Poly Bushings or Dormans

[eightshot627]

I was all set to order the Dormans but the post below got me thinking. My ball joints are almost new so new LCA wouldn't be called for.

What do you think?

1. Prothane Polyurethane bushings $85.16 delivered. Harbor Freight press $130- 20% coupon and 6% tax=$110.24.* Polyurethane bushings and keep the press $195.40.

2. Dorman upper control arms with bushings and lower control arms brackets with the bushings installed. $196.85 delivered. No fuss rubber bushings.

I don't plan on keeping this thing forever, I just want to stop it from destroying tires.

Thanks,
Walt

 

[Mooseman]

Removing the old bushings was a biatch in my case and had to burn them out with a torch and then cut the empty tubes with a sawzall and/or use a zip gun. Pressing the new ones was uneventful using the press. If you think you will reuse the press later on and aren't afraid of the work, then this would be the option to go with. If not, then go with the new a-arms.

Whatever option you choose, here's a tip: Keep the bolts that go through the bushings loose before lowering the truck to the ground. Once on the ground with full weight on the tires and suspension, tighten the bolts.

 

[eightshot627]

New bushings! F-ing yes! I chickened out and went with the dormans. The drivers side went easy less than 2 hours with dragging out the tools. The hardest parts were the inner tie rod end boot interferes with removing the rear LCA bushing bolt and the new UCA tight with the UBJ stem. If I had to do it again I would go with the whole LCA not just the bracket. The passenger side I started at 12:30 and didn't put the wheel center cap back on until 6:30. Nothing went easy everything was a fight. The rear UCA bolt was stuck. I BP Blastered everything the night before, but it wasn't turning. I went to the lower after blastering the UCA bolt again. The lower nuts came off the bolts easy but the bolts had to be hammer and punched out. The rust inside the bushing kept catching the bolt threads so it was a back and fourth effort. Once the new bracket when in it was back to the UCA. I removed the shut assembly and tryed again. I tapped the bolt with a hammer, blastered, and heated the nut and iced the bolt it finally broke loose but the bolt was still rusted to the bushing. What a PITA! But can't complain about the results. Just rolling down the drive way I could feel the different. I took it to a small local shop for alignment and tires. They played hell aligning it. I put it as close as I could to the way it came out but the way the bushing were I'm not surprised it was way off. Now the steering is tight and the road feel is much better. Hopefully it cures my inside tire wear problem. And like Mooseman said leave the bolts snug but not torgued until everything is back togther or you won't be able to move the arms to reassemble the top and bottom.