Lower Control Arm Replacements?

[alia176]

Moog bushings and LBJ feedback

I've swapped Moog bushings and LBJ into my OEM LCAs, prolly two years ago. One of the arms has developed an annoying squeak/scraping sound while going over bumps. The Moog LBJs have tiny boots that I'm not even sure how they keep dirt out once the arms drooping. When I have time this fall, I'll swap over an used set of OEM arms and study the squeak.

Anyway, just some real world feedback.

 

[EdmundGTP]

Sorry for bringing this back from the dead. How are they holding up? Are these the ones?

2008 Toyota 4Runner Front Lower Control Arm with Ball Joint Pair

Those are them, and they're still going just fine. Bushings look to be in good shape still. Ball joint boots are getting a little dry, but I expect that out here in the desert.

 

[Cpt_Romania]

Any updates on the 1A LCAs for people?

 

[T4RDirt]

Any updates on the 1A LCAs for people?

I've had one in on my passenger side for 2 years and no complaints. Going to do drivers side soon with the same ones

Sent from my KB2007 using Tapatalk

 

[Cpt_Romania]

I've had one in on my passenger side for 2 years and no complaints. Going to do drivers side soon with the same ones

Sent from my KB2007 using Tapatalk

Did you use all of the OEM hardware or buy new ones?

 

[Cpt_Romania]

No idea what NJShadow did , but I'll tell you what I did. I replaced my worn out OEM LCAs with the ones from 1A auto for the following reasons.

1. They're a fraction of the cost of OEM's (I think I paid 180 for the PAIR)
2. I can replace them at least 2 times over for the cost of what OEM LCA's are going for currently.
3. They're cheap enough to justify also purchasing replacement bushings/ball joints so that my worn out OEM LCA's can be rebuilt for use as spares, should the 1A Auto LCAs ever crap out. So I end up with minimal down-time changing them out, and a set of spares for the same cost, (probably less actually) than what it'd cost to buy replacement OEM.

Frankly, with the look and feel of the 1A auto LCA's I'll be surprised if I ever even need the spares.

I am buying these along with the Inner and Outer Tie Rod set from 1A Auto as well.

Did you use the factory hardware, did you need to buy anything else? Camshaft bolts etc? And if so, from where did you grab them? What grease did you use to add extra to the BJs as well?

Thank you

 

[Hitmanhink]

Great thread! I’m intrigued with the Superpro LCA’s those seem pretty legit but still not a ton of feedback on these. Would love to hear how these are holding up after at least a couple years. So far I’m seeing good feedback on this thread: SuperPro LCA

I’m trying to boil this down a little bit though… It seems the biggest complaints are cheap aftermarket LCA’s not lasting very long. So many of you are buying a full OEM LCA’s or doing an OEM rebuild…

It seems like the aftermarket LCA’s are failing due to cheap bushings, is that right?

I have a question on those of you rebuilding… if you replace the ball joints and the bushings, then it’s just the steel part of the OEM LCA’s that your retaining right? Is it the steel from the OEM LCA’s that’s most valuable? In other words your saying the steel in the aftermarket LCA’s are what’s causing them to fail?

Or are the aftermarket LCA’s that are available out there, just not coming with good bushings and ball joints?

Looking for feedback from those with firsthand experience here

 

[rdruss]

I bought a pair of 1Aauto LCA's and installed Super Pro bushings in them before installation. I also scuffed up the paint, repainted and clear coated before install. So far so good, I don't off road and not many miles on them. The bushings that come in them appear identical to OEM. I also used new OEM alignment hardware as mine were rusted in place.
Not sure how durable the ball joint is that comes with the 1Aauto but no problems yet.

 

[alia176]

I bought a pair of 1Aauto LCA's and installed Super Pro bushings in them before installation. I also scuffed up the paint, repainted and clear coated before install. So far so good, I don't off road and not many miles on them. The bushings that come in them appear identical to OEM. I also used new OEM alignment hardware as mine were rusted in place.
Not sure how durable the ball joint is that comes with the 1Aauto but no problems yet.

I'm curious who makes the bushings for 1A auto, sounds like a close match to OEM. Same for the LBJs.

 

[Cpt_Romania]

Great thread! I’m intrigued with the Superpro LCA’s those seem pretty legit but still not a ton of feedback on these. Would love to hear how these are holding up after at least a couple years. So far I’m seeing good feedback on this thread: SuperPro LCA

I’m trying to boil this down a little bit though… It seems the biggest complaints are cheap aftermarket LCA’s not lasting very long. So many of you are buying a full OEM LCA’s or doing an OEM rebuild…

It seems like the aftermarket LCA’s are failing due to cheap bushings, is that right?

I have a question on those of you rebuilding… if you replace the ball joints and the bushings, then it’s just the steel part of the OEM LCA’s that your retaining right? Is it the steel from the OEM LCA’s that’s most valuable? In other words your saying the steel in the aftermarket LCA’s are what’s causing them to fail?

Or are the aftermarket LCA’s that are available out there, just not coming with good bushings and ball joints?

Looking for feedback from those with firsthand experience here

I just went with the 1A Auto LCAs, installed them and haven't had any problems. I think people overthink it. It's not a complex part and it does a simple job, well so far for me. I don't think it makes sense to spend a lot of money on this area. My experience here so far!

 

[alia176]

I just went with the 1A Auto LCAs, installed them and haven't had any problems. I think people overthink it. It's not a complex part and it does a simple job, well so far for me. I don't think it makes sense to spend a lot of money on this area. My experience here so far!

I agree with you to some degree. The bushings and the BJs are the key components and there's a high probability they're made in China. How long they'll last is only a guess at this point.

OEM bushings and BJs are lasting over a decade and now that the 4th gens are getting long in the tooth, some of us are trying to save some coin and gambling. I'm in the same boat and trying to decide which way to go.

 

[gimlithepirate]

I've had 1AAuto on mine for 1 year now, and they've been totally fine.

Some components have to be OEM. Just not sure this is one of them.

 

[Too Stroked]

I just went with the 1A Auto LCAs, installed them and haven't had any problems. I think people overthink it. It's not a complex part and it does a simple job, well so far for me. I don't think it makes sense to spend a lot of money on this area. My experience here so far!

Although an LCA isn't a "complex" part, it does perform a very important function. And when it goes bad - particularly if it fails at the wrong time - you can end up in a world of hurt. I consider LCA's (and many other simple parts) to be safety items and I'm not willing to cheap out on them for that reason.

As for how long aftermarket - particularly cheap aftermarket - parts will last, I'd be more than willing to bet that they don't last nearly as long as OEM. I work in a Toyota dealership, and you should see some of the aftermarket crap that folks have installed to save money that we then have to replace. Some of it is downright scary. (Dorman Intermediate Steering Shafts for instance.)

 

[Hitmanhink]

I wonder too, if you swap out rubber bushings on the LCA’s for poly bushings would that put extra stress on your UCA bushings if they’re still rubber?

 

[gaber6]

The cheap replacement parts we use when we add our first lift kit is the problem as well. They stated on my parts that they aren't meant for lifted or off-road applications. I used moog and they are ok except the boots around the ball joints tore.
Rock auto wanted me to replace the whole LCA as a return instead of just sending a $7 boot so I just purchased a new boot locally.