Replace lower control arm bushings, HELP!!!

[05SVRACER]

Would I still be able to put factory replacement bushings in my LCAs now that I knocked the outer sleeve out or do I need new factory control arms now? It's possible that I got shitty bushings instead of the actual whiteline bushings. Either way, the link that Dan posted describes to a T what my issue is and it makes since due to the problem being present since I replaced the bushings.

 

[danthemanx07]

When you turn the bolt to make the adjustments, the LCA does not move. on the driver's side (the one with the factory eccentric) it does. It's as if it's not catching internally. I work at a honda dealer, and did the alignment after we replaced the bushings here. I was assuming that because I took out the outer sleeve that would explain the movement in the front end (wandering). Now that I am reading that with the whiteline bushings all is removed, I'm pretty confused at what is going on. Maybe it's just because of the aftermarket camber/caster (eccentrics) not catching? I can't think of any other reason for the front end to feel this way. Unless the rack now has a problem, highly unlikely.

I could try factory bushings with factory eccentrics to see if that solves the problem?

There is no "internal" catching to be done. The eccentrics on the front and rear of each LCA mount turn as one to uniformly move that LCA mounting point in or out. Re-read my post and go look at your truck. You will notice that the eccentrics contact raised metal pieces on each side (left and right) that the eccentric presses against as you turn them to provide the push point back and forth. This may sound confusing but it is the simplest thing you could imagine. See the other pictures posted in this thread as well.

Why don't you just pull out one of the factory eccentrics and the aftermarket ones and compare before you go spending the cash? The factory eccentrics are expensive. I have a few spares that I may part with if that is really what it is, but I really suspect that it is not.

Dan,

I am having the wandering and squeeking on dry pavement (turing in parking lots) like the link you posted to me.


I have replaced both lower ball joints with factory ones, CV axles from napa, upgraded to 13WL brakes, poly steering rack and sway bar bushings, rear upper and lower trac bars/control arms, installed panhard bar bracket and replaced the shocks (OME nitrocharger sport) at the same time.

I have done all of the same front end work except the steering rack and sway bar bushings. In fact, I have not sway bar at all...

Would I still be able to put factory replacement bushings in my LCAs now that I knocked the outer sleeve out or do I need new factory control arms now? It's possible that I got shitty bushings instead of the actual whiteline bushings. Either way, the link that Dan posted describes to a T what my issue is and it makes since due to the problem being present since I replaced the bushings.

Yes, you could. Did the whitelines come in a bag that said "whiteline" on them??

You didnt answer any of the questions in my prior posts though. Pretty hard to help you out without some additional information. You did something here because there are more members than just me that have had good results with the whitelines.

Here is what the whitelines should have looked like:



Here is what they should have looked like being installed (the red stuff is grease):


Here is what they should look like installed:


Your eccentrics go through that big hole... THE ONE ON THE RIGHT IS THE CORRECT ORIENTATION. THE ONE ON THE LEFT IS BACKWARDS.

 

[05SVRACER]

First is the front passenger side, then rear passenger side, front driver, rear driver. Flipping the pictures of the eccentrics around to load.

Yes, they were in the whiteline bag.

 

[danthemanx07]

Pictures of the front and rear of the passenger side showing the aftermarket cam plates might be helpful.

The only thing I can think of at this point would be that the cams on them are under-sized.

 

[05SVRACER]

Same sequence, pass front, pass rear, driver front, driver rear.



When you try to make the adjustments on the front passenger eccentric, the cam plate rotates as it should, but does not move the control arm.

 

[05SVRACER]

Pictures of the front and rear of the passenger side showing the aftermarket cam plates might be helpful.

The only thing I can think of at this point would be that the cams on them are under-sized.

Was working on it...kept posting the pictures upside down

 

[danthemanx07]

Since you are so quick with that camera - what about pictures of the front AND back of the two on the passenger side. What you have there is the front of the front eccentric and the back of the back eccentric.

You may be able to just look and see - are the front and rear eccentrics on each of those bolts orientated the same? They should turn in unison. Like when you tune that big nut on the front of the rear passenger LCA mount, the eccentric on the back side of the rear mount should turn as well. They should be mirror images of each other.

I would get pics of mine if I was not still at work...

 

[05SVRACER]

I'll grab a few more pics in a moment.

But, yes, when you turn the nut both cam plates turn together. The rear passenger moves the lca when turned, the front doesn't. To get caster even remotely positive (was only able to get +1.1 because of that damn cam, the driver's side would have let me get more.) I had to use a prybar to move it...then afterward it's felt like the steering wanders, especially on pavement that isn't particularly smooth. I was thinking something with the steering rack being an issue, but couldn't see how it would start right after doing all the suspension work. A side note, I did forget to loosen the bellows on the rack when I did the alignment. Thus causing one to twist and then get partially eaten by the rack's teeth. Checked the rack for play after getting a new bellow and clamp though, and no issue detected. If you're wondering why the paint is on there, I wanted to check for movement of the cams while driving

 

[05SVRACER]

not the best quality, but here they are

 

[BrianSD_42]

Is there any value in ordering new LCAs vs buying only Toyota bushings kit?

My LCAs have 220k miles, my uppers are all original as well and UBJ looks pretty crappy. My outer TREs are looking horrible and my LBJs now have 100+ miles on them (OEM).

I'm planning on adding after market UCAs, new LCAs (@$170 each) or just bushings ($45 each), new inner TRE and outer TREs, new UBJs and LBJs.

This refresh is a bit pricy but I really think it needs to be done. My front end does feel a good bit sloppy and my alignment is not looking good.

So should I do the whole LCA or just the bushings?


Thanks!

 

[05SVRACER]

Is there any value in ordering new LCAs vs buying only Toyota bushings kit?

My LCAs have 220k miles, my uppers are all original as well and UBJ looks pretty crappy. My outer TREs are looking horrible and my LBJs now have 100+ miles on them (OEM).

I'm planning on adding after market UCAs, new LCAs (@$170 each) or just bushings ($45 each), new inner TRE and outer TREs, new UBJs and LBJs.

This refresh is a bit pricy but I really think it needs to be done. My front end does feel a good bit sloppy and my alignment is not looking good.

So should I do the whole LCA or just the bushings?

Thanks!

At this point I wish I had just gone with new Toyota LCAs in the first place...but I don't know exactly what my issue is yet

 

[thebrandon]

After reading endless threads on this myself because I have to do the LCA bushings, I have decided that going with new LCAs is with out a doubt the way to go.

Pros: Take a control arm out, put a control arm in.

Much easier than the ladder which is, remove a control, press/burn out the old bushings, press in new bushings, put same control arm back in.

Cons: Price compared to just buying bushings.

 

[danthemanx07]

In one of your prior posts you said you removed a sleeve? What sleeve did you remove? So you can't turn the passenger one any further? Or when you turn it, it contacts the metal pieces but no movement occurs?


As for the arms, if I were to do it again, I might consider the new arms, but the price differential is a little rich for my blood. The whiteline bushings are like $70. Depends on how much you value your time I guess. My time is still worth less than my own money for the most part.

 

[Mike&Ike]

At this point I wish I had just gone with new Toyota LCAs in the first place...but I don't know exactly what my issue is yet

What do your alignment specs look like? If you are unable to turn some of the cams to get it into spec, I am willing to bet the problems lies within the alignment and not the bushings.

 

[05SVRACER]

The outer metal collar or sleeve for the bushing. The one that made itself basically a part of the control arm that required an air chisel and a lot of swearing to get out. The rear one has additional movement to it. However because the front moves, but doesn't move the control arm there's not any more adjustment that can be done on that side. That's why I was only able to get 1.1 positive caster with that side not being able to move like it should...hopefully that makes sense.

 

[Mike&Ike]

Is there any value in ordering new LCAs vs buying only Toyota bushings kit?

My LCAs have 220k miles, my uppers are all original as well and UBJ looks pretty crappy. My outer TREs are looking horrible and my LBJs now have 100+ miles on them (OEM).

I'm planning on adding after market UCAs, new LCAs (@$170 each) or just bushings ($45 each), new inner TRE and outer TREs, new UBJs and LBJs.

This refresh is a bit pricy but I really think it needs to be done. My front end does feel a good bit sloppy and my alignment is not looking good.

So should I do the whole LCA or just the bushings?


Thanks!

Control arms are not generally a wearable item, so you would be perfectly fine just doing the bushings. Doing the whole arm is simply done for the ease of installation. Only complaint that I had when I did poly bushings on my G35 was that there was a lot more vibrations felt then with rubber. Other then that it felt amazingly tight after, I was satisfied.

 

[05SVRACER]

What do your alignment specs look like? If you are unable to turn some of the cams to get it into spec, I am willing to bet the problems lies within the alignment and not the bushings.

Camber is at -.05 both sides, caster +1.1. wasn't able to get any more out of the passenger side because of that cam not moving the control arm. The driver's side I was able to get more than 1.5 out of, just tamed it back down to 1.1 to even out with the other side. Tow is at .01 both sides.

What should spec be? Something different from what toyota specs are?

 

[Mike&Ike]

The outer metal collar or sleeve for the bushing. The one that made itself basically a part of the control arm that required an air chisel and a lot of swearing to get out. The rear one has additional movement to it. However because the front moves, but doesn't move the control arm there's not any more adjustment that can be done on that side. That's why I was only able to get 1.1 positive caster with that side not being able to move like it should...hopefully that makes sense.

So does the cam stay stationary while the bolt in the middle turns? If so the middle hole in the cam is rounded out and needs to be replaced. Having equal caster and that low can cause the vehicle to wander. If you cannot get anymore out of it drop the driver side to .5 less then the passenger side.

 

[05SVRACER]

So does the cam stay stationary while the bolt in the middle turns? If so the middle hole in the cam is rounded out and needs to be replaced. Having equal caster and that low can cause the vehicle to wander. If you cannot get anymore out of it drop the driver side to .5 less then the passenger side.

Nope, the came rotates as well, just no movement on the lca. The ones that don't want to move are aftermarket raybestos ones, the other side have new toyota ones. Had to replace all since the old ones had to be torched off, but toyota only had enough for one side and I was in a pinch.


Drop the driver's side what .5 less? as in have uneven caster?

 

[Mike&Ike]

Yeah so it would have equal camber and .6 caster on the driver side and 1.1 on the passenger. If you can achieve this your wander would go away. I set vehicles like this all day to account for road crowns as it will create a unnoticeable pull to the left. Some are even set from the factory like this. I have mine set like this and it drives like a dream.