When do LCA cam bushings start giving you problems?

Hopefully this weekend I will be able to install my TRD OEM lift (front and rear shocks, with a 1.5-2" Torch AAL) Just waiting for the AAL's to get here.

My 2018 TRD Access cab has relatively low mileage (only 18k) since I spend a lot of time on my motorcycles. It has however, been through two Maryland winters, complete with the brine and all of the other crap they like to drench the roads with. I have kept my trucks undercarriage wet with Fluid Film out of necessity, I don't see hardly any rust though there is a slight bit of surface corrosion on the tie rods.

I'm going to be performing the shock swap by compressing the LCA's while the shock/spring assembly is still in the shock tower, and then unbolting the top shock fastening nut and lowering the LCA's to remove the load from the spring. As a prerequisite to that, I'll have to loosen the cam bolts on the LCA's so they will drop down more, so I can extricate the shock/spring assembly.

In stating the specifics of my scenario above, do any of you think I will have an issue with seized cam bushings? Should I be planning to use something to lever down my LCA's more, or should I stop if things are not moving as planned?

 

You'll be fine.

Make sure you use a paint pen to mark the orientation of the cam bolts before you touch anything. Once you have them loose, you might as well removed them one at a time and apply either a thin layer of grease or some anti-seize to them. I can't remember which one people recommend. I used grease the first time, and it looked new/untouched when I replaced my LCA this past weekend. It's a small extra step that could save you some huge headache down the road. Just don't get any on the threads (if you use grease).

BTW, reading your post, I understand you are concerned about the cam bolts and not the bushings. In case I'm reading it wrong and you are concerned about the bushings in the LCA, my experience is that the LBJ will give out long before the bushings. At which point, I would highly recommend replacing the failed part rather than the easy way or replacing with an aftermarket LCA. (this is one of those "ask me how I know" scenarios)

 

Yes, my concern is about the cam bushings themselves. I've read horror stories elsewhere (and here) about them being seized and therefore unable to manipulate the LCA.

Thanks for posting. I appreciate it!

 

If you're in the rust belt, I would antsieze them bitches up real nice n good like. That's what the subie guys do with their shit, rear control arm bolt.

 

Unless I have misunderstood everything that I've read... the bushings don't get seized, the bolts do (and by bolt, I mean the cam itself).

Either way, I think you'll be fine. Just mark the cams before you do anything, pull each one and put some grease on it. Reassemble and torque everything down after the vehicle is on its own weight again.

 

The bolt will sieze to the metal spacer that's in the center of the bushing. If it breaks free from the rubber while trying to pull the bolt / adjust, it's a real PITA to get off as it'll just spin.

 

My point.

And just for further clarification, the front alignment cam is a sleeve that has a bolt that runs through it. Put grease or anti-seize on both the cam sleeve and the bolt that goes through the middle. The alignment bolt on the rear cam is just a bolt that runs through.

 

Why are you messing with the cam bolts at all for a shock swap?

 

To drop the LCA further than normal. When you're doing the shock swap (via disassembling the strut while mounted in the shock tower) the LCA will lower further with the cam bolts loosened.

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

 

Gotcha I see what you are doing now.