Energy Suspension Lower Control Arm Bushing Not Fitting Inner Sleeve

Hi Folks, new here. I have a 2001 4x4 Tacoma with the 3.6L V6 and 5-speed manual trans. I am attempting to replace my lower control arm bushings with a bushing kit from Energy Suspension. I have removed the old bushings leaving the outer bushing shell per the ES instructions and several YouTube video guides. When I started the process of pressing the inner sleeve into the new ES bushing, I discovered that the sleeve OD is maybe two millimeters too small. The inner sleeve just rattles around inside the ES bushing.

I recon the inner sleeve is from some after market bushing set from long ago and that the inner sleeve is not OEM diameter. My question is, where can I find an OEM inner sleeve? I am aware of the Whiteline bushings that come complete. I understand Toyota also sells the bushings complete. Since my outer bushing shells are still in my LCA, I can't use either the Whiteline or OEM bushing. I need a source for the OEM inner sleeve to make the Energy Suspension kit work. Any help greatly appreciated.

 

dang i just changed my bushings a couple weeks ago but i think i threw the old ones away. maybe you can just order some proper diameter tube and cut it to length.

 

Thanks guys. I thought about the possibility that the bushing might fit the sleeve once pressed into place but looking at videos of people using the same kit, their sleeves fit tightly in the bushing before they put them into the control arm. So I'm pretty sure it's just a mismatch. At this point, I'm resigned to buying new control arms with the bushings already installed.

 

Message to Energy Suspension: you guys really out of think about stocking several different sleeves for this very situation. There are so many variables on these old Tacomas. It's impossible for the owners to know what control arm bushings are in there until they've pulled the control arm off the vehicle and pressed out the old bushing. Only then can you tell whether your kit is going to work.

 

I wasnt aware that there are different sized bushings, and im not convinced that there are, I really think you were given the wrong bushings.

 

That's entirely possible. The label on the package matches up with energy Suspensions part number for my truck but they don't fit!

 

When I redid my front end I bought their bushings. I have not been impressed.

 

What happened?

 

Damn, I did mine last weekend as well. I chucked the old bushings. I went OEM with replacements at $50 a piece. If you have time order from here. https://parts.toyotaofdallas.com/account/login

 

Thanks

 

If the bushings you are using are not OEM they have a smaller inner sleeve than OEM. I ran in to this problem myself as I figured I would buy some cheap aftermarket bushings to burn out and use their sleeves. The inner sleeves were smaller.

 

@Manyhelmets
The above is correct. Also possible that ES gave you the wrong bushings in the right box.
Measure what you got against this.
OE inner sleeve OD is 1 9/64" or 1.14" or 29.1mm depending on your preferred unit/means of measuring.

 

You have some aftermarket sleeve. It isn't ES's fault that someone down the line changed the bushing out.... Most people I have seen swap bushing have't had that issue. The situation sucks but its not an ES issue.

 

What?

I'm nearly 100% positive there is no variation in the 1st gen 6-lug control arm bushings. They're all the same. They're probably even the same for the 2nd and 3rd gens, too.

Either ES gave you the wrong kit, or you already had aftermarket bushings in your vehicle, for which of course it's possible that the ES bushings wouldn't fit the inner sleeve. That's not ES's fault.

My ES bushings fit perfectly.

 

Hello, I'm curious why you are replacing? Not saying they don't need replacing but just wondering what the symptoms are. Thanks.

 

I can't speak for the OP, but there are a few reasons to replace them. Most notably they are worn out. The sympoms for that are usually that you have trouble aligning it or you're getting funny tire wear patterns, or if you can just feel the suspension being "loose".

The ES ones don't require a press to install the new ones. You just burn away the old rubber, and re-use the inner and outer sleeves.

As to why you would choose poly bushings, that's a personal preference. Poly bushings tend to feel like the have a harsher ride because there isn't any flex to them. Poly bushings are more like a set of sealed bearings, whereas the rubber bushings have a little flex to them to they dampen the ride a little.

The advantage to poly bushings is that they allow for better wheel articulation. With rubber bushings, the rubber twists inside the sleeves, so the more the bushing twists, the harder it is to twist. A poly bushing slides inside the sleeve so it can actually rotate 360 degrees (theoretically).

So, when you lift a truck that has rubber bushings, you should loosen the bushings (using the cam adjustment bolts) to "reset" the bushings to the new "neutral". poly bushings that doesn't matter.