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Front A arm bushing replacement


theexbrit
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Hi all, I'm looking at putting poly bushings on the front A arm/control arms. It looks like the it will be a PITA to get the old ones off & press the new ones on, has anybody replaced theirs or did you just buy a whole new arm?

 

I know "Justme" replaced his & said it wasn't bad but he had a shop do his so I'd like to haer from someone that has actually done it themselves. I have access to a 20 ton press.

 

Thanks!!

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Hey Andy!

 

I did it to mine a few years ago, and also just switched to poly on my Frontier last week. Both jobs were equally awful.

 

Having a press only helps it you have the right size die. The bushings have a very thin metal sleeve, so tooling has to be spot on. I didn't have a press when I did the R50, but I do now and couldn't really use it for the D22 anyway. Maybe if I had the right tooling...

 

The fallback procedure requires other tools: drill, vise, sawzall, chisel/punch, hammer, cussing, beer, time, cussing (more), torch.

 

1. Remove the inner bushing sleeve from the rubber. If the rubber is already destroyed, then you can use the press to rip the sleeve from the rubber. If not, drill a bunch of holes into the rubber, then use the press. The torch will also help weaken the rubber.

 

2. Put the part in a vise and bust out the sawzall! You need to cut a slit through the outer sleeve, but avoid cutting into the control arm (cut towards the thicker/reinforced part of the arm). You don't need to cut all the way through the sleeve, but you do need to cut the entire length of the sleeve to weaken it enough.

 

3. Use chisel/punch and hammer to tap the outer sleeve out.

 

You'd need to do this only to the front bushing on the LCA. Can't remember how I pulled the rear bushing off, but it was relatively easy...I think I just used a punch and hammer to tap it off. This is the same procedure I used for the trailing arms, and also the UCA, LCA, and leaf springs on my Frontier. Not a terrible job, just very time consuming. (It's terrible when the bushing is installed in the frame, like on a Frontier!)

 

If you can deal with rubber bushings, the complete control arm is worth it. But if you're still wheeling, poly is the better option I think.

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Hey bro, thanks for the quick reply!

 

I have a complete shop at my disposal so all the tools will be there but it sounds like a lot of hassle & I'm wondering if the poly is worth it. I don't do any serious wheeling anymore mostly trails & tracks, I'm thinking the original Nissan ones lasted for years so maybe I'll spend the extra coin & get the complete LCA, I think they're about $180 each on nissanparstdeal dot com.

 

I will put poly on the rear trailing arms as these get twisted when they flex (unlike the front which just move up & down) & this tears the @!*%e out of the rubber. I've replaced the bushings twice in 3 years. :lmao:

 

I have to get her up on a rack as I noticed some slight "clonking" sounds from the front which I'm pretty sure is the LCA. When I checked them last year the bushings looked pretty knackered.

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I just remembered something else about the front bushing...it can only be removed in one direction and has a flange that would make it difficult even with a press.

 

R50_LCA_Front_Bushing.jpg

R50_LCA.jpg

 

The flanged side is towards the front of the vehicle. Not only can you not get a press behind it because of the rest of the arm, even if you had a suitable tool for the sleeve, you'd need some other tool for the control arm to center up the press over the bushing.

 

That said, the only reason to bother with this process is if you want to run poly bushings. You can buy replacement rubber bushings, but screw that! New arms are the way to go if going rubber. Key thing about rubber bushings is that you don't tighten the bolts until the truck is on the ground, at ride height, with "normal" payload (spare, cargo, fuel, etc.). With poly, you can torque while still on stands.

 

Admittedly, though, I have no complaints about using poly. Crappy job to get there, but I've been pleased with them. My fronts are SuperPro, rears are some eBay generic. I plan to pull inspect them all in the coming weeks, very likely doing custom trailing arms with Energy Suspension bushings. On the Frontier, giving Nolathane (same company as Whiteline) a try. I don't think there's any real difference between brands, though. Poly is poly is poly.

Edited by hawairish
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  • 4 weeks later...

Sorry I'm a little late on this, but Moog, which I've used on every vehicle for years, without issue, new LCA's with bushings are available for around $55 each. Just thought it'd be worth mentioning. Cheers

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I can't say I'd recommend moog anymore after a recent experience. I replaced both front LCA on my 2004 Golf with moog units. When I went to tighten the swaybar links to spec (factory 30~ft-lbs), the holes in the arms stripped. I ended up re tapping and using helicoils as moog wouldn't warranty them. Those who know me know I don't jam @!*% in with the impact. To top it off, it's been just over a year and the bushings are already all cracked.

 

I will also mention the ball joints I got from them for my pathfinder last about 6 months at a time. I replaced the other side with ACDelco and it's been on there for 2 years. The boots just fall off on the moogs. They used to be good years ago when I first got into cars, but they are just @!*% these days.

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