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Lower Control Arm Replacement vs Bushings

D

dfrank

New CEG'er
Joined
Jul 19, 2002
Messages
19
Location
San Diego, CA
My alignment guy told me he cannot align -- that I need to replace my lower control arm bushings. Left front AND right front. Estimate: $660. $500 of it is labor, because his idea was to remove the control arms and put new bushings in, and then replace. He described in detail how difficult it was to put the new bushings onto the control arm.

At that moment, I wondered if it would be better just to swap in new control arms complete with bushings.

Ok, after checking with a mirror (the guy got kinda strange and wouldn't let me under his lift) mine are the four-bolt type. The kind that are $175, not $75 from the BAT catalog. That's $350 in parts. I was hoping for the $75 kind, but no dice.

Is this something that I (non auto-mechanic) could reasonably do. What would I use to suport the car while I removed the wheel/control arm, etc? Don't want to get killed, is there any danger of sudden spring expansion? Bolt #2 on the drivers side doesn't look like it'll clear the engine. This job looks non-trivial.

Any advice/experiences are welcome. I'll be phoning other shops (San Diego area) for estimates. $660 is a lot of change. $350 is a lot for parts considering BAT will provide four struts and progressive springs for around $500.
 
If he told you he was putting bushings in it he was pulling your leg, those bushings cannot be replaced conventionaly. I did replace mine though, I used the polyurethane that is used in the roll restictors. It was a major pain, took me probably 5-6 hours. Just buy the arms.
 
May as well buy the whole control arm because they include new ball joints too. Not a major issue on these cars but it can't hurt. Dropping the subframe is really not a big deal, though I wouldn't want to do it with the car on stands. With a proper lift and an engine support bar, the whole thing could be done in a matter of minutes. Just pick up a pair of LCA's and do them both at the same time.
 
Thanks for the Team Ford link. I'll call them re. getting the right part (unfortunately they go by year and I think that although my car is a 98, it takes "1997" lower control arms).
 
lca replacement

lca replacement

yeah I think replacing them is the way to go, if you don't want to go for poly bushings .I am in the process of doing mine too . If your interested rock auto has them for 83 bucks to your door, thats for a dorman ,you can get a moog
for a little more. I wish I had found them before I paid 109 buck at murry's for one side. just thought I'd throw that out there for any one interested
 
Rock auto is indeed cheap with the two aftermarket brands mentioned (Dorman and Moog). I wonder if it is worth the $avings to get aftermarket vs OEM for a lower control arm. Don't want to have the set I put on wear out or not perform for any reason.
 
dfrank said:
Rock auto is indeed cheap with the two aftermarket brands mentioned (Dorman and Moog). I wonder if it is worth the $avings to get aftermarket vs OEM for a lower control arm. Don't want to have the set I put on wear out or not perform for any reason.
Click to expand...


I haven't used aftermarket control arms but I can say I am disapointed with my OEM Ford 2 bolt arms I put on my car last year. They are more free moving then I would expect after about a year, maybe 2. I haven't check the 4 bolt ones I put on my 95 but otherwise you can't go wrong with OEM parts.
 
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