front pass control arm bushing = dead?

1/2 Scottish · Post by **1/2 Scottish** » Fri May 02, 2008 9:19 pm

So, while rotating tires i noticed this after the control arm was hanging down after the tire was off. Looks like the bushing is split, time for replacement?

ewetho · Post by **ewetho** » Fri May 02, 2008 10:47 pm

Look like it. Get a Prothane or Energy Suspension bushing kit for the front control arms and do it once and forget about them.

jT · Post by jT » Fri May 02, 2008 11:22 pm

if its not making noise annoying you then who cares.

BlackRoseRacing · Post by **BlackRoseRacing** » Sat May 03, 2008 9:24 am

the bad bushing is a common failure with 2GN's and PT's...
The control arm will move forward and backwards when they fail, as a matter of fact I'm going to be installing a pair in about 1hr on someone else's car. Don't purchase the Mopar 4656012AF's, mine failed in 2years, get the TRW replacements, there available at most auto parts stores and have a lifetime warranty

1/2 Scottish · Post by **1/2 Scottish** » Sat May 03, 2008 3:00 pm

Noise? Like a little creaking sound when going over a speed bump?

aperson · Post by **aperson** » Sat May 03, 2008 9:24 pm

Hey I might be doing this soon as well, my left front clunks when going over certain bumps at low speed, but thats probably because I can't hear them at speed. I'll be doing a complete suspension overhaul though, strut tower bars, Prothane bushings all around and coilovers. I'll probably do it by the middle of summer.

1/2 Scottish · Post by **1/2 Scottish** » Mon May 05, 2008 3:37 pm

So, do prothanes have a lifetime warranty, or supposed to last forever?

hansken_yo · Post by **hansken_yo** » Tue May 06, 2008 10:15 pm

Wow.... it must be that time of the year or something. Mine looks exactly like that. I get a lot of creaking/clicking/popping sounds and my alignment feels wishywashy every now and again. Energy Suspension Kit here I come

cbjones26 · Post by **cbjones26** » Wed May 07, 2008 8:05 am

i have that same bushing bad on my 00 but its on the driver side! i know this is a noob question but is this what is throwing my alignment off? it pulls to the rt!! everything else is good up front but that one bushing! mine isnt ripped like in that pic though the whole bushing is pushed out of it!

ragek23 · Post by **ragek23** » Wed May 07, 2008 12:12 pm

yes and your streering response will be a bit off too. The energy suspension bushings are a PITA to install so the easiest way to get them done is to just pull the control arms off (takes less than an hour or 2) and bring them to a shop to have them push out the old bushings and push in the new ones.

aperson · Post by **aperson** » Wed May 07, 2008 1:14 pm

I prefer the torch method. But if you don't have them I can see the trouble. Also silicone spray should help them press in easier, you might have to use something petroleum based since they're poly bushings. I know if you use petroleum on rubber bushings they swell and get soft.

cbjones26 · Post by **cbjones26** » Wed May 07, 2008 9:26 pm

where i work i have access to both torches and a press so would it be better to change the bushings or the whole control arm?

neonxrt · Post by **neonxrt** » Wed May 07, 2008 11:59 pm

My CA bushings look just like yours, SHOT!
I'd say change the bushings, not the whole control arm. Unless the CA itself is broken, then buy a new CA AND the bushings. If you replace teh CA with the same "squishy" POS bushings you'l probably have the same problem in a few years. GO with the urethane bushings (Energy or prothane) and set aside a day to work on getting them changed, you might run into problems where it will take longer than you think.....isn't that how everything goes though?

1/2 Scottish · Post by **1/2 Scottish** » Thu May 08, 2008 2:41 am

Sounds good, prothane ftw. Thx for the feedback

01NeonSnooZer · Post by **01NeonSnooZer** » Fri May 09, 2008 9:35 am

Hold yer horses a sec. If the ball joint is bad, you might wanna thing about replacing the whole control arm. It's kind of a gamble to press the old one out and a new one in as the end is kinda flimsy and might crack when you press the new ball joint in. At the dealer where I work, we just replace the whole thing so that the customer gets a new ball joint and new bushings. I have to replace both CA's on mine. I ran it up a curb and bent my wheels and they gouged a groove into the lower CA and I don't wanna risk it cracking there. Plus, having done that, there's a good chance I've screwed my ball joints up. I've already had to replace one hub bearing.

Food for discussion.

hansken_yo · Post by **hansken_yo** » Fri May 09, 2008 9:41 am

...And how much are control arms?

01NeonSnooZer · Post by **01NeonSnooZer** » Fri May 09, 2008 12:52 pm

They're fuckin expensive. WHich is why I said to check the ball joints first. If they're not bad, just throw a set of bushings in them. And if you crack a lower CA replacing a ball joint, you need a new one anyways.

I think they're $225 a piece or so, your cost. Mine, they're like $115. But I work for Dodge.

I say E-Bay!

hansken_yo · Post by **hansken_yo** » Fri May 09, 2008 3:06 pm

So I just want to make sure I've got all my ducks lined up here. There is a ball joint in that picture that uses bushings. If the bushings are gone it is most likely the ball joint is f*d up?

Post by **occasional demons** » Fri May 09, 2008 3:21 pm

The ball joint is what the steering knuckle is attached to on the opposite end of the LCA bushings in the picture. 01NeonSnooZer's post may have misled you a bit. Hope this clears it up. Not bashing 01NeonSnooZer here either.

Edit: It is still called a bushing even tho it looks like a ball. IIRC they are spherical bushings.

hansken_yo · Post by **hansken_yo** » Fri May 09, 2008 3:33 pm

occasional demons wrote:The ball joint is what the steering knuckle is attached to on the opposite end of the LCA bushings in the picture. 01NeonSnooZer's post may have misled you a bit. Hope this clears it up. Not bashing 01NeonSnooZer here either.
Edit: It is still called a bushing even tho it looks like a ball. IIRC they are spherical bushings.

That clears it up a lot. I now know exactly what is being talked about. I'll double check mine.

neonxrt · Post by **neonxrt** » Fri May 09, 2008 4:48 pm

A lot of the "discount" on-line auto part stores have replacement control arms for around $100 each. Here is a place that has Mevotech replacement ones: http://www2.partstrain.com/store/index. ... 4294967264
Not sure about the quality, but they say "high quality factory replacement," but their opinion is bias. If you have the extra $26 I'd get the bushings and put them on the new CA right away, save you the trouble of doing in 2-3 years from now.

Danteneon · Post by **Danteneon** » Fri May 09, 2008 4:53 pm

Poly for the cheap win!

Bad pic FTL

neonxrt · Post by **neonxrt** » Fri May 09, 2008 4:55 pm

Just found a thread about Mevotech:
http://forum.2gn.org/viewtopic.php?t=31369&highlight=

01NeonSnooZer · Post by **01NeonSnooZer** » Fri May 09, 2008 8:32 pm

occasional demons wrote:The ball joint is what the steering knuckle is attached to on the opposite end of the LCA bushings in the picture. 01NeonSnooZer's post may have misled you a bit. Hope this clears it up. Not bashing 01NeonSnooZer here either.
Edit: It is still called a bushing even tho it looks like a ball. IIRC they are spherical bushings.

I'll look it up in dealer connect tomorrow and see what it's call but yes, to be clear, the ball joint is what goes through the steering knuckle and if it's bad, then we just replace the whole control arm.

Danteneon · Post by **Danteneon** » Fri May 09, 2008 9:02 pm

No need...

The latest and greatest part # for the bushing is 4656012AF...MSRP $46.95 each

Or check out BRR's post about other replacements....

http://forum.2gn.org/viewtopic.php?t=54 ... &start=360

billm0066 · Post by **billm0066** » Sat May 10, 2008 2:26 am

I put in es ca bushings and new ball joints in my srt control arms. I had to take it to a shop with an ace torch, because the vertical bolt was frozen. It wouldnt budge with a breaker bar and a regular torch. Dont forget some anti seize on the bolts.

neonxrt · Post by **neonxrt** » Sat May 10, 2008 3:46 am

billm0066 wrote:Dont forget some anti seize on the bolts.

Amen to that!!
EVERYONE should own one of they grey bottles with the brush! Best $6 I ever spent!