It's been many moons since I've had to replace the lower control arm bushings on a Mopar. What is the easiest or best way to R and R lower control arm bushings after you have them out of the car?
Replacing lower control arm bushings
- Thread starter SGBARRACUDA
- Start date
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10secondart
Active Member
The easiest way is to press out the center pin, them weld on a washer tot he old bushing. The use the largest bar possible to push on the washer/bushing. If it is welded half decent it works like a charm.
Tip**** press out he bushing quickly after welding while it is hot and it works better.
Or...... buy new tubular lowers from me, CAP auto Products. LOL
www.capautoproducts.com
Tip**** press out he bushing quickly after welding while it is hot and it works better.
Or...... buy new tubular lowers from me, CAP auto Products. LOL
www.capautoproducts.com
cudaspaz
Well-Known Member
I agree.
I made sure I found the thickest washer I could find that would just fit inside the diameter of the bushing sleeve.
Then I tack welded the washer in a couple spots around the perimeter of the washer to the sleeve.
Make sure your weld does not reach the control arm or you will have top grind that portion away.
Then press it out.
I found this trick from an old mopar action tech article, went out and bought a wire feed mig welder and a cheap shop press just because I wanted to do it myself.
I made sure I found the thickest washer I could find that would just fit inside the diameter of the bushing sleeve.
Then I tack welded the washer in a couple spots around the perimeter of the washer to the sleeve.
Make sure your weld does not reach the control arm or you will have top grind that portion away.
Then press it out.
I found this trick from an old mopar action tech article, went out and bought a wire feed mig welder and a cheap shop press just because I wanted to do it myself.
Eric_S68
Well-Known Member
Easiest is with the special tools available. I bought them from Mancini Racing. The pivot shafts came out easily but even with the "special tools" I wound up , pounding, cutting, chiseling the outer shell out of the lower control arms. I cut a slit with a 3" cut-off tool at 90 degree intervals then got under the lip with a chisel and pounded a 1/4 section of the outer shell inward till it gave up. New bushings will need to be pressed in, then press in the pivot shafts. PM me if you would like me to redo em one weekend, maybe mail em to me. Plant city is only about 100 mi away. Anyway hope this helps, Eric
You lost me on the welded washer part. Are you saying weld a washer to the same side that you pressed the pin out? How do you do that?
cudaspaz
Well-Known Member
Weld the washer to the bushing shell ,the side with the lip on it.
Make sure the washer just fits on the inside diameter of the shell and tack weld the washer to the shell but make sure not to weld it to the control arm at all.
The washer will give you a surface to push on in the press and will pop the old shell out without having to chisel it out and chance scoring the bushing seat where the new shell will rest.
I used a big bolt with a large nut on it and used it to press out the bushing shell.
I used a pretty thick washer and it worked like a champ.
Here's a couple pics.
See how I used a washer just big enough to fit the inside diameter of the opening and kept my weld close to the inside.
Auh, Now i understand thanks for all your help. Now maybe you can show me a easy way to get those pesky sway bar bushings in the brackets?
mullinax95
Well-Known Member
I changed some on a 68 Charger and let me tell you was not fun at all. I do remember I took the entire sway bar out to do it and then bolt it back in. I'm not going to tell the words that was used that day. LOL!
cudaspaz
Well-Known Member
Never did one, but I do have to install my aftermarket one, and I'm looking for a kit so I can weld the ears to my Lower control arms.
Curious, what is so hard about those bushings?
I've done tons of them on Mercedes but removing the sway bar was just nuts and bolts.
Are the factory chrysler one's a nightmare?
mullinax95
Well-Known Member
I ordered the poly ones and those are some unforgiven beasts. I just had a hard time getting the bushings in the sway arm holders. But once they was in the sway arm was nice and tight compared to the worn out ones.
Yup I figured they were going to be beeatch. I took me 45 min to remove the old ones from the brackets. I'll find out tomorrow.
Took me two hours, one glass tea that I threw in a fit of rage,some busted knuckles to get these polyurethane bushings in. Let me tell you they are a DOUBLE MOTHER HUMPER TO GET IN!!!!!!!!
mullinax95
Well-Known Member
cudaspaz
Well-Known Member
Would a little silicon spray help the installation?
mullinax95
Well-Known Member
LOL!
Matter of fact I think I used a bunch of WD-40 to get those suckers in the brackets. At the time I was so pissed I didn't care about what oil does to rubber theory!
Silicon spray would be good I'm sure. Anything would be better than nothing at all.
I used the silicone grease they sent, WD-40,Blaster you name it. it's like trying to stretch a knats *** over a telephone pole!
Eric_S68
Well-Known Member
A bit late, but you couldda warmed em in an oven or hot water to make them abit more pliable/strechier...
VSTwister
Well-Known Member
Those poly bushings are a PITA, aren't they? I've heard the stories about the LCA poly bushings. I just hope mine stay put and dont cause the clunking around like I've heard they can do. I actually had to put a clamp to the LCAs to hold the bushings in place, and then apply the torque to the torsion bars so they'd stay put. Let's see how long they hold before they work themselves back out. Obviously they can't come out all the way, but enough to screw things up a bit.
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