How long to replace suspension bushings?

[WDoherty]

I want to do this all the way around on my sc, i'm pretty handy with mechanical work, but would like to hear from those who have done it. How long does it take to remove and replace the suspension bushings upper and lower per side front and rear?
thanks,
will

 

[xirforever]

Its quite the job to do, youll probably end up doing front one day and rear the next, unless you have like a saturday and you have nothing else to do at all. I didnt time it, but when i replace my front upper controll arm bushings it took me like 3.5 hours for each side. Then again there was no tutorial when i was doing it. I made one and it will be on lextremes site when i email him the pictures sepretly. I havent done the front lower controll arms, but they look to be easier than the upper ones. I havent touched the rear at all eathier. Just be ready for the long haull and good luck man. Let us know how long it ends up taking you.

 

[Lextreme II]

pictures are misssing. I hope Xir will send them to me so i can upload them... its a very good article by Nick B. http://www.lextreme.com/controlarm.html

 

[WDoherty]

thanks gentlemen

 

[The Witzl]

how did you manage to remove and replace the bushings on the upper and lower control arms when they are PRESSED IN??

I would do everything else EXCEPT try to press bushes in an out!

Im in the process of doing the same in my crown on my lower control arms, easy to take the parts out, but no chance of gettin the bushes in and out properly without a press. Things like swaybar mounts and castor rods are no issue though.... you can just unbolt those

Have fun under there

 

[Lextreme II]

burn baby burn...... if you dont use the press, then u need to burn the bushing for about 20 minutes...... However, if you use press and a torch, then its much faster. Use the press...

 

[xirforever]

how did you manage to remove and replace the bushings on the upper and lower control arms when they are PRESSED IN??

I would do everything else EXCEPT try to press bushes in an out!

Im in the process of doing the same in my crown on my lower control arms, easy to take the parts out, but no chance of gettin the bushes in and out properly without a press. Things like swaybar mounts and castor rods are no issue though.... you can just unbolt those

Have fun under there

Take a look at the article.... its explains how to, it takes a long time for the whole job but it isnt too hard to do. Your right, its pressed in, thats why you destroy it so you can take it out, then you press in the new one. The new ones and old ones have different designs.

 

[The Witzl]

or do what i did.... spend the hour or so removing them one night, drop them into local workshop on way to work next morning, pick them up on way home, reinstall that night... there in saving a few hours of pissfarting around and only costing around $50 depending on how nice a guy the workshop bloke is


but yes, i see how you removed them now. I dont like the idea though.....

 

[stevechumo]

I want to do this all the way around on my sc, i'm pretty handy with mechanical work, but would like to hear from those who have done it. How long does it take to remove and replace the suspension bushings upper and lower per side front and rear?
thanks,
will

I installed my SC bushings using the pit arm puller as Lextreme noted with his link. Many thanks to Lextreme. It took me 2 days to finish everything. I did the front upper arms on both sides, then the front lower arms. They're similar jobs so it saved me time. Spray some WD-40 to the upper joints to loosen them up, then knock them out from the side. Spray WD-40 to the lowers too, then using the pit arm puller to pull them out. It could help by knocking it a few times before press them out. However, don't damage the knuckle. Buy a propane torch at Home Depot for $10, heat them up then use the pit arm puller with the washer to push out the old bushings. You don't need to use any press at all. Then everything else is per bushings' manufacturer's instruction. One last thing, to save your effort in the future, re-grease the ball joints. Good luck!

 

[WDoherty]

I haven't installed any bushings yet but now i'm considering it. The rear has considerable negative camber which i'm worried will wear the rear tires out more quickly. This also means i haven't rotated my tires b/c i image will mess up all of the tires. I had a lexus dealership do a four-wheel alignment, but it came back with the same negative rear camber. I wonder if they just didn't try to pull the negative camber out, or if the rear bushes would simply not allow it and the adjusting cams were maxed out. I've thought of trying to adjust the cams myself, i.e. make the lower arms shorter and uppers longer, but not sure if that will mess up other aspects of alignment, caster toe-in, or whatever. Another situation i have is that i broke a lugnut by overtighting it (did so after friend had wheel come off and rolled his truck with a trailer) and its time for inspection. Unfortunately i tried to replace it by removing the wheel, caliper, and disc, but the control arms and hub carrier have to comeout to pull the hub which the lug resides. Therefore, i might just order some daizen rear bushings and do it all at once. Sound like the right thing to do, seems odd though to do all the rear bushes first, instead of front?