How to: change control arm bushings

Jenni · Post by **Jenni** » Sat Feb 10, 2007 6:14 am

To change the control arm bushings is not tooo heavy at all. Very helpful are a lifting platform, bench vice, one impact screwdriver and 3 hours time. Special tool is not needed.
1. buy bushings. In the picture PU-bushings for the PT Cruiser

Front end jack up and

remove front wheels

Then remove the anti-roll bar. That is relatively simple...

We began on the driver's side. Screw from rear bushing remove. Those is at least 20" long and sticks much, like all the others also…

front screw remove

remove 3rd screw (behind the brake)

and in such a way the part looks then

Now it becomes excitingly: The old bushings must be removed. We squeezed the bushings out with the help of a bench vice.

Now the old rubber bushes must be removed from the metal bush. We burned that rubber things down

and then the remainders with a knife removed.

The new bushings can be pressed in then completely easily with a bench vice

and in such a way the whole looks then with new bushings

Installation completely simply in reverse order.

Next the passenger side. There one of the screws for the control arm hides itself BEHIND the lower engine mounting .

this must be removed thus

The rest is here exactly the same as on the driver's side. To assemble the joint must be the control arm pressed downward with a as long as possible lever.

And thus the whole would be finished...

A view into our garage

Thank you at Martin for the large assistance!!!

Please excuse my google-english...

latief · Post by **latief** » Sat Feb 10, 2007 9:39 am

excellent write up!!

kc2005ptgt · Post by **kc2005ptgt** » Sat Feb 10, 2007 11:51 am

Wohnst du in Berlin?
Ich nahm ein wenig deutsches in der Schule, so ist es nicht ganz gutes das! Dein Auto schaut prima! Die Informationen ist gut, danke!

Marthby · Post by **Marthby** » Sat Feb 10, 2007 2:33 pm

Very nice right up!

Post by **Canada** » Sat Feb 10, 2007 5:52 pm

great write up! Is that Marrakas car on the hoist in the last picture...

Jenni · Post by **Jenni** » Sat Feb 10, 2007 10:09 pm

No, thats my car. Marakka has american licence plates.

Yes, it is in Berlin and i live there.
Your german sounds good...

Post by **Canada** » Sun Feb 11, 2007 5:25 pm

I'm sorry. I forgot you went to the 2003+ rear end and installed the lights n the bumper. It looks really good!

JerryR · Post by **JerryR** » Sun May 24, 2009 5:15 pm

going to use your HT next week i'll recive my bushings from modernperformance. thanx for the writeup

BlackRoseRacing · Post by **BlackRoseRacing** » Mon May 25, 2009 8:48 am

before you tear into the car, pick up some Liquid Wrench L112 penetrant.
http://www.gunk.com/CAT_L112.asp
The reason I specify this spray, it's the same formula as the Mopar penetrant that runs 3 times the price.
Spray this penetrant into the frame rail hole soaking the bolt and nut for the LCA bushing.This bolt is known to be a pain in the but to remove and soaking it a head of time will ease in the removal.

GWing · Post by **GWing** » Mon May 25, 2009 5:21 pm

one question.....how do you remove the vertical bushing from the control arm? what do you use to remove it a bench vice and????? HALP! HALP!!!!!

Boyscoutgonebad · Post by **Boyscoutgonebad** » Mon May 25, 2009 11:28 pm

GWing wrote:one question.....how do you remove the vertical bushing from the control arm? what do you use to remove it a bench vice and????? HALP! HALP!!!!!

Fire! I just used the Acetylene torch and burned them all out. Small propane torch would work as well, it'll just take a little longer.

Passt · Post by **Passt** » Tue May 26, 2009 7:26 am

Haha "google-english". Great write-up, thank you

randomZERO · Post by **randomZERO** » Mon Jun 22, 2009 8:41 pm

Excelent writeup. Just finished the front end up and it wasn't bad at all. I soaked everything in wd40 as soon as I thought about doing this and again when I ordered the bushings and one last time the night before the install. My verticals fell out upon removal which was real encouraging but the new ones made me fall inlove with my car again. The best way to get the old bushings out is to heat the collars in the center of the bushings then have a friend or in my case my dad take a deep socket and an extension and tap out the collar once the bushings around it melts the just push the rubber out. Rear will be easier because I'm swapping in dcr adjustable control arms. Oh the only bolts I had problems with was the swaybar bracket bolts snapping but I ordered all new stuff for that anyways so fuck them. But yes as others have said propane at the very least is necesary to do this.

moorepower1 · Post by **moorepower1** » Sat Aug 08, 2009 9:44 pm

Just a notation, on a 2000 atx, I found out today that you have to drop the K member on the drivers side to get the front bolt out. It hits the trans case when it is only half out. It is just one more bolt so it is not that big of deal.

nerox · Post by **nerox** » Sun Dec 20, 2009 10:54 am

mine had an advisory on MOT that these need changing (not sure if it means both sides)

it seems though that you cant buy just the bushings in England so i have bought the pair of entire replacement arms .... not looking forward to doing it though.

I can change oil, plugs, other service items, brake discs, exhaust etc just the basics but i dont know if i will be able to do this, never tried it before!

c987long · Post by **c987long** » Sun Dec 20, 2009 11:50 am

Boyscoutgonebad wrote:
GWing wrote:one question.....how do you remove the vertical bushing from the control arm? what do you use to remove it a bench vice and????? HALP! HALP!!!!!
Fire! I just used the Acetylene torch and burned them all out. Small propane torch would work as well, it'll just take a little longer.

i soaked them in brake cleaner, then took out a lighter.. and it was cool.. imo

nerox · Post by **nerox** » Thu Apr 01, 2010 5:19 pm

have bought new arms and put the prothane bushings onto them.

have burned out the old ones no problem, cleaned it all up and got the horizontal one in real easily and i can press the bottom piece of the vertical in but the top of the vertical will not go in, i have tried g clamp and vice and a press but it just wont go in, have used lots of grease.

it seems that there is a small lip on the edge of the metal sleeve which is on the arm on this top side which is stopping it going on, shal i sand this down or will it cause problems ?

Post by **occasional demons** » Thu Apr 01, 2010 8:05 pm

Hope this helps

brandon mitchel · Post by **brandon mitchel** » Wed Feb 09, 2011 10:54 pm

Thanks for the information! This is really nice. I will now be able to change my control arm bushing on my own. Thanks to this.

daaboots · Post by **daaboots** » Wed Mar 30, 2011 1:03 pm

How long do the prothane bushings last compared to the OEM ones? I'm tired of replacing mine every 50K kilometeres.

Dodge Aries K · Post by **Dodge Aries K** » Wed Mar 30, 2011 8:06 pm

I'm in the need of doing this... doesn't seem TOO awful. Oh, daaboots, do you still make those rear sway bar brackets?

sxxxt · Post by **sxxxt** » Wed Mar 30, 2011 8:10 pm

ok this does not look like what he installed.....
how does mine go in..

does it go like this:

is the way i have it set up the same as the picture

BrownBeast · Post by **BrownBeast** » Wed Apr 06, 2011 1:13 am

hmmm... that's strange, the last mechanic I took my car to told me you can't change just the bushing on a neon... and you have to change the entire control arm :S... well, I suppose it's good that I decided not to let him touch anything else, as after the major service I had squeeking brakes, and one of my indicators works sometimes :O

Post by **occasional demons** » Wed Apr 06, 2011 7:12 am

Most shops would rather just replace the whole arm, than press in new oem type bushings. Installing prothane or ES bushings would boggle these mechanic's minds.

For the customer, there is prolly little difference in cost, as they would charge more for the labor of changing the bushings. With a whole new arm, there is a new ball joint also, so it is insurance for them, that it will not return before the short warranty period.

esfan · Post by **esfan** » Wed Apr 06, 2011 1:40 pm

I guess I'll just get the full set of the LCA and avoid those pushing and pulling and burning issues. The write up is really good however.

alsey_seven · Post by **alsey_seven** » Wed Apr 06, 2011 2:11 pm

i need to replace the ball joint.. but thnking on just replacing the whole control arm

greybox · Post by **greybox** » Thu Aug 04, 2011 6:46 pm

I have no vice and no garage....and no torch...is it better to just buy a control arm w new bushings already installed and skip over the torch and vice parts for the extra cost?

OB · Post by OB » Thu Aug 04, 2011 9:25 pm

^Absolutely, if you're not upgrading to urethane, a complete unit with bushings and ball joints from the dealer is by far worth the extra cost. Be prepared to pay $200 per side, give or take.

greybox · Post by **greybox** » Thu Aug 04, 2011 9:48 pm

Cool, thanks...I noticed on ebay they are $105 ea w bushing and new ball joints...would like poly bushings but don't want to muck with it right now.

OB · Post by OB » Thu Aug 04, 2011 10:11 pm

I was referring to OEM pricing, of course ebay will have knock offs for half the price. Not even something I would consider personally, but that's not to say it isn't a quality product. I just prefer not to learn the hard way when it comes to critical parts of the car. I'm sure there are name brand aftermarket units that would strike a balance between OE quality and budget.

2GN.ORG

How to: change control arm bushings

How to: change control arm bushings

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