LCA tips??

I will be attempting to replace my lower control arm bushings this weekend using the "bottle jack press" method. I am going back with OEM factory rubber style bushings. Does anyone have any quick tips for the process that you have found to make it go smooth? Thanks!

 

4WD OE Toyota bushings are different front to rear. They also have an "up/down" orientation with respect to the LCA and the orientation is different between front and back.
Aftermarket OE type bushings may be the same front/rear. In that case disreguard the following.

The difference is the hollow voids in the rubber itself. The front bushing (below, left) has larger voids (washer removed).


They have identifying rubber "nubs". Single nub is front, twin nubs rear.


The nubs are oriented differently between front and rear.
Front goes up/down, perpendicular to the control arm length.


Rear goes side to side, inline with the CA length.



Don't be afraid to beat around the circumference of the control arm eye if the bushings are being stubborn.

Further trivia, OE rubber steering rack mount bushings have a similar orientation and may not have been reinstalled correctly by rebuilders.

 

Awesome! Thanks for the info! I will be doing steering rack bushings next, they are sill factory original as I have had the truck since mid 03. I will probably go back with a poly bushing for those.

 

Have you checked to see if your bushings are frozen in the arms? I know above listed that you can beat on them to free up frozen bolt/bushings, but I have never been able free up frozen bolts. The arm bolts had to be cut out with a thin disk on the grinder.

Before buying those bushing, check to see if the bolts can be loosened. If not, might as well save yourself grief and money and just buy the complete arms.

 

I loosened the arm bolts a few weeks back when I was doing strut replacement and they all moved fine. My truck has been a Louisiana vehicle all of its life so they seemed pretty loose. I marked all of my adjusters to make sure I have the alignment close when I put it all back together.

 

Maybe I missed it but you never mentioned how the voids are orientated.

 

Awesome! I'm glad you can just unbolt. I never get that lucky.

 

With an intact bushing the voids are tough to see, hence the identifying nubs.
For that reason I did not mention the void orientation because it is the opposite of the nub orientation and would tend to confuse the issue, for some folks.

For the inquiring mind.
Rear bushing, voids are top/and bottom.
Front bushing, voids are side to side.

 

The tube portion of the adjuster can also rust and become one with the inner sleeve of the bushing, so see if they will turn within the bushing. This is actually far more common than the bolt/adjuster rust up.

What brand replacement bushing did you get? Are they the same front/back?

Poly is the way to go there.

 

The rubber bushing, bushing.

Once that freezes to the bolt shaft, you are done. DP explained exactly what I was trying to explain.

 

I ended up going with Moog and they appear to be the same front and rear.

 

In the absence of any instruction from Moog, try and peer under the end washers. Look for a void, maybe even feel around with in there with a bent wire. If there is a void I would install both bushings with the voids "top and bottom". This should resist deflection from braking and 4WD use better.
This is only my opinion. Also IMO Toyota may have gone just a a bit into the realm of over engineering here, for some minimal perceived benefit.

 

The voids on the opposite end of the bushing are exactly the same size.

 

Just wanted to update everyone and let you know I decided to go with a poly bushing kit and go ahead and do the uppers at the same time. I am also going to do the rack bushings while I have everything pulled out. I am hoping the poly are not too big of a PITA..... glad I have an oxy/acetylene torch at my disposal....

 

I did a little bit of a write up on bushing replacements in my 96's build page. I took a bunch of photos and showed each step. Hope it helps and good luck. There's info on there for both poly and rubber. Good luck.

 

Just a follow up with what I had originally posted. I had my poly bushings overnighted from 4 wheel parts and when the box shows up only half of what I ordered was there so I did get all parts off and cleaned up and finished the steering rack. The camber adjusters and bolts all slid out like butter "I was very surprised". Most videos I had seen people using propane torches to melt out the old bushings, well I opted for oxy/acetylene w/ a rose bud and it took around 2 minutes per bushing. Didn't even need a press, they popped out with pressure from a pry bar and cleaned the with a wire brush.

Now if my parts would show up........

 

Link to poly bushings?

 

$62 Energy Suspension Control Arm Bushing Set (Red) - 8.3115R

http://www.4wheelparts.com/Suspensi...bM3fsgu_Etamke3yXNc_78rL553-_-2fbkaAooA8P8HAQ

 

One side done!!

 

Looks good. The next side should only take you half the time now that you got the one under your belt.