are these:

How much of a PITA is it really to get these things out and replaced? I will have help when i do this, but I don't think I'll have time to spend 10 hours fighting old bushings.

What snags and jams are most common?

What tools will be most helpful in a jam?

In that jam, if I cut or destroy anything, what will it most likely be and how much is it so I can be prepared with a replacement? (Bolts, washers, spacers, sleeves etc.) Mostly here I'm talking about Toyota parts like alignment bolts and all that. I will order them if needed to have them ready in a pinch.

Thanks a lot in advance for any useful tips and advice!!! Hopefully this can turn into a nice thread full of tips for others. I've been digging for days gathering info bit by bit. Maybe we can cram it all in here.

 

This is usually the "all I've got is a hammer, torch, and a couple beers" method of replacing bushings. Bushings should almost always be pressed in by a hydraulic press. Take your structure (control arm) and pushing to a machine shop and watch them press that lil' bitch out and the new one in in about 5 minutes.
Bushings are hard to get in and out for a reason. You don't want bushings shifting around while you're driving and putting incredible forces, pressures, and loads on them.


Not saying it can't be done at home with primitive hand tools, as I've done it, but I've quickly realized it's the hard-headed way to save $20. To be fair though...there aren't machine shops within 20 miles of where I live, so it was more of a necessity than just being stubborn and cheap.

 

A very valid point and probably worth doing. All about cost effectiveness, I like it. If I make 20/hr and it takes me 3 hrs, or a shop 30 minutes for 20 bucks...

How about that LCA bolt? Not bad to remove? Should I replace it?

Update: I've found a local shop that may do it. Good thing is, they specialize in Toyota and Honda.
I'm all for doing it myself but I'm old enough to know when to say when.


But still if anyone would like to share a tale...

 

can't help you specifically with Tacomas. Never even looked at one on a Taco. On most other cars, a lower control arm bolt can make a 2 hour job into an 8 hour job if done wrong. I know on older Hondas and Acuras, the rear lower control arm bolt is pretty much a guaranteed bet that it will shear off and leave you in your driveway cursing God.

Just be careful with the torks and use lots of PB blaster.


Actually...come to think of it...When my truck was on a lift for inspection, I think the inspector was talking about my rotors and I asked about how to do the camber alignment and he pointed to the lower control arms and I shivered and thought "nope nope nope, not touching those"

 

That's what I'm looking for. But I'd still like to know more about what others encountered when doing the LCA on a Taco. Are sheared bolts an issue for us? Should I have a replacement ready? Thanks guys.

 

mine are shot. they are rusted to the LCA - There is no way they were being "pressed" out.
They were cut out and i'm in the process of gusseting them before I do the rebuild.
XXXX has an excellent thread on this process.

 

Another option, if you can afford it, just buy new lower control arms. Then you have new bushings already installed! If your bolts and alignment cams are seized you might need new ones.

 

Pretty common for our trucks to have frozen lca bolts lol. Getting new ones might not be a bad idea, and load them up with antisieze on install

 

Damn, that seems to be the consensus.

Well I just now ordered some Camburg UCA's, bushings for the steering rack, and have new OEM LBJ's in the garage waiting to go in. Thats more than enough for one day. I'll look at the LCA bushings and evaluate the situation, and come back later.

 

Any updates?

 

Yeah, I had a local NTB do the replacement. They got it done and I'm glad I didn't do it. Everything disassembled ok, I just know how long it would have taken me. Lee moving the bushings was god aweful but they did it.

Still hated paying the $$.