Whiteline bushings help!

Trying to install the whiteline bushings on the lower control arms, put the bushings in from the outside and they slide all the way in - they don't need to be pressed in. When I flip them on the other side of the tube, they stop like 3/4 of the way in, looking like they need to be pressed in.

I used a torch and bottle jack like in timmy's video to get them out. Maybe the tube flared out as I heated and pressed them out (it was just a regular butane torch used for soldering)?

Do I need to get new control arms? Can I just press in the bushings from the inside?

I'm still waiting to hear back from whiteline. They look like the right part number

$101 W53377A Front Lower Inner Suspension Control Arm Bushing Kit Compatible with 95-04 Tacoma, 4Runner

W53377A

 

Trying to understand what you mean by "when you flip them"?

I've done my Whitelines twice now; once when I replaced my worn out OEM bushings, and a second time when I removed them to put on a higher quality grease.

The Whitelines easily slide in and out of the control arms, and the center tube goes in with ease; just be generous with the grease.

I used Superlube if that helps, and I've gone into the mud multiple times as well as rain; not a squeak to this day.

 

Like if you look at Timmy's video https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kmaZNBp1gZM
- He presses the bushings in from the outside. Mine just slide all the way in, without needing to be pressed. If I try to put the bushings in from the inside part of the control arm (180 degrees on the tube where the bushing is inserted) it does stop like it's supposed to and could be pressed in.

So you're saying you didn't press in the bushings at all, and they just slide in like that? I heard they are supposed to be pressed in

 

The bushings go install from the outside towards the inside. There isn't much (if any) resistance when you put them in. I just did my son's LCA bushing with Whiteline a couple weeks ago... I think I only had to tap them the last 1/8th of an inch or so.

I did my truck, the same way, with Whitelines 2 years ago... haven't had any problems.

 

I just called whiteline and they said they should NOT be loose and should be pressed in. I'm still confused. There's a local junkyard that has some arms I'm going to go checkout now, otherwise local dealership has them in stock so I can check.

 

The center tube was easy to get into the rubber bushing part (yes I used superlube on that). I'm talking about the metal sleeve that mounts in the control arm itself BTW. You guys just run it like that, isn't it loose and clunky when driving then?

 

Been running them for 2 years. No complaints and all the squeaks on my truck come from the leaf springs (not going to lie and say my truck doesn't squeak... lol)

I only had to tap the bushings (talking main bushing metal sleave on the outside) about an 8th of an inch. They aren't sloppy in there... I just didn't need a press, or to pound on them, to get them in.

 

I guess I'm just finding it hard to picture (since I don't have the components in front of me).

I run Whitelines with no issues, and when I installed them both times, I did not have to "press" them in. If it required to do so, I would've had to take it to a shop as I don't own a press.

I can understand if you overthink the whole situation since I know I did at first. I even have an extra set of lower control arms in which I swapped Whitelines into, so I could just replace my entire control arm and minimize the downtime on my truck.

Now I've got an extra set of control arms I have no use for.

 

Whiteline will also probably tell you the bushings you are using are not compatible with your truck... because according to Whiteline, the bushing that fit 1st Gen Tacoma, aren't listed for Tacoma.

(Or at least they didn't use to be listed for Tacoma)

 

@Kwikvette why not send me those control arms? I'll even pay shipping

 

They're extras, but I didn't get them for free.

 

Ok I picked up a couple of arms from the junk yard today what they claimed was from a 2003 prerunner that should be the same. They look identical.

I have to push out the old bushings on these and see if the whitelines will work tomorrow. Truck is still dismantled in the driveway days later, guess why it's always good to have an extra car doing work like this.

 

just wanted to chime in to say I can picture what you’re talking about. When I installed the whitelines, I had to use my bench vice to press in the bushings. It didn’t take a lot of pressure, but I definitely pressed them in. The sleeve for the cam bolt was a buttery smooth install into the bushing with the supplied grease.

 

4x4 and Prerunner lower control arms are exactly the same.

What's the issue with not being able to just assemble everything the same day and getting back on the road?

If they required a little bit of effort, then that could be the case for some like @BeLance89 but for others like myself the bushings slid right in.

 

Well yup that was the problem - cheap ass aftermarket arms. The junkyard oem arms I got yesterday fit perfect with the bushings, and pressed'em in no problem. Each one went in like 3/4, and pressed in with a vise last little bit.

 

You can press those bushings out with a bottle jack. (even just the bottle jack that came with your truck).

That's how I always press them out.

 

Back from the dead bump!

I'm doing LCAs on my truck (04 4WD) right now and decided to buy new arms from Rock Auto (Mevotech) and Whiteline bushings. Well, the new arms already have (cheapo?) bushings installed, so I'm going to press them out and put in the higher quality Whitelines.

1) Should I not use the grease supplied by Whiteline and use a higher grade grease? I assumed it would not be a noticeable difference with grease.
2) how are the washers that come with the kit installed? Are they pressed/bent onto the bushing prior to re-assembling the LCA?
3) any way around NOT having to remove or loosen my steering rack?! Had a hard time getting it lined up last time I did rack bushings

Thanks!

 

Did you not see my previous post above where I was trying to install the whitelines on aftermarket arms... they don't work. At least the ones I had, only OEM arms seemed to fit with the whiteline.

 

Yep. Read the whole thread.

I have reason to believe my replacement arms are of good quality. I’ll find out if they fit tomorrow!