DIY Lower Control Arm Bush Replacement

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Originally Posted by PerthDisco

As said previously the leading Indy in WA will only replace the full arm. Told me the bushes don’t last when pressed in. Don’t know why.

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How does he think the bushes got into the replacement arms in the first place?

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Originally Posted by shanegtr

How does he think the bushes got into the replacement arms in the first place?

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Yep my thoughts exactly. Just passing on the intell. Presumably they have done many to have an opinion and dont lack for the tools.

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Originally Posted by shanegtr

How does he think the bushes got into the replacement arms in the first place?

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I would think the comment would come from the perspective that in the factory the bushes would be pressed into the arms in a jig by a robot with a determined force etc. In a workshop using a workshop press, the arm may not be as well supported and would be more susceptible to damage from uneven loading and the force is not as controllable. This may impact on arm durability with multiple bush replacements.

Chris

I would suggest the evidence is anecdotal at best, based on some basic analysis which doesn’t take into account the usage of the vehicle that causes the wear. For example, he replaced arms on one car and they lasted, but the ones with replaced bushes didn’t. Turns out the arm replacement car never goes off road and the other spends its days on the corrugations. Something along those lines. Or alternatively the installation method used leads to damage etc.

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Originally Posted by Tombie

I have created this thread from existing posts in an unrelated thread so that the bush pressing process is easier to find.
The tool Tombie used is a Sykes-Pickavant: Sykes-Pickavant

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What is the price of the tool?

Pretty easy to drop the arms. I removed and refitted mine in 2 hours first and 90 mins 2nd last weekend as was a first attempt(once I figured out the trick to popping the ball joints there went 5 minutes.

If you can have a spare pair of arms to push new bushes in it's nice. Although if you find the ball joints stuffed as well as the 2 bushes, you're probably economically better off buying new arms... Would be a tiny cost saving!$600 For a pair of Advanced Factors HD Meyle arms delivered(think these have Lemforder front bushes)...
$200aud For the bushes alone... Ball joints are 25pounds each plus shipping so another $140 makes $340. $160 difference for already pressed in. Remembering you need a bolt kit which is included in the arms.
Also need to pay for the $400 tool...

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Originally Posted by Russrobe

Pretty easy to drop the arms. I removed and refitted mine in 2 hours first and 90 mins 2nd last weekend as was a first attempt(once I figured out the trick to popping the ball joints there went 5 minutes.

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So what’s the trick to popping the ball joint?

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Originally Posted by LRD414

So what’s the trick to popping the ball joint?

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I've got a nice big copper gympie which I give a decent whack on the hub in the direction of the arrow in the pic. Ball joint pops straight out with no more stuffing around (at least it did for me[biggrin])
Attachment 133253

It wouldn't be cost effective for a workshop to replace the bushes cf. replacing the whole arm.

Maybe a workshop could be a source of some arms if you wanted to prepare some for changeover.

Don't forget there are different bushes front and rear on the front LCA. Both require different press cups to install.

If you need to replace everything complete arms will be cheaper.