03-07-2024, 08:18 PM
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#1
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Energy Suspension Upper Control Arm bushings shot after 50k miles
Howdy all - been a while since I posted here but wanted to update on my Energy Suspension upper control arm bushings.
I’ve had a shimmy at all speeds for as long as I can remember.
When I first got the truck with 160k miles I did all front bushings. Used Whiteline for LCA and Energy Suspension for UCA.
Chasing down the shimmy I thought it was just my mud terrains being out of balance, did balancing beads and that did nothing.
More recently I noticed the shimmy became a bit of a wandering feel.
I did an inspection and noticed on the driver side with the wheel off I could grab the spindle and yank it with probably 1/8-1/4” of deflection.
Surprising to me, because I thought the poly bushings would last a lot longer. Yea I’ve done a bit of wheeling, but not much recently.
Anyway, yea they basically fell apart.
I replaced them with whitelines, which I think is superior, my LCA bushings still look great.
Also hot tip to get the old metal sleeve out - after I cut a few slots in it I was able to hammer it out with a 27mm harbor freight impact socket+ 12” extension.
Something like this - which was my attempt to use a ball joint press, which failed. So I took the press off and just hammered the extension instead and it popped right out
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1997 Limited 4x4 3.4l 199k E-locker Blue Wire Mod | 255/85 r16 Maxxis Bighorn MT - LX450 9 wrap + Tokico black rear | Front: 2.5" King Coilover set @ 2" lift | True North Fab Front Bumper + Warn m8000 + Baja Designs Squadron Sport | Custom Sliders | NguyenWorks Rear Bumper + Tire Swingout
Last edited by JohnOfTheJungle; 03-11-2024 at 02:16 PM.
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03-07-2024, 09:04 PM
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#2
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Junior Member
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Location: Altamonte Springs FL
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I've been waiting to do mine until I got motivation. I may go with Whiteline now. Plus my Energy Suspension bushing need to use the old sleeve that you have to grind out which I was not pleased with. Why couldn't the provide a new sleeve I don't know.
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03-07-2024, 09:06 PM
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#3
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Blitz
I've been waiting to do mine until I got motivation. I may go with Whiteline now. Plus my Energy Suspension bushing need to use the old sleeve that you have to grind out which I was not pleased with. Why couldn't the provide a new sleeve I don't know.
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That’s exactly why I went whiteline for the LCA the first time around and I would do it again. You do not want to be reusing sleeves.
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1997 Limited 4x4 3.4l 199k E-locker Blue Wire Mod | 255/85 r16 Maxxis Bighorn MT - LX450 9 wrap + Tokico black rear | Front: 2.5" King Coilover set @ 2" lift | True North Fab Front Bumper + Warn m8000 + Baja Designs Squadron Sport | Custom Sliders | NguyenWorks Rear Bumper + Tire Swingout
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03-08-2024, 12:20 AM
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#4
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Yikes! Good thing I have whitelines, those are toast
FWIW I went with UCAs from JBA which use their own special bushing and they're still doing great
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Y2K Highlander Millennium Silver 3.4L auto @ 320k and climbing
Toytecs + 5100s / 7.5 wrap + OME spacers + Tokicos / JBA UCAs / Anonymous Fab. LBJs / Total Chaos Gussets / EimKeith PCK + LCAR / Extended Bump Stops; Brake Lines; Rear Diff Breather / True North Fab. Hybrid Bumper / CBI Hybrid Bumper + Tire Carrier / 4xInnovations Hybrid Sliders / Opt Offroad Trailing Arms / Lil Skip Gas Skid / BudBuilt Front Skid / ARB Rear Locker
Last edited by Devbot; 03-08-2024 at 02:18 PM.
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03-08-2024, 01:07 AM
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#5
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I used to think that ES made a good product. And, maybe they did, a long time ago. All of my recent experiences with their stuff has not been good. I would avoid them in the future. Whiteline makes reliable product as far as I can tell.
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2000 4Runner SR5 Manual Trans Federal Emissions - Eibach Pro-Truck coilovers, LC 7.5/Tokico Black, JBA UCA, SPC 25945 RLLs, Mevotech Supreme RULs, TrakMotive Xtended Travel CV Axles TO-8043ET, South Bend Rally Clutch, ES & Whiteline Bushings, MagnaFlow Cat-Back, Deck-Plate Mod, 4.56 Yukon Gears, Yukon Grizzly Rear Locker, Bushwacker Flares, 16x8 Wheels w/ 285/75 General Grabber AT2, 229K+ Miles
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03-08-2024, 10:11 AM
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#6
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Zhehan
I used to think that ES made a good product. And, maybe they did, a long time ago. All of my recent experiences with their stuff has not been good. I would avoid them in the future. Whiteline makes reliable product as far as I can tell.
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I agree. I used ES for my Sway Bar bushings, and they were shot in 2 years....
My Whiteline LCA bushings are still rocking. My SPC X-Axis UCA bushings have a bad one within the first year. I'm about to swap to the older style bushings, will post a separate thread about that.
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03-08-2024, 05:07 PM
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#7
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Energy Suspension Upper Control Arm bushings shot after 50k miles
Well I drove it today - the new bushings did absolutely nothing for the shimmy, oh well, the search continues
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1997 Limited 4x4 3.4l 199k E-locker Blue Wire Mod | 255/85 r16 Maxxis Bighorn MT - LX450 9 wrap + Tokico black rear | Front: 2.5" King Coilover set @ 2" lift | True North Fab Front Bumper + Warn m8000 + Baja Designs Squadron Sport | Custom Sliders | NguyenWorks Rear Bumper + Tire Swingout
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03-08-2024, 05:40 PM
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#8
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Could very well be worn out ball joints or tie rods too.
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Y2K Highlander Millennium Silver 3.4L auto @ 320k and climbing
Toytecs + 5100s / 7.5 wrap + OME spacers + Tokicos / JBA UCAs / Anonymous Fab. LBJs / Total Chaos Gussets / EimKeith PCK + LCAR / Extended Bump Stops; Brake Lines; Rear Diff Breather / True North Fab. Hybrid Bumper / CBI Hybrid Bumper + Tire Carrier / 4xInnovations Hybrid Sliders / Opt Offroad Trailing Arms / Lil Skip Gas Skid / BudBuilt Front Skid / ARB Rear Locker
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03-10-2024, 05:06 PM
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#9
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I did my rear control arm bushings and after about 65,000 KM half of them were worn out. I asked Energy Suspension about why they would wear out this quick as most of my driving is on the highway and the only answer I got was to make sure they are greased well.
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Last edited by TheExplorer; 03-10-2024 at 05:09 PM.
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03-10-2024, 05:37 PM
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#10
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interesting, this late summer/ fall I am planning on replacing lots of bushings. Maybe I will stick with stock
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2001 SR-5... bought 11/20..sold 6/21....
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03-11-2024, 02:20 PM
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#11
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Energy Suspension Upper Control Arm bushings shot after 50k miles
Quote:
Originally Posted by Devbot
Could very well be worn out ball joints or tie rods too.
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Could be. I replaced uppers and lowers when I did the front suspension at 170k miles (I’m at 225k now) - all OEM for the ball joints.
The uppers felt great when I had the UCA off so it wouldn’t be them.
I’m considering just changing the LBJ’s out again - although I should get way more than 55k miles out of them (plus about 10 Offroad trips)
When I had new tires put on at 190k (30k miles on new OEM LBJ’s) the shop said they felt a little bit of play, I didn’t believe them enough to change them, but I did buy a new set with plans to do it again just for peace of mind.
I guess I might as well give it a shot.
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1997 Limited 4x4 3.4l 199k E-locker Blue Wire Mod | 255/85 r16 Maxxis Bighorn MT - LX450 9 wrap + Tokico black rear | Front: 2.5" King Coilover set @ 2" lift | True North Fab Front Bumper + Warn m8000 + Baja Designs Squadron Sport | Custom Sliders | NguyenWorks Rear Bumper + Tire Swingout
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03-11-2024, 02:57 PM
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#12
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Quote:
Originally Posted by JohnOfTheJungle
Well I drove it today - the new bushings did absolutely nothing for the shimmy, oh well, the search continues
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Check your rear LCA. I had a bad bushing on the Rear Lower Control arm, and I was all over the road. Started a shimmy last year, and got worse and worse until I was practically changing lanes when I hit a decent bump!
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03-11-2024, 07:14 PM
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#13
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Regarding the rear control arms and the related bushings, if you lift your 4Runner and install larger tires, you should upgrade your rear control arms and/or bushings. Same goes for the front. Get the upgraded arms, CV axles, rack and pinion bushings, etc.
The stock parts are for the stock suspension and tires.
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2000 4Runner SR5 Manual Trans Federal Emissions - Eibach Pro-Truck coilovers, LC 7.5/Tokico Black, JBA UCA, SPC 25945 RLLs, Mevotech Supreme RULs, TrakMotive Xtended Travel CV Axles TO-8043ET, South Bend Rally Clutch, ES & Whiteline Bushings, MagnaFlow Cat-Back, Deck-Plate Mod, 4.56 Yukon Gears, Yukon Grizzly Rear Locker, Bushwacker Flares, 16x8 Wheels w/ 285/75 General Grabber AT2, 229K+ Miles
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03-13-2024, 09:01 PM
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#14
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Quote:
Originally Posted by shadow247
Check your rear LCA. I had a bad bushing on the Rear Lower Control arm, and I was all over the road. Started a shimmy last year, and got worse and worse until I was practically changing lanes when I hit a decent bump!
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Did it have your steering wheel shaking all over the place? That’s where I feel it the most
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1997 Limited 4x4 3.4l 199k E-locker Blue Wire Mod | 255/85 r16 Maxxis Bighorn MT - LX450 9 wrap + Tokico black rear | Front: 2.5" King Coilover set @ 2" lift | True North Fab Front Bumper + Warn m8000 + Baja Designs Squadron Sport | Custom Sliders | NguyenWorks Rear Bumper + Tire Swingout
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03-14-2024, 01:30 PM
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#15
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Quote:
Originally Posted by JohnOfTheJungle
Did it have your steering wheel shaking all over the place? That’s where I feel it the most
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Yeah it kind of did. I thought something was wrong in the front end, i replaced the tie rods and had the alignment done with no change. I started to look at the rear, and one of them had some slight movement, so I swapped it real quick with a good used arm. Instantly fixed it. Every little bump was causing the rear end to shift, which caused the front end to veer, which caused the steering wheel to move....
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