I am finally getting around to re-doing my front lower control arms after the problems documented here: Problems After Front Suspension Work - Need Some HELP!

I ended up ordering these bushings after some suggestions in that thread: Whiteline Suspension Parts - Part Number W53377 - Front Lower Control Arm Bushings - Inner

Well - I got the parts in and picked up a set of LCAs from a junk yard for a few bucks. I used one of the surviving old LCAs as a test subject for the bushing removal to make sure I knew what I was doing before tearing up any new stuff.

First, I used the jack method to press each side out, but I noticed immediately that the large inner washed would not fit through the LCA. On one side the washer popped off before I knew it was causing a problem. On the other side, I could not get the washer off and was forced to cut it off. Hopefully this was not a bad move.


Once I got those off, the bushing came out super easy by heating the arm around the bushing as described in several posts here in T4R.

What I found though was that there is an additional metal sleeve between the arm and the bushing. This is what was preventing the washer from coming out with the bushing. As you can see, the sleeve is pretty well destroyed in my old arm thanks to Boston winters. I gave it some pounding and heated it up to no avail. It is not coming out. Luckily I have this old arm to figure this out with.




New stuff:





So, my question becomes - how do you get that sleeve out?? My new bushings have inner and outer sleeves that need to go in.

I have checked the electronic FSM that I have and have only been able to find instructions for the rear arms. No information on the fronts at all.

I know a few people have used these bushings. Anyone care to share the secret to this part of the job?

Thanks for the help!

Maybe try to cut it out with a hacksaw blade - Make two cuts close to each other, pry/hammer out the center strip that the cuts make; that would give it enough relief to allow you to hammer out the rest of the inner sleeve.

I have never heard of the jack method of removal, I have always replaced bushings with a press. Pretty smart thinking.

I knew I had bookmarked a thread on a LCA bushing puller at some point. Evernote is a lifesaver:

'Redneck" lower control arm - LCA Bushing Press - Tacoma World Forums

Man that thread is awesome! Exactly what I need. I totally forgot about checking TW. THANKS A TON! This is why I am not an engineer - I never would have thought of something like that.

I will head to lowes and pick up some supplies here in a minute.

EDIT: Lowes closed, but I will be picking supplies tomorrow.

Well - I have been defeated for the night.

I picked up the supplies to put together the redneck bushing press and a ball joint press just for good measure.

When I get the LCA in front of me, I realized that it won't work to get the sleeve out. The sleeve has a lip on one side that cover the collar of the LCA. Therefore, there is nothing to for the press to literally press against as it pulls the sleeve out. It would be pressing one one side of the sleeve and pulling against the other. You can see said lip of the sleeve pretty clearly here:



I didn't try cutting the sleeve as mentioned above. I'll pick up blades for my reciprocating saw tomorrow to give that a shot...

I've seen a couple of guys just buy complete new LCAs instead of having to deal with the trouble.

I will probably replace mine around 250k miles with Toyota.

Yeah, if I had known of the trouble and irritation I would endure, I would have taken that route to begin with.

I am pretty well committed at this point though. If the sawzall doesn't do it, I may start reconsidering my choices.

For stuff like that, I use an air chisel. I find a socket very close to the inside diameter of the hole. I take the air chisel and fold the lip over and collapse it down inside of itself. Usually it will collapse enough to come without too much drama after that.

Thanks for the suggestion. I kick myself almost daily for not having an air compressor. It is on the Christmas List though.

No problem. I'm getting ready to do the same thing soon. Not looking forward to it.

Ended up using a torch and air chisel to get mine out, along with three of us wrestling the damn things at the shop where I work. That sucked, if I had the time I would have just tried to get replacements, but I couldn't not get it done that day...also, they have to REALLY be torqued. set it up at first and after driving it for a bit, the shifted under hard braking (was seating in the tundra brakes at the same time) ended up having to re-align the truck and torque the hell out of the centrix bolts

the sawzall will work.

you may have to cut it several times, but it will work.

The sawzall did indeed work. Finally some success. I wish I had just started with the saw, but I am always a little gun shy when it comes to the sawzall.

I actually only needed one cut. It was enough to relieve the pressure, and I could fairly easily knock them out with a punch and a 16oz claw hammer.

A little scouring of the collars, but nothing to worry about. Now to get the new bushings in.