PSA: Change your LCA Bushings NOW!!

[19963.4lsr5]

This is why various saw blades are the recommended removal tool!

It’s Johns problem now.

I start my next work stretch tomorrow so I wouldn’t have time until next Friday anyway.


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[BackOff]

Another way to skin a cat.
Drill out the rubber, press out the inner.
45* grind and pie cut with dremel.

Last pic, right side is the grind 45* pie cut and fold.
Right side is just pie cut and fold.

 

[UnderFire]

I cover the same thing in the Part 2 video I linked above. I used Diablo Demon Carbide tipped blades. I also agree that Energy Suspension bushings are a very bad choice for this job. I've installed both Whiteline and OEM bushings when doing this job. Some people have managed to destroy their LCAs by using too much force when using a bottle jack to remove the original bushings so we decided to give people an option of using a bearing splitter and hydraulic press to get the bushings out.

I had great luck with just a simple mapp gas handheld torch getting the bushings out, first set I did was on my 100% rust free but high mile tacoma, didn't end up having to press out any of them, drove them out easily with a hammer.

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[DocPewPro]

Question. My son has an 01 and wants me to add a 2” lift kit, while I am installing the kit I figure it’s worth replacing the bushings and ball joint on the LCA. I see that I can buy the complete LCA with bushings installed and pressing in the ball joint is easy enough would this be a better solution than trying to remove and replace the bushings on the stock LCA? I’ve watched the videos on how to replace the bushings but seems very labor intensive. Any suggestions would be helpful

 

[shadow247]

Question. My son has an 01 and wants me to add a 2” lift kit, while I am installing the kit I figure it’s worth replacing the bushings and ball joint on the LCA. I see that I can buy the complete LCA with bushings installed and pressing in the ball joint is easy enough would this be a better solution than trying to remove and replace the bushings on the stock LCA? I’ve watched the videos on how to replace the bushings but seems very labor intensive. Any suggestions would be helpful

Do not waste your time with Non-OEM Lower Arms on these. If anything, get yourself a set of junkyard LCA's and put new bushings/clean up and paint those in advance so you have a set ready to throw on. You could resell your cores to a member and recoup some of the cost of the junkyard LCA's.

I would also budget for new UCA's from JBA/Freedom/Etc to correct the caster/camber, and take advantage of the increase flex for off-roading.

It's likely time for the Upper Ball joints to be replaced as well. You get a new Ball Joint/Bushings, and you get a sweet looking upper arm.

 

[HiLife]

I remember long ago a mechanic friend of mine changed out Chevy lca bushings with a pneumatic hammer with a chisel bit. I was skeptical that it could be done that way. I remember 1 bushing pushed out in 8 seconds. Keep in mind it was in Hawaii so a little surface rust and nothing crazy like is salt states.
Has anyone here tried this approach on our lca bushings? What was your experience?

 

[DocPewPro]

Do not waste your time with Non-OEM Lower Arms on these. If anything, get yourself a set of junkyard LCA's and put new bushings/clean up and paint those in advance so you have a set ready to throw on. You could resell your cores to a member and recoup some of the cost of the junkyard LCA's.

I would also budget for new UCA's from JBA/Freedom/Etc to correct the caster/camber, and take advantage of the increase flex for off-roading.

It's likely time for the Upper Ball joints to be replaced as well. You get a new Ball Joint/Bushings, and you get a sweet looking upper arm.

Thank you for the feedback. I don’t think he will be doing any off roading he just wants the look unfortunately. I was planning to do the 2” spring and shock package from wheelers and trying to figure out what else I should replace while I’m doing the lift.

 

[shadow247]

Thank you for the feedback. I don’t think he will be doing any off roading he just wants the look unfortunately. I was planning to do the 2” spring and shock package from wheelers and trying to figure out what else I should replace while I’m doing the lift.

The UCA's are pretty much mandatory if you go higher than 2" over stock. You want your Caster to be on the high positive end of the spec vs the lower end. More Caster makes the front end track better on the highway. For a teenager, I would just go with 99 Tall Springs with Bilstein 5100's at the lowest setting.

The last thing you want is to turn over a nice truck with a sketchy alignment to an in-experienced driver.

Spend the money on all the bushings/balljoints, and let it ride. Putting a lift will just encourage your teen driver to abuse the truck off-road. My dad's biggest regret was buying multiple 4x4's for my brother even though he kept destroying them off-road.