Control Arm Bushing Help

[LOUDSHO92]

Well When I put in my Cobra brakes I also got new control arms, and TPR bushinsg for the tension strut rods. The moog control arms ahd the integrated bushings so I did nothing to those.

Well I was driving and all of a suden when I let off the gas the car wants to go right. It goes to straight when I get on the gas. I get home and find that the front part of the bushing has rod over the retaining ring on the tension strut rod. THe bushing had seperated in the middle.

So I go and get some Duralast bushings and replace them. Well the same problem again. I have no idea what is wrong here. The other side seems fine for now at least.

Any ideas that would cause this? Thanks.

 

[Ishodu]

You got the washers on there?

 

[shojuan]

Yup, that raised retaining portion on the control arm is meant to retain a washer, not the bushing directly. How do I know that? I put over 10,000 miles and a year on my car, everything fine, and was towing my waverunner back from the lake, still 100 miles from home when my driver's side TPR bushing decided it didn't want to stay in the control arm. For a few days I was convinced the washer split and fell off until I examined the passenger's side. Turns out I didn't have that washer in the right place on the driver's side. . Must've been a late one with a few too many beers when I put that one back together. The TPR bushings are quite stiff so that explains why it held up so long. The installed rubber bushings are compliant enough to not tolerate a missing washer very long at all. I'd yank the control arm on the other side and install the same type of replacement bushing just to have things even. FWIW, next time I replace control arms I'm going to stick with the rubber bushings that come installed because I've got enough TPR everywhere else. But in your case now, I'd want both sides equal.

PS. It was a *real* fun 100 mile drive back with 1000 lbs under tow. Had every transistion, throttle, brake, turn, planned out well in advance. To add insult to injury there was 20 minutes of stop and go sunday night, back from weekend getaway traffic within 10 miles of home.

 

[LOUDSHO92]

Thank you very much I will take care of that.

I talked to a few people and they said theirs didnt have a washer, stock. I will throw one on anyways.

 

[Ishodu]

The TPR kit I used had new washers to replace the only stock one that were there, They are not just a flat washer, they are cupped FYI.

 

[LOUDSHO92]

Turns out the washer was on the other end. We installed them backwards originally.

Thanks.