2005 and later Legacy and Outback owners: Tearing control arm bushings?

[itsme]

http://i22.photobucket.com/albums/b328/cmgtstan/IMG00206.jpg

http://i22.photobucket.com/albums/b328/cmgtstan/IMG00207.jpg

 

My ripped LCA bushing.

 

How are the bushings from turninconcepts.com working out for those that purchased them?

Which bushing are you talikng about? If you are talking about the poly ones. They are great.

[cmgtstan]

I was referring to the poly ones.

 

Looks as if its gonna be kinda hard to find some superpro's anytime soon. I was thinking of just replacing with OEM bushings. How long do you think they will last with pinks installed?

[itsme]

Did you try AVO or fastwrx.com

[cmgtstan]

They state that the LCA Bushings are no longer available

[itsme]

They state that the LCA Bushings are no longer available

They are still listed on AVO site.

[cmgtstan]

They are still listed on AVO site.

 

Could you post a link?

[yakker]

^^^ +1 ^^^

 

I need a set of poly LCA bushings and have checked several online vendors...all out of stock. Anyone know where to find a set?

 

I was told by one vendor that Spec B bushings might be more reliable, but I'm doubting they're any different than other model's.

[itsme]

Could you post a link?

http://www.avoturboworld.com/avoshop/product_info.php?cPath=1_58_3_66&products_id=397

[yakker]

Thanks itsme,

 

I saw that part on Rallitek's site, and when I called to confirm I had the right part they told me it was a bushing set for the rear of the car. ?? Didn't make sense to me at the time, so I continued looking...

[itsme]

Thanks itsme,

 

I saw that part on Rallitek's site, and when I called to confirm I had the right part they told me it was a bushing set for the rear of the car. ?? Didn't make sense to me at the time, so I continued looking...

I just called and talked to Paul at AVO he says he has them in stock. So call and ask for Paul. We couldn't figure out who you spoke to.

[fastwagon76]

It is very easy to do on our cars. After you jack up the car and get the wheels off the ground. The LCA is held on at 3 points

1. You take off the nut that holds on your old bushing that you are going to replace.

2. Next where you control arm meets the strut. You have a horizontal bolt at the ball joint. If you take that bolt out the LCA will separate. You may have to tap i down but it will come off.

3. Next you just take off the last bolt that the connects the LCA to the chassis. Take that off and the LCA will be out.

I may have made it sound really simple because it is. I though it would be a PITA before I look at it. then I had it off in about 10 minutes.

 

The only "hard part" is that you have to get the bushing pressed in. Since you got the "0" bushings you can take the LCA and bushing to any machine shop and get it pressed in. If they can do universal joints they can do this. Even some auto part stores can do it. I hope that helps.

 

I wish mine were going that well. So far, I have stripped two of the endlink bolts, broken one of the horizontal ball joint bolts, and I still haven't been able to loosen the control arm from the ball joint (or the steering knuckle for that matter). Was your's new when you did this? Everything about mine seems to be rusted to one piece. Any other suggestions for separating the control arm from the knuckle???

[itsme]

I wish mine were going that well. So far, I have stripped two of the endlink bolts, broken one of the horizontal ball joint bolts, and I still haven't been able to loosen the control arm from the ball joint (or the steering knuckle for that matter). Was your's new when you did this? Everything about mine seems to be rusted to one piece. Any other suggestions for separating the control arm from the knuckle???

Wow. Sorry to here that. Mine was about a year old. But I live in SoCal and we don't get snow and road salt and etc.... How did you strip the end links? You have to use a Allen key to keep the nut from just spinning. Spray everything with WD-40 or liquid wrench and let it soak. Once the bolt by the ball joint is out should come out. Just hit the control arm down.

[Irrational Exuberance]

mine were this way at about 7kmiles when i replaced with perrin PSRS

[cmgtstan]

http://www.avoturboworld.com/avoshop/product_info.php?cPath=1_58_3_66&products_id=397

 

 

Are there LCA bushings available that dont add caster besides the OEM ones?

[itsme]

Are there LCA bushings available that dont add caster besides the OEM ones?

He has the offset in stock and the standard are on the way.

[fastwagon76]

Wow. Sorry to here that. Mine was about a year old. But I live in SoCal and we don't get snow and road salt and etc.... How did you strip the end links? You have to use a Allen key to keep the nut from just spinning. Spray everything with WD-40 or liquid wrench and let it soak. Once the bolt by the ball joint is out should come out. Just hit the control arm down.

 

Stripped out the hex on the end of the ball stud (on account of the nut being rusted to the stud). I'll probably be working on it again today after work, but I am starting to think the shop would have earned their $400 for doing this work.

[wheatleya]

Turninconcepts has them in stock even though their website says they don't. They have both regular and high offset.

[yakker]

Turninconcepts has them in stock even though their website says they don't. They have both regular and high offset.

 

 

No dice at turninconcepts. They have high offfset and mixed offset, no regular. Apparently the US distributor for SuperPro has changed and is dropping the ball on actual distribution to their dealers.

[yakker]

Since the zero offset bushings from any manufactuer are basically extinct(Perrin's solid units excluded), is there any down side to using offset versions? My OBXT's front wheels sit pretty close to the front of the wheel well as it is, I'm guessing the increased caster will only rake them out and place them closer. Do I have this right, or is my thinking off base?

[wheatleya]

I really like the improved feel of the high offset bushings. The steering is much improved.

[yakker]

Are there LCA bushings available that dont add caster besides the OEM ones?

 

 

FWIW, I gave up on looking for non-offset bushings and ordered a set of Spec B bushings from www.subarupartswarehouse.com . I'll report back and let you guys know if there is actually any difference from the cracking tennis ball versions. For $40, it's a cheap shot in the dark.

 

I would have gone with the AVO offsets, but my OBXTs wheels have no room in the well to move further forward since the wheel/tire combo fills more of the gap in the well, and the wheels have a forward well bias to begin with.

[ama0787]

I have this problem on my 06 spec B with 40,000 miles on it trying to figure out what to do now.

[bluesuby]

FWIW, I gave up on looking for non-offset bushings and ordered a set of Spec B bushings from www.subarupartswarehouse.com . I'll report back and let you guys know if there is actually any difference from the cracking tennis ball versions. For $40, it's a cheap shot in the dark.

 

I would have gone with the AVO offsets, but my OBXTs wheels have no room in the well to move further forward since the wheel/tire combo fills more of the gap in the well, and the wheels have a forward well bias to begin with.

 

If these work out, can you post part number(s)? Are they made from the same rubber material or are they upgraded from stock?

[camflan]

Well it seems this is the cause of my steering wheel shimmy that I've had since I bought the car (at 48k, 2.5 months ago). I've had my car into several shops and all they attribute the shimmy to "crap roads, hard tires".

 

Last time I had it in the shop, the tech said he heard of the shimmy being caused by these torn bushings at his last tech school he attended, so he put it up on the rack and found that mine were torn and showed me. The service manager told me it was not under warranty, "well within spec", that "you'd hear all kinds of noise if those were actually dead", and that he would "do me a favor and replace both sides for $400" but that he "couldn't guarantee that it was even the problem".

 

sigh… looks like I'll just have to buy my own aftermarket bushings and install them myself.. I've spent enough in fuel driving 30 miles to and from my dealership, with no results, to pay for this already.

[ama0787]

Yakker ,

 

You said spec B bushings are they different than the GT's? I have a 06 spec B and it looks to me like my bushing is cracking there I assumed we had the same ones until I read your post.

 

TIA,

Anthony