Changing bushings. How much can be done with basic tools?

[TheTinkerer]

So I'm getting two kits. I can remove links if need be and replace with screen shots.

 

1. https://www.prothanesuspensionparts.com/162004

 

2. https://www.carid.com/energy-suspension/rear-control-arm-bushing-set-mpn-19-3105r.html

 

Assuming breaker bar, full set of sockets, jack stands, torch, and sheer determination... And locktite... And band aids...

 

How much of these can be done by hand? I got quoted way out of my budget for getting all of it done. My car wobbles and shakes over 45mph (and I've got an hour drive on highways 2x a day). Most of my rear bushings are completely gone so those will be most important.

 

I haven't really looked to see how easy /difficult this'll be. Just trying to get an idea.

 

Thanks guys!

 

Sent from my SM-N970U using Tapatalk

[Nonamedude]

Covertrussian has a walk through or maybe it's a link in his build thread about basically burning them out with a torch. Seems to be a good method. Otherwise you'll need to fully remove the arms and press them out I believe.

 

The steering rack bushings are supposedly a huge pain but don't need any special tools.

 

I'm sure there is a diy for the rear diff bushings, I think that one is most difficult but also shouldn't matter. The problems caused by those relate to the driveline thunk, not handling, unless it's moving a ton I guess.

 

However, are you sure this is your problem? What's your mileage? Condition of the tie rods and struts? I notice there are front control arm bushings but it likely wouldn't be that much more to buy replacement arms with them already loaded.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Nonamedude]

Also I'm not sure the torque specs on any of those but it might be good to get plenty of pb blaster, a cheater pipe, and some 6 sided sockets. For anything over 100ft lbs, with the rust on my car, it needs a 2 foot 1/2" 6 sided socket with all of my 200lbs behind it.

 

I actually had to jump on it while someone held the brakes for the wheel bearings. But that's at like 170ft lbs

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[dgoodhue]

The front lower control arms with torn pancake bushing can cause a higher speed wobble. I don't know how a 4th Gen rear suspension compares to the 5th Gen. On the 5th Gen, one needs drop the entire rear suspension & rear end to do a complete rebuild.

 

If it is just trying to fix your wobble, I would diagnose the issue further. You can just replace the entire front LCA, you don't have to deal with removing and pressing in bushings.

[TheTinkerer]

Covertrussian has a walk through or maybe it's a link in his build thread about basically burning them out with a torch. Seems to be a good method. Otherwise you'll need to fully remove the arms and press them out I believe.

 

The steering rack bushings are supposedly a huge pain but don't need any special tools.

 

I'm sure there is a diy for the rear diff bushings, I think that one is most difficult but also shouldn't matter. The problems caused by those relate to the driveline thunk, not handling, unless it's moving a ton I guess.

 

However, are you sure this is your problem? What's your mileage? Condition of the tie rods and struts? I notice there are front control arm bushings but it likely wouldn't be that much more to buy replacement arms with them already loaded.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

I looked under to see which bushing kits I would need and lost count. I've got symmetrical tearing and completely trashed bushings in the back and front.

 

Ball joints, tie rod ends, and everything else I could get to looked good. Bushings are 100% dead. Price for just the ones I needed would've come out to the same price-ish.

 

I can let go of the steering wheel and still go perfectly straight. It just wobbles like hell.

 

Struts are a little squishy but just barely at the beginning of going out.

 

I've got an 05 gt with 127k on it.

Edited February 7, 2020 by TheTinkerer

[TheTinkerer]

Also I'm not sure the torque specs on any of those but it might be good to get plenty of pb blaster, a cheater pipe, and some 6 sided sockets. For anything over 100ft lbs, with the rust on my car, it needs a 2 foot 1/2" 6 sided socket with all of my 200lbs behind it.

 

I actually had to jump on it while someone held the brakes for the wheel bearings. But that's at like 170ft lbs

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Got a couple cheater pipes and a few sets of sockets too. I'll def grab some pb blaster. I think I've only got half a can left

 

Sent from my SM-N970U using Tapatalk

[TheTinkerer]

The front lower control arms with torn pancake bushing can cause a higher speed wobble. I don't know how a 4th Gen rear suspension compares to the 5th Gen. On the 5th Gen, one needs drop the entire rear suspension & rear end to do a complete rebuild.

 

If it is just trying to fix your wobble, I would diagnose the issue further. You can just replace the entire front LCA, you don't have to deal with removing and pressing in bushings.

I don't know which bushing it is called, but the main ones in the front that are torn are the big vertical bushings closest to the doors. The rest of the front is perfectly fine. The big issue is the rear. And all of the arms in the rear are gone. Way too much money for all that.

 

So many of my bushings are gone lol. Traded my truck for this car and they were the main problem. Everything else was mostly cosmetic issues.

 

Sent from my SM-N970U using Tapatalk

[Nonamedude]

Yea that doesn't sound like a bushing problem. My bushings have 160k and are completely torn through as well and I have no speed wobble. I'm not saying it's not the bushings, but my rear lower control arm bushings (the ones by the drivers door) are totally torn through.

 

For not much more ($80-100 each) you can get new lower control arms with bushings and maybe ball joints installed.

 

Did you shake the tie rods? Mine looked fine but had lots of play in them. Also your rear bushings (mine are also shot) shouldn't cause wobbles unless your wheels had noticeable play in them. And if you're replacing them with poly bushings (those kits are) you're going to increase nvh.

 

Either way the bushings should be replaced eventually sure. I'm just not convinced they are your issue. They are good posts on how to do them without totally removing the arms from the vehicle.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Notorious]

Do you have a press at home? You can't burn out all of these bushings with a torch.

[dgoodhue]

I don't know which bushing it is called, but the main ones in the front that are torn are the big vertical bushings closest to the doors. The rest of the front is perfectly fine. The big issue is the rear. And all of the arms in the rear are gone. Way too much money for all that.

 

The ones closest to the doors are horizontal. Your rear bushing maybe trashed, but the torn front horizontal bushing will cause the vibrations at high speeds like you describe.

[Nonamedude]

My mistake. Those are the ones I was talking about.

 

I still think the effort involved, I'd just buy new arms. Especially if on a budget. Or get junk yard arms and get them all pressed in /out and then do the swap.

 

You'd still need an alignment after all this right?

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[TheTinkerer]

Yea that doesn't sound like a bushing problem. My bushings have 160k and are completely torn through as well and I have no speed wobble. I'm not saying it's not the bushings, but my rear lower control arm bushings (the ones by the drivers door) are totally torn through.

 

For not much more ($80-100 each) you can get new lower control arms with bushings and maybe ball joints installed.

 

Did you shake the tie rods? Mine looked fine but had lots of play in them. Also your rear bushings (mine are also shot) shouldn't cause wobbles unless your wheels had noticeable play in them. And if you're replacing them with poly bushings (those kits are) you're going to increase nvh.

 

Either way the bushings should be replaced eventually sure. I'm just not convinced they are your issue. They are good posts on how to do them without totally removing the arms from the vehicle.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Been busting my ass at work. Sorry for the late reply.

 

Put my hands on everything. Twice now. Had to pull the turbo off so I got to spend quite a bit of time under there a couple weeks ago. Grabbed a hold of anything I could. Nothing had any play. Only thing I could find were completely blown bushings. A couple are just a thin rubber layer on the outer wall.

 

Nothing has anything leaking, bent, or loose. Nothing obvious at least. I'll prob take it to a dealership for the new recall on one of these days off. If they'll do a cheap once over on the whole thing, and give me a printout of all the bad stuff, I would be thrilled.

 

I wanted to go with poly because I don't want to ever have to do this again. I fell in love with this car the first time I sat in it. I'm either keeping it for as long as possible, or I'll try to get the flat 6 version. I don't remember what year it was but found one on craigslist for like 5k. And it was manual. Sounds heavenly and I wouldn't have to worry about an exploding turbo.

 

But back to this car... didn't go with the whole arms because of cost. I just bought oil, trans fluid, and bushings and that ate my play money for this paycheck. These are also the biggest issues/concerns with this car right now. Just replacing the 6 worst bushings (4 rear, 2 front) would've cost me almost 145 just for the bushings. And def not ones I could do myself very easily.

 

Since way more were messed up and I found both these kits together for just over 200; went with these. Figured I could replace what I could first. Afterwards, find someone/where with air tools and a press for the rest.

 

As for the NHV (nvh?) I don't mind it at all. I like feeling the road. Especially when it rains. And I'm super curious as to how well this car handles/feels. I've gotten glimpses. Even with blown bushings... turns, passing, acceleration, everything feels way better than my wife's v6 Camry.

 

Feel like I'm blabbing now and I can't see a full your full quote on my phone. Don't remember what else was in your reply [emoji1787]

 

Sent from my SM-N970U using Tapatalk

[TheTinkerer]

Do you have a press at home? You can't burn out all of these bushings with a torch.

I don't. I can get hella creative though. My main question is which are the easiest, no press required, bushings to replace. I don't mind it taking a while or requiring some muscle. That way I can do those and use a shop for as little as possible. I'm not poor, but I'm far from rich.

 

Sent from my SM-N970U using Tapatalk

[TheTinkerer]

The ones closest to the doors are horizontal. Your rear bushing maybe trashed, but the torn front horizontal bushing will cause the vibrations at high speeds like you describe.

If they're the really big one, yeah. Those are legit just a1/4" wall of rubber on the very outside. There's a small chunk of rubber still attached the the sleeve, but not much.

 

Surprisingly the car drives perfectly straight. Just vibrates a lot. Describing it as a wobble may be incorrect. The wheel itself may just be spinning and the entire control arm is what's shaking. Either way it buzzes over 45. 70ish gets wiggly with bumps in the road. I pucker up a bit when I go down a hill and don't notice I hit 75; gets really wobbly. I refuse to go over 80.

 

Sent from my SM-N970U using Tapatalk

[TheTinkerer]

My mistake. Those are the ones I was talking about.

 

I still think the effort involved, I'd just buy new arms. Especially if on a budget. Or get junk yard arms and get them all pressed in /out and then do the swap.

 

You'd still need an alignment after all this right?

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

If I can find a spec b getting parted out or a junkyard with the arms, I might go that route. Gotta wait at least 3 weeks though. Moving next weekend and that's gonna cost all my play money next paycheck. Since I'm getting a bunch of other bushings though, might as well get started on the rest. It'll be a nice upgrade/repair.

 

I'll prob need an alignment. I don't know how this car drives straight, but it does. I can let go of the steering wheel completely. A pinky for changing lanes.

 

Sent from my SM-N970U using Tapatalk

[Nonamedude]

OK sounds like you're on the right track then.

 

Check out the mevotech arms. They have poly bushings already and the Spec B, even parted out, are extremely expensive.

 

Remember that your mounting point might change some with the new bushings so you might still need an alignment after.

 

If you're trying to go as cheap as possible, start with just the fronts and go from there since you have some confirmation that could cause the problem.

 

Sucks you're having to do this so soon though. My car went from the north east to the mountains of North Carolina to utah and doesn't sound like my bushings are near as bad as yours.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[covertrussian]

You guys made me get off my lazy butt and finally post this up: Complete Bushing Guide for BL/BP

[Nonamedude]

You guys made me get off my lazy butt and finally post this up: Complete Bushing Guide for BL/BP

 

Fan-friggin-tastic. Much appreciated