H3 Instructions on how to replace lower control arm bushings?

[Ghostbuster]

I’m at a shop and their computer says 6.6 hours to remove and reinstall the differential to change out the bushings.

What is that all about?

They looked at it and said they only see an issue with pulling the torsion bars towards the rear. Where the driver’s side bar might hit the gas tank. Also the lower rear bushing on the arm is pressed into the frame and they are not sure if they can press it back in.




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[atvspeed4]

I’m at a shop and their computer says 6.6 hours to remove and reinstall the differential to change out the bushings.

What is that all about?

They looked at it and said they only see an issue with pulling the torsion bars towards the rear. Where the driver’s side bar might hit the gas tank. Also the lower rear bushing on the arm is pressed into the frame and they are not sure if they can press it back in.




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Its actually pretty easy we just did it on our 2006 that has seen its share of road salt. Took us about 4 hrs but we were also doing alot of measuring to modify some custom bushings.

You do not have to tap the bar back very far to release it from the lower control arm.
To get the old ones out of the frame we heated rubber up and used balljoint press to push out the crush sleeve then used a rock chisel to crush in the outer shell and it slid right out. To get the new ones in we just hit in with a hammer and block of wood.

 

[lowtrac]

I've only done the upper control arm, but I see no reason to remove the diff to do the lowers.

 

[Ghostbuster]

They now are saying that they can’t get their c clamp in to press it in from the front.
This is regarding the lower rear bushing.

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[lowtrac]

Might want to look for another shop. I wouldn't expect this job to be a problem for a professional mechanic.

 

[Traxx]

Not hard but tedious to do. I just took both arms down to the machine shop and let them press them out and in. 40$ saved me a lot of hassle and I know it would have taken me a good bit longer than 20 minutes to do it without a press.

 

[Ghostbuster]

Not hard but tedious to do. I just took both arms down to the machine shop and let them press them out and in. 40$ saved me a lot of hassle and I know it would have taken me a good bit longer than 20 minutes to do it without a press.

So you are saying that the rear bushing is pressed into the control are and not the frame?

So just unbolt the arms and do what you did?


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[mjferencak]

The rear is pressed back into the frame with the ball joint press. Both bushings can be a pain to do but a little ingenuity it can be done with the $80 ball joint press from harbor freight. While pressing out the bushing in the frame, if you bottom out in the cup of the press, use a sawall to cut the protruding bushing and press the remainder out. It takes about 4 maybe 6 hours to do both sides if you run into snags like I did.

 

[alrock]

Any update? Like has been said, it just takes a bit of playing with different ball joint press adapters to push out the hold bushings and get the new ones in. Diff does not need to be removed. I've done it enough times that it's about a 2 hour job with the right tools and a lift.

 

[Kick'n Dust]

Has anyone found polyurethane bushings for the lower control arm? Just curious...

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[mjferencak]

Siberianbushing.com has polyurethane bushings. It's a Russian based company so if you do order expect a two week wait. Thats where I got mine.

Has anyone found polyurethane bushings for the lower control arm? Just curious...

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[Traxx]

Just keep in mind that poly bushings require upkeep unless you don't mind alot of squeaks. Personally, I would never use poly bushings on the lca.

 

[Ghostbuster]

Any update? Like has been said, it just takes a bit of playing with different ball joint press adapters to push out the hold bushings and get the new ones in. Diff does not need to be removed. I've done it enough times that it's about a 2 hour job with the right tools and a lift.

I’m going to do it myself. I am going to replace a tie rod, upper control arms, lower bushings and lower ball joints. I might wait a couple more weeks for it to cool off some.


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[Ghostbuster]

How do you move the torsion bars back to get the LCA out?


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[rascole]

They now are saying that they can’t get their c clamp in to press it in from the front.
This is regarding the lower rear bushing.

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I used a trick we do at work, put the bushing in the freezer for overnight then heat up the bushing receiver up with a heat gun on the hottest setting for 15 minutes. Add a little anti seize and the the cold bushing should slide in with only little effort from a bushing tool.

 

[mjferencak]

Loosen your torsion bolt all the way to the point your torsion key assembly falls apart. Then wiggle your torsion bar left and right to loosen it from the LCA. Then pull the torsion bar to the rear. The torsion bar fits in the LCA a certain way so you have to rotate the bar to where the flange end (LCA end) can be removed. FYI, take a picture of your torsion key assembly position. Don't be like me and reassemble it incorrectly and have the H3 slammed all the way to the tire.