TC Lower Control Arm Poly Bushings

[Spungus]

Hi Everyone, looking for a little advice from someone who runs the Total Chaos LCA's.
I got mine about 6 months ago or so (expedition series, no secondary shock mount), and for the most part they have been great. However I am having a heck of a time trying to reduce the amount of squeak coming from the poly bushings. I know that comes with the territory with the poly bushings, but I was hoping someone had a trick to help mitigate some of the noise. They will get to the point where any kind of lean or movement makes it sound like I'm sailing a 17th century Spanish galleon through my neighborhood. I don't mind a little squeak, but mine is almost comical some days. I have TC's uppers as well, and I haven't heard any noise from them in over the 3 years since I've had them on. (I service them every oil change or so).

I've isolated the sound coming from where the factory cam tabs squeeze against the top-hat of the bushing. So much so that the poly bushing has worn the cam tabs to the bare metal from the friction. I've messed with the alignment a bunch, going as far as 5 degree caster and back to high 3's in hopes of reducing the binding that happens with the alignment bolts doing their thing. I live in Colorado, so there are salts/mag-chloride potentially being a factor, but I have always been super OCD with spraying that stuff out from underneath once it's warm enough.

Just to eliminate some variables: it's not the ball joints, those are broken in and moving smoothly. And I have rebuilt/regreased the control arm bushings at least a few times, which works great for about 3 days until the grease gets pushed out from between the bushings/cam tab and the very loud squeak returns.

Any tips would be really appreciated!:thumb3:

 

[2021nightshade4x4]

Hi Everyone, looking for a little advice from someone who runs the Total Chaos LCA's.
I got mine about 6 months ago or so (expedition series, no secondary shock mount), and for the most part they have been great. However I am having a heck of a time trying to reduce the amount of squeak coming from the poly bushings. I know that comes with the territory with the poly bushings, but I was hoping someone had a trick to help mitigate some of the noise. They will get to the point where any kind of lean or movement makes it sound like I'm sailing a 17th century Spanish galleon through my neighborhood. I don't mind a little squeak, but mine is almost comical some days. I have TC's uppers as well, and I haven't heard any noise from them in over the 3 years since I've had them on. (I service them every oil change or so).

I've isolated the sound coming from where the factory cam tabs squeeze against the top-hat of the bushing. So much so that the poly bushing has worn the cam tabs to the bare metal from the friction. I've messed with the alignment a bunch, going as far as 5 degree caster and back to high 3's in hopes of reducing the binding that happens with the alignment bolts doing their thing. I live in Colorado, so there are salts/mag-chloride potentially being a factor, but I have always been super OCD with spraying that stuff out from underneath once it's warm enough.

Just to eliminate some variables: it's not the ball joints, those are broken in and moving smoothly. And I have rebuilt/regreased the control arm bushings at least a few times, which works great for about 3 days until the grease gets pushed out from between the bushings/cam tab and the very loud squeak returns.

Any tips would be really appreciated!:thumb3:

Here ya go bud. Any truth to this? Can anyone verify if this would stop squeaking?

TikTok


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[jrandom]

Hmm, I have the exact same LCA's, had mine for well since they came out, how long is that been? sorry brain fog 20 months and well not a ton of miles 12k-ish? I haven't had any squeak issues thankfully (although one of my ball joints was so fkn stiff I had about had it and was ready to replace when it finally broke in, argh that was maddening)

The only thing I could think to ask is what kind of grease are you using? All greases are not created equal, just like motor oil, fuel, ect. Not saying this is the "best" it's just what i happen to use. I installed and grease mine with "Amsoil Synthetic Polymeric Truck, Chassis and Equipment Grease, NLGI #2"

 

[Spungus]

Here ya go bud. Any truth to this? Can anyone verify if this would stop squeaking?

TikTok


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Hey I appreciate the help! Problem is the poly bushings act differently than the galvanized rubber in stock bushings. The rubber will flex, whereas the poly bushing will rotate around a metal sleeve. But this a good tip for the rubber bushings I have on the rear linkage.

Cheers.

 

[mo_mo]

Here ya go bud. Any truth to this? Can anyone verify if this would stop squeaking?

TikTok


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Rubber bushings (oem/ stock) vs polyurethane bushing are different animals. Might work on rubber, but PU probably needs more grease.

 

[Spungus]

Hmm, I have the exact same LCA's, had mine for well since they came out, how long is that been? sorry brain fog :blush: 20 months and well not a ton of miles 12k-ish? I haven't had any squeak issues thankfully (although one of my ball joints was so fkn stiff I had about had it and was ready to replace when it finally broke in, argh that was maddening)

The only thing I could think to ask is what kind of grease are you using? All greases are not created equal, just like motor oil, fuel, ect. Not saying this is the "best" it's just what i happen to use. I installed and grease mine with "Amsoil Synthetic Polymeric Truck, Chassis and Equipment Grease, NLGI #2"

I use the super lube synthetic grease that is recommended by Chaos. That is the one thing I haven’t tried different though, so it’s worth a shot. I’ll report back in a couple days when I have time to get under the rig. Thanks!

 

[jrandom]

I use the super lube synthetic grease that is recommended by Chaos. That is the one thing I haven’t tried different though, so it’s worth a shot. I’ll report back in a couple days when I have time to get under the rig. Thanks!

It would be great if that's it, cheap and easy fix.

Forgot to ask, do you loosen your cam nuts/bolts when you grease?

 

[Spungus]

It would be great if that's it, cheap and easy fix.

Forgot to ask, do you loosen your cam nuts/bolts when you grease?

I have been a little recently, but I’m paranoid because I’ve messed my alignment up once. I do mark the tabs but it’s never exact. I’ll back off the bolt until I can see the cam tab flex and then I’ll hit it w grease. I’ll even daily drive with the bolt looser than spec so the grease can get between the bushing and cam tab a little easier. It’s interesting because I’ve either heard folks have no issue, or they have the nasty squeak like I do. Oh and I’ve also put new bushings in about a month ago thinking that would help, but that just flushed $70 down the toilet. Thanks again!

 

[jrandom]

Sure I get that, you only have to loosen them enough so that when you purge the grease the extra pressure has a place to escape, else you risk bulging the bushings. You'll want to re-torque with the truck on the ground, wheels weighted.

It is super apparent with the upper control arm bushings, ask me how I know, learned that the hard way :boom:

Well poly bushings do wear out, so you are just ahead of the curve and have an extra set :thumb:

 

[Spungus]

Sure I get that, you only have to loosen them enough so that when you purge the grease the extra pressure has a place to escape, else you risk bulging the bushings. You'll want to re-torque with the truck on the ground, wheels weighted.

It is super apparent with the upper control arm bushings, ask me how I know, learned that the hard way :boom:

Well poly bushings do wear out, so you are just ahead of the curve and have an extra set :thumb:

Yep! I always loosen the UCA bolts for that reason, but TC put out a video saying not to loosen the cam bolts for the LCA greasing. But man, when I replaced the bushings, the old ones with less than 5k miles looked ROUGH, lol.

 

[jrandom]

Yep! I always loosen the UCA bolts for that reason, but TC put out a video saying not to loosen the cam bolts for the LCA greasing. But man, when I replaced the bushings, the old ones with less than 5k miles looked ROUGH, lol.

Haha, those gals/guys need to go through all there schematics/instructions and clear those things up. Think I'll just keep doing it the way I do, I have no issues, in fact I like pulling that hardware periodically because like you salt and mag chloride trashes the cam bolts.

I am surprised they were spent with that few miles! Wow :wow2: Good to know, thanks, I have to rebuild my front shocks this summer I'll pull my LCA's at the same time and check them.

Hey, just noticed, so how are those aluminum shock tubes holding up through your winters?

 

[Spungus]

Haha, those gals/guys need to go through all there schematics/instructions and clear those things up. Think I'll just keep doing it the way I do, I have no issues, in fact I like pulling that hardware periodically because like you salt and mag chloride trashes the cam bolts.

I am surprised they were spent with that few miles! Wow :wow2: Good to know, thanks, I have to rebuild my front shocks this summer I'll pull my LCA's at the same time and check them.

Hey, just noticed, so how are those aluminum shock tubes holding up through your winters?

Yea, they don't have as much info on the lowers as they do UCA's, but I'm starting to see why.

I got the Aluma's (Elka's) the same time as my lowers, about 6 months ago. They are awesome! One full and very snowy winter/spring and no signs of rust. Took them to Ocotillo in CA, Moab x2, and a few ski trips here since and nothing. In comparison, my steel RCI sliders are about to come off for some sand blasting and re-painting because of the rust for the 2nd time in 3 years.

Money enjoyed wasted isn't wasted money.

 

[ahtoxa11]

any kind of lean or movement makes it sound like I'm sailing a 17th century Spanish galleon through my neighborhood.

I'm of no help, but this made me laugh, thank you for the image.

On a serious note, I'm keeping tabs on this because I'm also in CO and I've been thinking about doing LCAs on my rig as well, but hesitant with poly bushings. I do run poly on the UCAs and they squeak a little, which is fine with me, but I don't want to have two Spanish galleons in CO.

 

[Spungus]

Sorry to go dark there for a bit, ended up breaking a rib about a month ago and couldn’t work on the rig.
I finally got to rebuilding the LCA’s using the amsoil grease that was recommended. I can’t get into an alignment shop until Tuesday so I will follow up after I get to drive it more. But the couple loops around the block have been squeak free so far! The real test is after a couple hundred miles, so I’ll make sure to follow up.

 

[Spungus]

Verdict

So for those interested, I have an update. After rebuilding with the Amsoil grease I am happy to report that after about 750 miles and two wheeling trips up in the rockies the squeak is almost non existent. I do have a subtle squeak on the pass. side that only makes noise when really flexing out but that is what I expected from the get-go. Driving on paved roads, they are virtually silent, so no more waking my neighbors up pulling into my driveway. So for whoever is looking into these, use the amsoil grease instead of the superlube recommended by Total Chaos.

Big shout out to everyone who replied and helped in this thread!:bump:

 

[GX4SEVEND]

Didn’t read everything through but I have the race version stock track width. Horrible squeaking. Ordered all new bushing from TC and had them reinstalled. Same thing. It’s the grease they recommend.

Went with a better choice and have had zero issues since.


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[rhadam]

So for those interested, I have an update. After rebuilding with the Amsoil grease I am happy to report that after about 750 miles and two wheeling trips up in the rockies the squeak is almost non existent. I do have a subtle squeak on the pass. side that only makes noise when really flexing out but that is what I expected from the get-go. Driving on paved roads, they are virtually silent, so no more waking my neighbors up pulling into my driveway. So for whoever is looking into these, use the amsoil grease instead of the superlube recommended by Total Chaos.

Big shout out to everyone who replied and helped in this thread!:bump:

Can you post a pic or link to the specific amsoil grease you purchased? Thank you!

 

[Spungus]

Amsoil

This stuff is great, just make sure you clean up the excess because a little bit flung onto my doors and it does not come off without excessive force.

 

[jrandom]

So for those interested, I have an update. After rebuilding with the Amsoil grease I am happy to report that after about 750 miles and two wheeling trips up in the rockies the squeak is almost non existent. I do have a subtle squeak on the pass. side that only makes noise when really flexing out but that is what I expected from the get-go. Driving on paved roads, they are virtually silent, so no more waking my neighbors up pulling into my driveway. So for whoever is looking into these, use the amsoil grease instead of the superlube recommended by Total Chaos.

Big shout out to everyone who replied and helped in this thread!:bump:

Nice to hear back (or not ) Glad it helped :thumb: Please check back in again when you double or triple the miles, especially if you start hearing something creep up

 

[tm965]

prothane bushing grease is what you seek. pricey but works.