Lower control arm bushings......oh what a PITA this is going to be.

Topic: Lower control arm bushings......oh what a PITA this is going to be. (Read 2984 times) previous topic - next topic

Lower control arm bushings......oh what a PITA this is going to be.

June 26, 2009, 07:11:43 PM

So I've been alerted by the 88 that it is time for new control arm bushings. It was on my list of things to do but it just got bumped to the front of the list. Here's why:

I was driving the car yesterday and I noticed a shimmy/shake in the steering wheel at about 65-75 mph. Above or below that it was fine-ish but I could still feel some shimmy at 80 mph. I swapped tires from front to back but felt no difference. I figured that it has to be a suspension issue. In the last 3 years the car has had new: struts, strut mounts, steering rack, inner and outer tie rods, roters, calipers, brake hoses, and pads. All these components have less than 3,000 miles on them. The only components left that have 21 years and 130,000 miles on them are the front ball joints and the lower control arm bushings. So I jack up the front of the car. I loaded up the driver's front ball joint and wiggled the bottom of the wheel. No movement and the wear indicator is still fine. I then grab the wheel at 3 and 9 and wiggle. It moves back and forth more than normal. I look at the control arm and watch as it moves back and forth with the wheel:hick:. Turns out the wear has gone beyond the pop I got from it on occasion when braking. I look and sure enough the rubber is worn around the inner bushing sleve alowing it to wiggle at speed.

So now that I have to replace the control arm bushings I'm going to replace the ball joints too (might as well;)). I'm going to use all MOOG parts but the bushings look to be a royal PITA. I don't mind doing the ball joints but I really don't want to do the control arm bushings. I have a mechanic friend (who's shop I used for the engine swapp) who said if I get the balljoints and control arm bushings he could change them for $200. Does that sound like a deal?

Also do I need to have an alignment done after replacing the control arm bushings and ball joints? I figure as long as the tie rod is not moved it *should* be fine correct?

Lower control arm bushings......oh what a PITA this is going to be.

Reply #1 – June 26, 2009, 08:14:00 PM

Man I would just give the dude $200

...I like working on my car when its fun stuff, but jobs like that just piss me off!!

Lower control arm bushings......oh what a PITA this is going to be.

Reply #2 – June 26, 2009, 08:14:40 PM

I swapped the strut mounts,ball joints,lower a-frames,and had to have an alignment.You really need to do that once everything is swapped.I used SN-95 lower a-frames I got from Chuck.Swapping the pair of a-frames (already had great bushings in them) is a lot easier than swapping the bushings.The a-frames are actually pretty easy to do swap,and we did the ball joints in Autozone....actually,they did it for me.....free installation.LOL.

Lower control arm bushings......oh what a PITA this is going to be.

Reply #3 – June 26, 2009, 08:40:41 PM

I don't have any spare lower control arms so I have to re-use the ones on the car :hick:.

Is it really going to need an alignment? I thought that basically alignment adjustments were made with the tie rods so if they are not disturbed (I know they have to be removed from the spindle but I mean as long as they aren't turned) it *should* be fine. If it does then hell it's only $60 to get an alignment. I had the car aligned after all the other stuff was replaced so this is just one more alignment.

Lower control arm bushings......oh what a PITA this is going to be.

Reply #4 – June 26, 2009, 08:51:48 PM

I would probably just get new front control arms. Probably the 03-04 cobra ones. They are cheap but i forget how much.

Lower control arm bushings......oh what a PITA this is going to be.

Reply #5 – June 27, 2009, 09:30:48 AM

Quote from: thunderjet302;279897

I don't have any spare lower control arms so I have to re-use the ones on the car :hick:.

.

I should have another set of SN-95 LCA's sans ball joints.

Lower control arm bushings......oh what a PITA this is going to be.

Reply #6 – June 27, 2009, 08:41:34 PM

Alignment is done at the tie rods,and the strut mounts as well.But when parts are really old,you may be surprised how much the bushings and other parts effect the alignment.

Get the a-frames from Chuck if he has them.It'll be worth the effort,and you need new ball joints anyway.I did all the work on mine in about 3 hours taking my time(strut mounts,springs,a frames).

Lower control arm bushings......oh what a PITA this is going to be.

Reply #7 – June 27, 2009, 09:12:34 PM

Well I have the T-bird ball joints (MOOG) but not the bushings yet. I can get a brand new set of FRPP 03-04 Cobra control arms (M-3705-D) from the speed parts guy by me for $180. I figure I could just get those, pop out the Cobra ball joints, and pop in the MOOG T-bird ones. IIRC I can't use the Cobra ball joints unless I grind the spindle down, which is silly since I already have the T-bird specific ball joints

I'll probably just get the car aligned. It can't hurt :D It should be a fun 4th of July weekend for me swapping out the control arms.

Lower control arm bushings......oh what a PITA this is going to be.

Reply #8 – June 28, 2009, 09:56:43 PM

Oww ahh a pic :hick:. It's hard to get good lighting under the car when it's on jack stands but I did my best. This is the front bushing on the driver's side control arm. As you can see the ruber part seems to have separated from the *bolt tube* on the inside and sticks out past the bushing. The top of the bushing touches the control arm mount where as the bottom of the bushing does not. It looks like it's angled from top to bottom. That might explain the clunk when braking and vibrating over 70 mph

Lower control arm bushings......oh what a PITA this is going to be.

Reply #9 – June 29, 2009, 12:22:40 AM

I did the control are bushings, search threads under suspention tech then jcassity.

It took a long time to find out my noise was not the control arms.

getting an alignment is best because the car may have been aligned in the past with worn parts. adding new stuff might effect your steering to the left or right.

I notice that the sterring column connection at the rack/pinion is fool proof and can be installed only one way. Now when I put on all new front end parts, my sterring wheel is pen 15ed slightly to the left. I need an alignment. This was not happening prior to the control arm bushing install. I also have new tires,, best get an alignment as well and the tires rotated.

Lower control arm bushings......oh what a PITA this is going to be.

Reply #10 – June 29, 2009, 11:42:14 AM

Oh I read your thread. That made me not want to do the bushings;). I know my problem is the arms as I can wiggle the arm and get it to make the pop noise. What did your noise end up being?

Lower control arm bushings......oh what a PITA this is going to be.

Reply #11 – June 29, 2009, 11:45:50 AM

Quote from: shame302;279900

I would probably just get new front control arms. Probably the 03-04 cobra ones.

Ditto.

Lower control arm bushings......oh what a PITA this is going to be.

Reply #12 – June 29, 2009, 11:56:39 AM

Quote from: shame302;279900

I would probably just get new front control arms. Probably the 03-04 cobra ones. They are cheap but i forget how much.

Quote from: JeremyB;280169

Ditto.

I'm picking up a set tomorrow.:D Now I just gotta change out the ball joints and I'll be good to go.

Lower control arm bushings......oh what a PITA this is going to be.

Reply #13 – June 30, 2009, 06:49:02 AM

What, if any are the differences in our arms / 87-93 mustang and the cobra arms? Are the cobra arms shorter like the 87-93 ones? I guess what i am asking is, what is the benefit of the cobra arms???

Lower control arm bushings......oh what a PITA this is going to be.

Reply #14 – June 30, 2009, 08:48:18 AM

87-88 T-birds and Cougars use the same arms as 94-04 Mustangs. The only difference is that the 87-88 T-birds/Cougars have different ball joints than the 94-04 Mustang. The arm stamping and bushings interchange but the ball joints don't. To use the the FRPP 03-04 Cobra control arms on a 87-88 T-bird/Cougar all you have to do is swap in the T-bird/Cougar ball joints and they bolt right in.

The 87-93 Mustang and 83-86 T-bird/Cougar use the same control arms. No mods needed to bolt 87-93 Mustang arms to 83-86 T-birds/Cougars.