CONTROL ARM BUSHING HELP

Hi All,
From narrowing down and trouble shooting, looks like i need to replace the Pass. side control arm bushings. i get this clank/bang/knock sound when i turn. no accidents or anything like that. What does the task consist of?
1) removing the control arm and replacing(i'll have the machine shop do the pressing) the bushings only and re-install?
2) same as step one but also need to replace the alignment cam plate and bolts?
3) if step 2 is needed, do i need to get an alignment done after or can i mark where the old ones were lined up and then adjust the new ones to that?
Thanks in advance

 

You can mark the LCA but it will only be a ball park. You will need an alignment afterwards to ensure even tire wear. You only ned new hardware if the oem’s are rusty or the bolts are seized and you have to cut them. If you have the tools, go under now to see if the bolts are seized. You can also check the BJ’s and wheel bearing as they can also make those noises also, or ask the shop to check.

 

check your sway bar end links. I had a pop, clang, bang going on when turning. One of the bolts had loosened up..

 

Here are answers to your question, and then a link that will be helpful for the project:

1. Yes, that's an option. You can also get new bushings that don't have to be pressed in (but the old ones still need to be pressed out) or you can completely replace the LCAs (aftermarket replacements are generally good quality and not that expensive).
2. You are likely to have to replace the cams and bolts (b/c you will have to cut the old rusty ones out)
3. No matter what, you need an alignment. If your current bushings are worn, then whatever your alignment now is "different" than it will be when you have new bushings.

This guide should show you everything you need to tackle the project, and covers all the options (poly bushings, new control arms, alignment cams, etc):

Step-by-Step Lower Control Arm Bushing Replacement on a 1st Gen Tacoma – ADVENTURETACO

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You will need an alignment for best results. Even if your current alignment marks translate to a good ride quality, they could have been based off of worn components. If so, nice new bushings will put things in a different place slightly even if you perfectly nail the old paint marks.

Also, definitely do both sides since they’re likely the same age and you would need another alignment if you change the other side a few months down the line. Any original component like that I would pretty much always change in pairs unless there was an extremely good reason not to.

 

It’s probably not the control arm bushings, upper or lower.

I have multiple Toyotas with well over 300k and all are intact.

All my Toyotas have had clunks, almost always caused by ball joints, second by Tie Rods. My 88’ Runner with 280k still has tight Bushings.

If not that, Motor Mounts or Trans Mount.

 

OP,
My '97 Taco only has 135K on it but I off-road routinely. After prying on my LCAs to check the bushings, I thought the passenger side rear (R-R) was a bit sloppy. So I removed the LCAs to better evaluate the bushings. As I suspected, the R-R bushing had problems. It had separated & completely failed. In addition, the L-R bushing was almost separated. The L-R cam was also seized but I managed to free it up with WD-40 & Blaster. After cleanup, all the hardware was still very much serviceable. You just have to check yours out. And you should be able to press out the old bushings with a bottle jack and a propane torch. That worked for me, no sweat. Good luck!

EDIT: turbodb's ADVENTURETACO Step-by-Step LCA bushing writeup above is invaluable.

EDIT#2: Timmah!'s video is also invaluable for this or any LCA bushing project.

 

thank you Chuy, doesnt seem like the bolts are that rusty but i will look again. would i loosen the nut to see if the whole bolt moves. dumb question, but if i loosen the nut to try and spin the bolt wouldnt the cam plate move and move it out of alignment or turn it while the bolt is tight to see if it does budge a little to where i can see the nut turn? the reason i am thinking the bushings are bad is cause i had my daughter turn the steering wheel left/right and only when it turned right(@full turn) i touched that lower control arm area and felt a bump/clank/sensation, but i will check out that ball joint too.

 

Thanks Crippledoldman, about a year ago, once i started hearing that noise i did replace both sway bar side links, i also replaced the tranny mount(it was worn) and the drive shaft center support bearing(it was worn as well)

 

thanks turbodb, i also did think replacing the bushings or the whole LCA was an option, thanks for clarifying that, i believe if i did replace the bushings, i would just take it to carquest and let them press out the old and press in the new. i saw the MOOG bushings were like $27 and the MOOG LCA was about $80, the cams and bolts
varied from $40-$90. i skimmed through your guide (very nice and detailed). i will go through it a few more times to completely comprehend. Major components that need replaced ( due to quality) in my opinion is either gonna be MOOG or Toyota. Thanks for the pic of the toyota PN's for the cam and bolts. your best pricing that you have found for toyota brand parts is???? Toyota dealership parts?? toyotaparts.com?? Amazoom? i didnt care for the options at rockauto about the cam and bolts.

 

thanks MalinoisDad for the advice. i'll still check out that lower ball joint to see if it may be the culprit too.

 

Yea ,my '03 has got 238k and the bushings on both sides seem (visually) to be good.. no broken, loose or rubber falling out... seems like most all the other comments say the BJ my be it too! i hope thats its...that would be an easier fix. tranny and center support bearing where changed but not the Motor mounts... i'll check those out too.

 

thanks! i give the LCA bushings a little prying with the pry bar to see if i feel any sloppiness in there

 

The LCA should not move if you do one bolt at a time and are on level ground. It does sound like bad bushings, but not a bad idea to check all the suspension components and replace as necessary since you’ll have things apart.

 

I should clarify my experience is with 2nd gen Tacomas. My LCA never moved with both cam bolts removed, and 2nd gen cam bolts, especially the front ones, are notorious in seizing, unless you remove them early and apply grease on the bolts as they tend to seize inside the bushing.

 

OP, If you'd rather watch a video than read a write-up for this job, you can watch my videos. It's clear the write-ups @turbodb did were based off what he learned from my videos, but no credit is given to me and my buddy Sean for our Timmy the Toolman channel as far as I could tell reading through the write-up. Ol' Dan sometimes mentions us in his write-ups, so I guess that's something. I noticed he uses Amazon Associate links for the tools and parts listed so this a revenue stream for Ol' Dan, just like it is for us. The difference is, I didn't rip off someone else's work to create my videos. When I do use somebody else's work, I at least do my best to give them credit. Can you tell this rubs me the wrong way? Like I said the last time I noticed my work being copied, "Imitation is the Sincerest Form of Flattery".

Hey @turbodb, I have no problem you basing your write-ups off my hard work. All I ask for is a little recognition by you mentioning my channel as a reference and linking the videos of mine that you used. That would be fair, wouldn't it? Kids are given failing grades in school for plagiarism. And buddy, you plagiarized the shit out of my videos and passed it off as your own work.

For any neutral party reading this, compare my videos to what @turbodb shows in his write-up. He uses the exact steps and techniques I use in my videos and he uses the exact same tools too. Maybe a coincidence? Not likely. He knows it and I know it. Pretty nuch 95% of his write-up was based off what he learned from my videos.

Actually, looking at his library of write-ups, there's probably lots more that are total ripoffs of our work. The Timing Belt write-up is clearly based off our video.

Other videos that were most likely based off our work are:
*Tundra Brake Upgrade
*Rear Drum Brake Shoe Replacement
*Rear Diff Breather Mod
*CV Axle Reboot
*Rear Axle Seal and Bearing Job
*Fuel Filter Replacement
*Clutch Replacement
*Lower Ball Joint Replacement
*Steering Rack Bushing Replacement
*Steering Rack Replacement

Boy I can't wait to see his response. Will it be a total denial? Will he act all innocent and say he brain farted and simply forgot to mention who he gained most of his knowledge from? Oh the suspense of it all. Am I being a bit of a dick? Yeah, I guess I am because I'm annoyed with the dude. I called him out before for the same shit but I guess he didn't learn anything from that previous exchange with me.


https://www.youtube.com/embed/kmaZNBp1gZM


https://www.youtube.com/embed/6FzEHygizoI

 

After over a year and a timing belt and pump change out of trying to get this done....its finally done. was a little concerned about how to align the camber plates and thats what discouraged me. But it was all good. it took about 3 hrs to do the Passenger side and i had to cut one camber sleeve to be able to drop the LCA. It took 20 minutes to do the Drivers side. i marked the old plates and frame (like in the video above) Took like 5-10 minutes to cut that sleeve and played with the alignment of the camber plates to figure it out.... tighten and adjust, little by little..back and front. Once i got savvy on that, the other side was easy. I went after to my alignment place i usually go to(good people) they did a free alignment check and the guy basically said"you did a good job on that alignment" and there is really no need to do one .. unless you really want too.so i passed on it. Here is the alignment print out. Thanks for all the help. Now that all the mechcanical issues are done... i can paint the truck.

 

sorry, not sure why there is 2 pics

 

Congratulations on replacing LCA and getting it lined up perfect on the install. Wow. I was reading through this post, and I don't see where you identified the clunking which you originally posted about, did you find the source of the noise?

 

oh, .... i guess i never finished. yea, so the clank/bang/knock sound when i turn all went away, i also get no 'slightly surging forward" when i come almost to a complete stop anymore. when i stuck a screwdriver into the old bushings (like in the video) both rear bushings had a lot of play and the 2 front ones were still "ok"...and had just a slight play in them. Everything now is tight when turning, normal/hard driving and going over speed bumps. i guess a new truck is not in the near future now... maybe later on though

I got the MOOG bushings and MOOG camber plate kits in August last year. Found out it was gonna be $90 per side to press them in. so i just got the MOOG LCA w/ bushings already installed for $85 per side. Anybody need bushings?? $20 per pair(i have 2 (4 total) plus shipping to you)