Suspension Rattles and Noises

[101RRS]

At lot has been written about the front lower suspension arms and their replacement - I am now in this position with the "rattle" from the front end at lower speeds on less than smooth surfaces - I find it amazing that a supposed quality vehicle can go through the rubbers so quickly - I had a 450,000 Subaru and its bushes were fine and my previous Freelander had 300,000km and its suspension still felt like new.

While a lot of information is available on the front lowers I cannot find much about the symptoms of other suspension bits.

So what do I look for when:

1. Front upper suspension arm bushes need replacement. Expected life in km?

2. Rear lower suspension arm bushes need replacement. Expected life in km?

3. Rear upper suspension arm bushes need replacement. Expected life in km?

Oh - where is the cheapest place to buy quality RRS front lower suspension arms?

Thanks

Garry

[PerthDisco]

I find it amazing that a supposed quality vehicle can go through the rubbers so quickly - I had a 450,000 Subaru and its bushes were fine and my previous Freelander had 300,000km and its suspension still felt like new

You are comparing apples and oranges. The range of movement and steering angle is simply incredible. Best to consider it a miracle a part can last 80,000km.

[DiscoJeffster]

I think the weight plays more of a part than anything. The other thing is the bush type, designed to provide a sublime ride isn't as hard wearing as a solid rubber bush thus wear faster

[discorevy]

Yep , range of articulation, weight all play a part , although in this case it could also be sway bar D bushes , you also can't give expected life in kilometres as its very different between a loaded vehicle spending half its life on a corrugated track vs soccer mums car, as for decent arms and bushes shop around......or buy another Subaru, yep , apples and oranges

[BobD]

Mine is hammered on the worst roads including just completing the Gibb. The only bushes that have needed replacing are the LCA bushes (several times) in it's 250000km plus.

[Disco-tastic]

LR direct and duckworths and all those UK shops are generally cheapest to get bushes or full arms, even with postage.

[101RRS]

LR direct and duckworths and all those UK shops are generally cheapest to get bushes or full arms, even with postage.

Thanks for that - I will look at them for mine.

[101RRS]

I was having a discussion about the front lower arm bushes on the weekend - it was suggested that before I go ahead and get new arms I confirm the rattle is not coming from something else - the sway bar D bushes were mentioned above - what else is there to look for and do I just look for movement and wear? Steering bits?

How do you actually check the lower suspension bushes for wear? Get a tyre lever and move the suspension arm?

Thanks

Garry

[eddy]

You can take the weight off the wheel and check bushes by levering or just move vehicle forward and apply brakes,wheel will move backwards.Usually it is the lower rear bush[Hydrabush LR025159]This can be replaced in situ using Laser tool 6180 which some AULRO members are willing to lend.I replaced with RRS arms https://www.disco3.co.uk/forum/topic164106.html

[vee8auto]

Advanced Factors UK are doing the complete front lower control arms with top quality bushes & ball joints. Lemforder I recall.
I recently got the front lower, rear lower & rear upper for a D3 with 220k km delivered to WA but as 3 different shipments to keep each one below $1000 AUD.

Otherwise, the sway bar bushes are no doubt shot, they only need a couple mm air gap to start clunking. not as hard to replace as control arms.

Order them at the same time as the control arms and they wont add anything to freight.

Another consideration, one of the chassis bolts on one of the lower arms, although the bolt & nut was super tight it had started to move laterally on the chassis mount.