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replacing stock control arm bushings...

Ben824

NAXJA Forum User
Location
Woodstock, GA
So I am fairly confident that the stock upper control arm bushings on my 97 4x4 arm shot and need replacing. I want to go long arms in the near future when I have the money so I don't want to drop cash on some aftermarket upgrades that will just get replaced. I saw on quadratec.com that they have stock replacement bushings for $6.99.

My question is how hard is it to replace the bushings and are there any special tools required to do it?
 
Replacing bushings is pretty simple. A ball joint press and a Big F*&%ing Hammer may come in handy.
 
Its a pita,why not just buy new stock arms,they are cheap enough
 
Ball joint press will usually push them out, assuming you have the extenders to reach.

UCA_Ball_Joint_Press.sized.jpg


Worst case scenario, get the rubber out then use a sawzall to make small cuts in the outer sleeve. It will fall right out once the tension is released.

UCA_Sawzall.sized.jpg


Once they are out use anti-sieze on the outer sleeve of the new bushings before you press them in. This will make removal easier next time.
 
Its a pita,why not just buy new stock arms,they are cheap enough

The only ones I will be replacing is the upper control arm bushings which are still original stock. Since the UCAs only have one bushing in them and I will still have to go through all the trouble to do the axle end I figured why not save some cash and only pay for bushings. Worse comes to worse I will just take the arms to a local 4x4 shop that I have gotten to know and talk him into changing them out for me for a fair price.

I know spraying down bolts with PB blaster or other penetrating oils days in advance before attempting to remove them helps out alot but could this work here as well?
 
I beat mine out with a hammer and a piece or pipe
Put in freezer over night and beat back in with hammer and a piece of pipe working your away around it its a lil slow but only took about 3 minutes of small swings the harder swings only dented the metal.
Good luck
 
Split out and trim to shape some wooden wedges, and stick them in the hollow of the control arms (and PS axle mount) to keep them from deforming when pressing/beating the bushings out.
 
Its not as hard as its made out to be. Yes it's a pain in the A but i managed to spray it with some PB blaster and a big flat head. Work your way around it and it will weaken the collar. Eventually it will fall out. Takes a couple wacks but it will come out. Installing it was easy too. I got a big 2x4 and beat it till it went in all the way. An extra set of hands comes in handy.

Good luck!
 
One thing that has concerned me is getting the bolts out.... how likely are they to be seized in the bushing sleeves?

I just did my lower control arm bushings and the driver rear bolt was seized to the bushing sleeve... WHAT A PITA THAT WAS TO GET OUT! Not to mention I had to rethread the bolt with a 9/16x12 Die.
 
i usually burn them out on the stock rubber then go to poly since the poly can be pressed in and out easily and greased.
 
Best way I have found is to DRILL out the bushing around the center section. Just use a drill bit and make many holes till you are able to push the old ones out. Then use a small wire wheel and clean up the inside. Grease and hammer in new bushings... Done
 
I finally got around to changing the UCA bushings a couple of weeks ago and I found that Advance Auto Parts actually rents a tool called Control Arm Bushing Tool. I rented that and it looked alot like a Ball Joint tool like the one pictured on the first page but it had pieces specific for bushings. Used the tool to get them out and BFH and some grease to get the new ones back in. The passenger side was very easy didn't take much effort to get it in and out. The driver side required much more convincing to get out and took a lot to go back in but eventually it went in but the whole process was much easier than I expected.
 
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