Lower control arms bushing shot too soon

Hey guys,

So I had my frame replaced in 2017 (111,000 miles). Obviously that came with new LCA's, here I am 25,000 miles later (136,000 miles), my truck is pivots back and forth with braking, and watching from the outside, I can see the rear bushing on the passenger LCA with significant movement (confirmed by alignment technician). My question is what would cause this? 25,000 miles seems way too short for a daily driver to have bad bushings. Checking the bolts, they were tight, the only thing I know that has happened to potentially cause damage was immediately after Toyota swapped the frame, the spindle bolts connecting the LCA to the spindle were found to be only hand tight from Toyota post frame replacement.

Second, regarding the replacement, I'm thinking I'll get new LCA's, get Energy suspension bushings pressed into them, then swap the LCA's out as I'll be doing this in a buddy's driveway and don't want to rely on getting everything off, then going to a shop to get the bushings swapped in a timely manner, and returning to put them back on. I'm also thinking of swapping the CAM bolts and sleeves at the same time as this truck was in Nebraska for the first 6 years of its life and has the rust to prove it (now a Florida truck).

Any thoughts and recommendations would be greatly appreciated!

 

You sure they replaced the LCA when the frame was replaced?

 

They looked new, but at the time I was also new to doing maintenance on my own vehicle as well. Miami-Dade has a well earned reputation for fraud, so I wouldn't be surprised either way

 

Actually, yes, looking back at old pictures, they have stickers on them and the ball joints look brand new.

 

And actually, from what I read, I'm going to do better getting the Whiteline bushings

 

If the bushings are shot this soon I'm almost certain whoever install the LCA's tightened the bolts with the truck in the air with no weight on the suspension.

 

When installing LCAs you keep the bolts loose till weight of vehicle is on them and then torque. Avoids binding of the bushing which will damage them. They might have just forgotten to retorque. To me I don't think they replaced the LCAs with the frame replacement. If you do poly make sure to use super lube silicone grease. Lots of it. Eventually they will probably squeak, the one real con to poly bushings so just a heads up. If you replace the cam bolts I highly suggest getting the SPC cams. They have a plastic sleeve instead of metal and will never sieze up like OEM cams.

 

If you're installing new LCA's (bushing swap) in a driveway on jack stands and not a lift, what's the best way to torque the bolts then as I can't picture any good way to get in there and tighten with a torque wrench unless the wheel is removed for access (hence not load bearing)?

Would marking the tabs at previous alignment spot work and tighten them while non-load bearing but at appropriate alignment location?

 

Has nothing to do with the alignment position, its the rotation of the bonded rubber bushing. Unlike poly bushings that have a free floating sleeve, OEM bonded rubber bushings are well, bonded so the sleeve cant freely rotate.

Get everything on the truck, lower it down under its own weight, loosen the lca bolts, give em all a good tap so they rotate to where they need to be and tighten them up from underneath.

 

Never had an issue hitting the bolts with the scrape plate removed and tires installed.

 

To make sure I'm understanding, if I swap out the bad bushings with whiteline bushings, because they have that removable free-floating inner sleeve I'd be just fine to tighten to spec with no weight on the suspension, then re-install the tire and be ready to go for alignment?

@JayRolla Having 33's on 17" rims and i'm assuming at least a 3" lift would give a fair bit more room to work with underneath.