LCA Bushings: OEM, Energy Suspension, Whiteline

Except for the wear out part I actually want softer, IMO the most NVH I'm getting off-road is from the LCA's (connection point) vs. any other component (100% anecdotal, no proof of this).

I think I'd be game to replace the LCAs at a higher frequency if they cut down on the NVH.

 

I replaced the oem bushings with Whitelines over a year ago. I got so tired of the harsher ride that I sprung for new oem LCAs with the rubber bushings. Night and day difference. They also sell oem rubber bushings - you don't have to buy complete new LCAs to get oem rubber bushings, it just is less work to replace the whole arm than just the bushings, especially if you have to remove the arm anyway.

 

Tbh I didn't notice that big of a difference when switching to the whitelines. Probably didn't help that my OEM rubber ones were pretty gone at that point though.
I would say that the small tradeoff in slight nvh is worth it for the increased steering response and smoother articulation

 

That seems to be the consensus for most who install Whiteline bushings - no perceived change. Mine turned out to be a completely different story, but turned out ok in the end.

 

I also installed some Whitelines recently but they were tight to install even after putting them in the freezer overnight. They did go in using sleeves and a threaded bolt. However, the little holes did not line up exactly horizontal as they recommended. Can anyone comment on how big a difference will that make in wear and/or ride???

 

Yeah that probably would have been my experience too as my OEM bushings were toast at 190K if not sooner. Since I knew what experience I wanted, I went with OEM bushings and it was night and day better than blown OEMs, so I imagine putting in poly bushings wouldn't have felt bad if coming from blown OEMs.

That said, I'm still getting a lot of harshness transmitted when on fire roads especially on the washboard like sections - OMG it feels like the truck is going to self destruct by shaking.

I go in rides in newer gen frames like later model r4unners and they can sip from cups over the stuff my rig is self destructing over. I don't know what can be done- much softer suspension than the Icons? Cheap UCAs that have softer bushings? Long travel? New truck? I love my first gen but its absolutely horrible on fire roads.

 

Can't help but wonder if the installation process of OEM bushings on my rig compromised some of their dampening and going pre-built full LCA would have been better. What are washboard sections of fire roads like for you? Or jacked up parts of streets?

 

Whether you're installing OEM bushings or the whitelines, make SURE you're not tightening down the cam bolts to full torque until the vehicle is on the ground on it's own weight.
If you tighten them up in the air with the suspension unloaded, you're preloading the bushings which will result in a worse ride quality. This is especially true with the OEM bushings since they are rubber and don't free pivot like the poly ones do.

What load range tires do you have? When I switched to load E tires, fireroads got a lot worse. Helps when you air down, but at full pressure it sucks

 

You nailed it man- 2 for 2.

The shop I used for the bushings avoided that, they are a great shop an only tightened once on the ground--- but later I lifted the Icons a bit and didn't loosen the LCAs when doing so. Hopefully the bushings are not all torn up by now.

Also I think I have E rated KO2s- they were the only ones in stock. I aired down and it got better, but would be nice to get even better with softer sidewalls.

 

My Prerunner is pretty much a pavement princess around town, so no fire roads in the mix. Prior to the bushing job, it rode like expected - jacked up parts of the streets could be felt, but were absorbed. Post Whitelines - every small crack in the road was jarring. I felt like my truck would not last too much longer. Post oem LCAs - back to the factory ride.

The only reason I even went for the bushing change originally over a year ago was because the oem bushings would squawk over every little bump. They rode fine, just squeaked and squawked. Drove me nuts.

 

Best thing I ever did for my 1st Gen was install adjustable coilovers, rode so smooth no matter what.

 

That would to me too.

Going Icons has been a different kind of smooth. I had OME soft springs (881, or 882 or whatever the model was that gave some lift but was actually softer than OEM) and Billy 5100s before that, that was very very compliant- great for street, too compliant for faster off road stuff but great when going slow, the spring/shock combo was great. I gave that setup to a friend after going Icons, he loved it.

The Icons upped the game for sure at higher speed.

All that said, thats the harshness via the springs/shocks, but harness still also transmits through the LCA bushings (and maybe UCAs to lesser degree).

If the front was super smooth and the rear suspension jarring, you could say there is still an issue. So even though I've gone through a few suspension setups that address things more directly correlated to just that contact point element, there is still something outside of that contact point that is being an issue.

I think @betterbuckleup has it pinned. I should jack the truck up, loosed the LCA bolts, drop it back down, tighten (or at an alignment shop do that?) and can't wait to need to replace these tires to the KO2s with softer sidewalls, I don't haul stuff.