bigytwotone said:
Ok so got some questions. #1 with the noise being when i turn how dose that effect the control arms?? #2 what should i do the bushings or the whole control arms?? #3 can i do the swap in my driveway??? #4 what is in evolved to do a bushing swap??. some background on me. i am very mechanically able and have access to a crap load of tools. Any help would be awesome.
Thanks: Calvin
to diagnose a bad lower control arm bushing just have the wife or a friend start the car and turn the wheel back and forth(IN PARK) while you are under there hold onto the a arm of the lca and you should be able to feel the vibation creating the squeak as well as see the play in the bad front bushing......along with the dried out or rotted bushing hench the creaking, sound when steering.....the uppers to diagnose just raise and support the front wheel, remove the tire, disconnect the bolt for the upper ball joint, tap out the control arm from the ball joint and just lift and lower the upper arm, a bad bushing will give you that dry, creaking noise and you may even be able to feel play in the bracket if the bushing is worn bad enough
I think the bushings now are available without the complete arms, but you need a press to remove and install , probably easier just to do like i did .....I changed out the lower brackets ant the upper control arms, I think it cost in the neighborhood of $160 shipped, the job is relatively easy, but you must get an alignment afterwards
Uppers there are only 2 bolts plus the ball joint bolt, lowers have 3 bolts holding the bracket to the frame(get out your breaker bar) and 2 bolts holding the bracket to the LCA, i also disconnected the end links to give me more play moving the LCA out of the way to remove the brackets .........good luck