Need Control Arm Bushings- Replace bushings or Arms?

Need some advice on this one.

Lower control arm bushings for $8 a piece or I can can buy the whole arm, with bushings already installed for $35

As for uppers, I only see the Axle side bushing listed, and its $7. I see the whole upper arm for $30 bucks and it comes with the frame side bushing. So as far as the uppers go, looks like I need to buy the arm, and the the axle side bushing.

Then that leaves the question about the lower arms, Do I just buy the whole arm, and bolt it in and be done, or do I buy the individual bushings and spend all the time to drive out the old bushings and drive in the new ones?

Time is money.. but I've got more time than money, so I'm looking for advice from someone who had done it the hard way.

I've heard they're a real pain to change due to the stamped construction of the arms. You might want to consider WJ lower arms. They are supposed to have better bushings that smooth out the ride. They are also fully boxed = stronger and are bent inward to allow bigger tires on stock wheels.
WJ= Grand Cherokee '99-'04
Or you could probably find some late-model XJ arms. Or you could probably change them out, but it'll likely be a pain. I remember one member having to burn out the rubber, sawzall the metal, etc.

not that hard to change them out, but if you are stock ride height just replace them with WJ uppers and lowers for better handling and ride

Do you have access to a press? Just put an appropriate size socket or two to keep the CA from collapsing and press the old out. You can usually just use a vice to press the new ones in.

No press? Sawzall and a hammer and punch to get the old out, use a vice to press the new in.

I don't have easy access to a press, but I do now and then.. I would think that the fully boxed WJ arms wouldn't allow for as much flex. I guess I'll price them.. if they are the same price.. then maybe..



Edit: The WJ uppers are about the same price, but the lowers are double the price of the XJ's..

Salvage yard and put new bushings in if you want the WJ style.

I think in my case it isn't worth doing the WJ swap. I'll be running 30' x 9.5 tires which I don't think will rub the stock control arms.. right? (without adjusting the stops)

stephenspann27 said:

I think in my case it isn't worth doing the WJ swap. I'll be running 30' x 9.5 tires which I don't think will rub the stock control arms.. right? (without adjusting the stops)

Click to expand...

Just curious, but if you plan on running larger than stock tires, why don't you feel it necessary to upgrade the suspension to compensate?

30's are not that much larger. I'm also not convinced that installing WJ won't change my camber of alignment..

I just torched out the old bushings on my leaves and axle and am installing new CAs with bushings. I had to remove the sleeves on the leaves to install the Daystars(I used a die-grinder to cut a slot, then pulled them out). The axle bushing sleeve stays(at least with the daystars), so know what you gotta do before you do too much.

I'm planning on buying all OEM from Quadratec..

I have to do my leafs also, I plan on just replacing my shackles rather than trying to replaced the shackle bushings.

These bushings were all fine before I started wheeling the jeep, they went to crap in no time. Old hard bushings don't like to flex.

Back to the WJ arms... .when the axles articulates, the control arms twist allowing the flex, if the WJ arms are fully boxed, seems like they would be stiffer, and it would put more stress on the bushings. (more flex in the bushing rather than the control arm. Fully boxed is fine if one of the end of the arm has a hiem joint (or similar) on it.