lower control arm rebuild

[digglesworth]

So I got new ball joints and new LCA bushings to rebuild mine when the loft goes on. Ball joints seem pretty straighforward. Who's done the bushing replacement? I got both front and rear bushings for both sides. The rear one is pressed into the rancho crossmember and it's just the oem gm bushing. It has an outer and inner metal sleeve. I got the front ones in the mail today and there is no metal sleeve through the hole. Does the front bushing not use the same inner metal sleeve the rear one does? All the bushings I've replaced on my truck have had a metal sleeve that the bolt goes through. Also, anyone have any install advice for the job. Like I said, the rears are in the rancho crossmember so I can work on that on the counter vs under the truck like the stock location. I'm gonna swap those out before I paint up the used lift kit. The LCA will be removed as well so I can also work on that on the counter. Are the fronts as simple as press out the old and press in the new? The fronts dont seem to have much, if any, metal in them so they seem like they'll be easy to pop in and out. The rears look like the same frame mounted bushings that are also used for the upper mount on the rear shackles. I've replaced those and going in was the easy part. Getting the old ones to break free was a b****. I'll rent a ball joint press (basically a big c-clamp with different size cylinders) to use on the job. Just looking for some pointers from anyone that's done theirs. Thanks.

 

[digglesworth]

Well I just popped a new front bushing outta the plastic and it does have a metal sleeve in it. Different looking than all the others. Is it ok to lube the bushing up with some silicone spray to press it in?

 

[alrock]

Yes, though it's not really necessary. It's good to try and keep it somewhat straight when pressing it in but it's not a big deal - it well bend and shove in with enough persistence.

 

[rsm688]

It's not hard at all to do, didn't take me but a short time to do the bushings. Make sure you measure with a digital caliper the distance that is sticking out on either side of the original metal bushing sleeves and press the new ones in to that same depth. I used a press kit from AutoZones free tool rental and it worked great, had to use a few washers/sockets and fiddling to get it to fit just right to press them

 

[digglesworth]

heres one of the lower control arm bushings thats pressed into the rancho crossmember. it looks like theres a lip on one side (right side in pic) of the outer metal sleeve of the bushing. that lip is pressed all the way against the crossmember. with that lip, the bushing can only be pressed in one direction and pressed out in one one direction. i havent gotten the new oem bushings in the mail yet to compare but do the oem bushings also have this lip?

 

[rsm688]

Yes the OEM ones have the metal lip as well, that's what I was saying you should measure the distance from when installing the new ones so that you install them to the same depth for all the bushings

 

[digglesworth]

It seems pretty straightforward.... Press the bushing all the way in to where the lip is up against the crossmember. That's how they are in the rancho crossmember now...

 

[rsm688]

It is pretty straightforward, you might not have it pressed all the way against the crossmember though if going back to factory setup. Neither of mine were all the way against it, you are supposed to measure becasuse if not the lower crossmember won't install right on it because the tolerances are very tight and won't align if it's off a little. You can put them on against the crossmember and if it all goes on easy then you should be fine, if it doesn't want to slide over it you will need to back it out a little until it fits in centered in the LCA

 

[rascole]

Did you have to remove the original bushings? If so, how? I can't get the rears out.

 

[digglesworth]

nope. original bushings stayed in place. i used a ball joint press to press out the old bushing and press the new in. tried banging on it at first. not the answer. they need to be pressed.

 

[rascole]

Yeah, rears are kicking my AZ.

 

[rascole]

When you reinstalled your torsion arms how did you have the lower control arms hanging? Straight down or partially up? Thanks.

 

[digglesworth]

control arm were at full droop if i remember correctly.

 

[Bigunit]

control arm were at full droop if i remember correctly.

^^^yeah that's correct.

 

[jphh20]

How did you make you with the bushing replacement on the lower? I'm planning on doing mine with a transition from torsion crank to rancho lift.


Joe