DruMnBaSS

iTrader: (1)

Here are some pictures I took while replacing the control arm bushings.
Fairly straight forward job. Nothing is hard or impossible. Specially if done in the correct order with all the right tools.

First obviously removal. It took me 2 days to complete the job.
One day removal. Second day re-installation and figuring out how to remove the old bushings.

order of removal.

1.wheels
2.calipers (have something to hold up the caliper. the metal coffee cans work best)
3.rotor
4.loosen the 2 bolts attaching the lower balljoint to hub (now is a good time to loosen all the bolts/nuts on the lower control arms)
5.upper control arm balljoint (have a ball joint breaker tool)
6.remove hub assy (loosen 2 10mm bolts for the ABS sensor wire [take care not to damage the sensors or pull the wire] set aside)
7. remove steering link (be careful not to damage the rubber balljoint sleeve)

by now I would have done the same on the other side.

8.loosen and remove upper strut nuts
9.remove the lower strut bolt and the strut assy (it helps to have a breaker bar which you can jam underneath the strut and depress the lower control arm giving yourself room)
10.repeat on other side
11.remove sway bar attachment on both sides
12.remove the upper control arm
13.mark the alignment mark on lower control arm, remove the brace, lca #2, and lca #1.

now you are looking at something like this


now....
removal of oem bushings. I had the LCA #1 & Upper CA bushings pressed out before at a shop but are way easier than the caster arm which i was dealing with.





I used a saw to cut the inner sleeve and break it with a screwdriver that I hammered between the seam. Debur the touching surfaces on the caster arm.






pressing the new ones in. I Disagree with someone who was saying that the grease Daizen supplies is bad and creates traction or something. Use a little bit and cover the inner ring of the arm and the new bushing.

Now this was fun I wasnt sure how i was going to get them in but i decided to give this a try. worked like a charm.

stairway vs. control arm vs. bushing vs. bottle jack

DruMnBaSS

iTrader: (1)

DruMnBaSS

iTrader: (1)

Press all the bushings in, make sure to use the grease, use it nice and even, not over doing it. I was able to use all the supplied packets just perfect to finish the job. Apply it only where needed (touching/rubbing surfaces) and keep the rest of the areas clean. This will help keep dirt from accumulating on areas where you leave unnecessary grease.

DruMnBaSS

iTrader: (1)

start with upper control arm
2.lower control arm
3.insert sway bar attachment
4.leave out the rod for the caster arm and place it into location on the LCA #1 and get the bolts into place. now that the caster arm is in place, use a mallet and insert the supporting rod into the bushing. keep the arm as straight as possible to lower resistance.
5. on the other side install the LCA #1 and the sway bar attachment now
6. install the caster arm on second side following the same directions. everything should line up perfectly.
7. install upper control arms and the struts.

blah blah blah, make sure to torque everything down, for bigger bolts I set me wrench to 125lb, smaller ones at 90lb and the 12-14mm I go around 49-/+lb

DruMnBaSS

iTrader: (1)

oh and i guess you want the thoughts too....
the car drives amazing. you can even visually tell when the wheels are turned that it keeps off the inner side. hence i think these bushings will increase my tire life by x10000.

the braking is increased, around turns the car doesn't feel like a boat and sticks to the road. and the wheel gap is smaller compared to before somehow?

i would recc. this upgrade to all lexus owners.

skperformance

iTrader: (6)

Glad it worked out and very nice write up.
If only everyone lived in a complex with cement and steel stairs , life would be so easy .
Mind if I add a link to this in my thread ?

5t341th

iTrader: (16)

nice writeup. how much were all the bushings combined

DruMnBaSS

iTrader: (1)

no not at all

tm engineering. lik 120 shipped or something like that.

pharcyde

Wow thanks alot! Im doing this next week so youre writeup will def be helpful

sakataj

iTrader: (182)

very nice writeup op....for those of us that have them.....take your torch and burn the old bushing out, much simpler then cutting it out

pharcyde

So after burning it out, is there an easier way to remove the sleave?

Infamous 1

iTrader: (20)

Very nice! Maybe ill consider doing it again!

DruMnBaSS

iTrader: (1)

Im going to have to disagree? Im not a big fan of burning rubber. And cutting them out with a coping saw took about 5 minutes each.


Once the rubber is cut out.. all it does is give your room to play with.
those metal sleeves are rounded off at the edges and will be near impossible to get them out any other way. I would recc cutting the sleeve with an electrical reciprocating saw and hammering it out.

GSteg

iTrader: (15)

Or if you have access to an air chisel, you can just punch it out. Burning the rubber will take forever and the burnt rubber smell is horrible. Definitely cut it if you can't press it out.

blacknmild

iTrader: (5)

Very nice so how much would it cost for you to do mine???? :-D