I want to replace control arm bushings

[Liquid_force]

After chasing this front end sound for a couple weeks I've narrowed it down to the left front control arm, front bushing.

A shop I consider very competent told me CV axle. Replaced it. No help. Did the bearing while I was there.

This evening I had my wife roll the car forward, hit the brake (clunk!), roll it backwards, hit the brake (louder clunk!). I THOUGHT I could see the control arm shifting just slightly during the noise.
After a few reps, and looking like she was relatively consistent I reached in between the wheel well and tire to try to feel it as it popped. Again, I THINK I felt it move (hot, and fearful of having my arm ripped off - hard to tell for sure).

I've searched and read a lot about working on the control arms, but didn't really find any answers.

I thought I read somewhere that you have to lift the motor off the subframe slightly to get the front LCA bolt out far enough to remove the lca.
Anyone know if that's true?
I haven't looked at it all that close yet, but I always seem to run into a 2 hr road block and I'd like to try to have an idea what it will be before I get to it.

 

[Johnlemon]

from alldata

hope this helps

 

[Liquid_force]

Certainly won't hurt.

I THINK I can simplify the process a little though.

1aauto.com has a youtube video of cv axle replacement that looks very quick and painless. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4dG1GM-nW_4

It looks to me like I can use that process to get to the LCA bushings in a matter of minutes.

They disconnect the outer tie rod, sway bar link, strut pinch bolt and abs sensor then just pound the knuckle of the strut, and push the axle out.

It would leave a lot of weight to deal with, but if I can manage that it looks like it could be 2-3 hrs work vs the 8 I was fearing.

 

[kevinspann]

If the v8 is like the v6 Taurus, you'll have to lift the drivetrain up. There is a large bracket that is around the back of the trans that makes getting that bolt out pretty much impossible without lifting.

 

[Liquid_force]

Update:
It's not the LCA bushing I was certain it was. It's the front subframe bushing. It's rusted and in pieces. If I had just taken the splash guard off to look I would have seen it.
I had it all apart though, and replacement parts in hand so I went ahead and pulled the LCA just to be sure. The bushing's not in great shape, but it probably wouldn't have caused any issues for at least a couple more years.
Oh well, I'm going to go ahead and replace the lca front bushing, and the subframe bushing.

BTW, I used a small floor jack and about a 12x12 piece of mdf to raise the motor in order to get the front lca bolt out.
It wasn't that tricky. There's one large nut on the trans/motor mount that sits right in the middle of the wheel well. That nut comes off and you can lift the trans a couple inches. I also loosened that front sub frame nut to gain another fraction of an inch. I ended up with JUST enough clearance to get that bolt out of the front LCA bushing, seriously, a 1/16" less clearance probably wouldn't have been enough.

 

[kevinspann]

Buy 2 of the rear bushings to put in the front.

 

[My_Silver_SHO]

You can get the a set front bushings (part# 924-000) for $23.26, or a rear bushing (part# 924-012) for $18.03 each from AutoParts123.com. The rear bushing comes with a new bolt.

If you order from AutoParts123.com before midnight 09/06 you can save an additional $15% using discount code LABOR

 

[Liquid_force]

Just got back from test driving.
It's cured.

Buy 2 of the rear bushings to put in the front.

Yeah, I recall reading that suggestion somewhere along the line.

Already bought the fronts before I thought of it though, besides, the rear's aren't in stock locally and I needed them immediately. Good news is I got the front pair for $23. I don't suppose they'll last 12 yrs like the orig's did, but it's highly unlikely I'll have it more than a few years.

Disappointed one of the few shops left that I thought I liked misdiagnosed it twice for a grand total of about $100 of unnecessary spending and 8+ hrs of unnecessary work.
:shakehead

FWIW - I used a ball joint press (advance auto loaner) on the control arm bushing. Getting it OUT was no big deal. Getting it IN was a HUGE fiasco. I spent a half hour or so initially using different adapters, dead blow hammers, whatever I could think of. Couldn't even get it started.
Eventually I ended up putting the CA in the oven for 15 min or so at 250 and the bushing in the freezer. I rounded up my preferred adapters for the BJ press and started pressing immediately after getting them out of the oven/freezer. That was just to get it started. Then I hurried them back outside to use another couple adapters to press it all the way into place. I must have wasted close to a couple hours on that.
If I had it to do over again I would have replaced the entire CA. It would have been worth the $60 difference to save the time/hassle.

Put new front rotors (warranty replacement - props to Advance Auto ) on while I was at it, also removed the intake silencer - amazing difference.

Could NOT make the "porterized" 3" coupler & 45 pvc pipe work.

 

[kevinspann]

J
Could NOT make the "porterized" 3" coupler & 45 pvc pipe work.

Same here. All it did was make me angry. I found an intake tube from some Ford in the Junkyard and made it work. I did have to put a screw through it to make sure it stayed on the airbox, but it's not really a critical application, so it's fine.

 

[Funmart6]

Could NOT make the "porterized" 3" coupler & 45 pvc pipe work.

Just stretch the air box forward to the fender a bit, drill a new hole and screw it down so that it stays in place. Removing the silencer makes it sound great though doesn't it? Sounds great wide open.

 

[Liquid_force]

I wrestled it around in every feasible angle to try to find something usable. It just wasn't working for me.

I'll keep experimenting though.

 

[stephen newberg]

I did not try any of that with PVC and such, just got a truck radiator hose, 4" I think it was, and trimmed it to go through the gap into the inner wheel well by an inch or so so it would stay and on the other side trimmed it to go over the lip left on the air box after sawing off all that other junk and removing the sax completely. Used 3 small screws to hold the hose to the air box lip and covered the screw with a stainless rad clamp just for looks to make it all clean and finished. Did that shortly after I got the car 12 years ago or so and it has had zero problems since. Much easier than the initial Porterization system and does the exact same thing, likely better as it has less kinks. I think I have a photo, if you want it. Just email me and I will send it along.

pax, smn