SC4Million

Hi Guys,

So my SC4 has reached that milestone in it's life know as "bad control arm bushings". It will happen to most of us.

If I have heard correctly the symptoms of this are:
- Loose or Drifting steering at high speed
- Harsh Ride
- Wheel jerk over bumps and tramlineing
- Squeaking over speed bumps
In Extrme cases:
- Clunking from the suspention when backing up.

Mine has all the symptoms except for the clunking.

HOWEVER, the problem with this is that there are not many choices availible to fix this problem.

#1. Daizen Sport Bushings
- Least Exspensive Choice
- Will last Practiacaly forever
- Will squeak if not regreased every 3-4 years (PITA)
- May have a harsher ride than stock. (Dont know about this, bushings were pretty much gone when I got the car)

#2. VFT Bushings (Andrew Valmos Bushings)
- Quite a bit more exspensive
- High quality OEM replacement
- Stock Lexus ride qualities
- Must be ordered from Australia

#3. 1993+ Toyota Supra Control Arms
- Same arm Less Money!!! ($253 per arm vs. $552 per arm *Lowers*)
- Bigger (Stronger?) bushings in the Supra Arms
- New ball joint comes with the arms

#4. Lexus Replacement Arms
- OEM part
- Exspensive

So here are my questions to all of you who have done this before:

- Those with the Daizen Bushings installed, How does the car RIDE vs. stock?
(I know handling will be better, but I like a nice ride too.)

- DO the supra arms fit without any other mods?

- How much labor were you quoted to get the bushings replaced?
(Just Bushing replacement. Not the whole control arm)

Any feedback on this would be GREATLY appreciated!

Thanks.






P.S. on a side not the labor times for replacing the Arms according to ALLDATA are as follows:

- Front Lowers 3.8 Hours per side
- Front Uppers 3.1 Hours per side
- Rear Uppers 1.5 Hours both
- Rear Lowers 1.7 Hours both

mungrin

Im in the same boat.Ive already bought Daizen Bushings.I want to do my front Lower ones but i live in NYC and cant find someone to put em on

autiger200

There is one more option...Lexus now sells the OEM control arm bushings

Bushings are made for `97 and up SC, but fit all model years. There are two different bushings for the LCA, the front and rear, with different numbers. Youll need one of each for each side.
Front: 48654-24040
Rear: 48655-24050

from Eurojulian (I believe...):
"It is official now. I instaled my ctrl arms with `97 bushings today in `92 SC4. It was drop in fit. No problems whatsoever. Car rides incredibly with new stuff. Only after I removed ctrl arms I saw how battered were old bushings only after 90k miles on good Florida roads.

As I said in earlier posts, rear bushing was redesigned and beefed up, so it should last this time and it is well worth the money. Thank you Lexus"

Cant find the thread this came from, for some reason, but Im sure another member can add to this...

Steven Lee
92 SC4

TMaxxTim

So basically any option I have on this, even the new Lexus '97 and up bushings, unless I buy a whole new control arm with the new bushings, I have to get a shop to install them, its not a DIY job?

sourcemine

First of all, if any good mechanic puts your car on a lift, he can tell you IF you have to change them or not.

The Front Rear Lower Bushings wear, that is the main piece on my 93 with 145k miles on it.

Your cheapest bet is to order control arms with new bushings off car-parts.com, to go back to OEM bushings. Many have new bushings on them if you read, and are around 275 or so(better than buying just the supra arm, you get bushings, and the arms should last a long time being cast iron).

I did the DIAZEN one, if you order from TME you can order them with new sleeves I belive to make installation alot easier, otherwise you burn out the bad bushings, which sounds like a PITA.

I suggest getting the car in the air in a shop, any shop can check bushings, see if just those backs ones are worn, if they are, I can't recommend them from personal experience I'm getting them install in a few days.

SC4Million

FANTASTIC!!!
thanks autiger more options are always better.

Just checked on the part# and price. The #'s are correct and the killer is this:
- $32.18 List for the Front Lower Front Bushing
- $48.83 List for the Front Lower Rear Bushing

$162.00 Sounds pretty damn good for to do all the front lower bushings with Lexus OEM parts.

HOWEVER there may be a problem. The part#'s listed are for SHOCK ABSORBER BUSHINGS. Not control arm bushings. I don't know if they are considered the same thing or not?

BTW: The Supra Arms come with the bushings in them.

Verge

any of you guys use the R2 racing bushing ket from TM engineering ?


the control arm bushing kits come in front/rear sets.. is this for both the upper and lower control arms, or just the lowers... the bushings are out on my upper control arm, my lowers are fine

SC4Million

Well,

I read the threads posted by V (dunno how ya found them, didn't even see them in the suspension section?)

THIS ROCKS!!!!

now I jus need to find some for the rear......hmmm well I guess I'll be emailing australia

O. L. T.

iTrader: (17)

*smacking head*


if i were doing a thread about suspension and steering.... where would i put it?

tarq3

Shock absorber bushing are cOOl to i wiLL change those also but can someone dig up a part number for the control arm bushings. Prefereable the rear's uPPers and lowers. Or some type of alternative outside of any any Daizen stuFF.

Thanks

SCV8

If you have aftermarket wheels/tires I highly recommend the Supra parts.
This suspension was designed primarily as a sport suspension and benefits from the firmer bushings that the Supra parts use, that is the only difference between the Supra, and Lexus control arms.
Why would you want to screw around with paying a mechanic to replace the bushings to find out this time next year that your balljoints are worn out as well?
Twice the labor
Two alignments
Twice the fun

autiger200

A valid point, indeed. The cost of the bushings and the labor to burn them out and press in new ones just about equals or exceeds the cost of the Supra LCAs, and you'd still have to worry about the ball joints. I simply added the info about the Lexus OEM bushings as an 'option' that had been left off the list. I would probably go with the Supra LCA for the reasons mentioned above. The Supra bushings are slightly beefier, but they're still rubber, so you still get that smooth Lexus ride.

However, the part #s listed for the bushings ARE CORRECT, and are not for shock absorber bushings. They are listed by Toyota as Lower Control Arm Bushings for 98-2000 Lexus SC400. Not sure where SC4million got the Shock absorber bushings description, but I called and verified this again with a Toyota Rep a few moments ago, so I know they're correct.

Steven Lee

SC4Million

Steven is correct,

after a bit more research I found out that the place i was looking had them mis-listed

Also of some interest there are UPPER control arm bushings for the 93.5+ Supra availible. I dont really know the compatibility of these but the part#'s are.

Part# 4863214020 List $24.44

TMaxxTim

So does anybody have the part number for the Supra LCA's. I need to order some..

Also, do the Supra REAR Lower Control Arm's fit our cars? My back needs them too. If so, whats the part # on that.

Thanks!

mikeloc24

I feel like a broken record. Call Carson Toyota and ask for Gordon Miguel.

Did you guys read the thread where EuroJulian and I were discussing bushings until we were blue in the face? All the info you need to make a decision is there. Remember, it all depends on what your end goal is in terms of what you want from your car. Do you want it to ride like it was brand new off the showroom floor? Replace bushings only with OEM bushings. Do you want a stiffer suspension? Get the Supra arms. Do you want bushings that will outlast the life of your car? Get the DST bushings. There's many choices, but make sure you know what end result you're looking for before you buy, otherwise you may regret it.

For me personally the choice was easy, OEM bushings all the way. For more than a couple of reasons. You guys can use those eurathane bushes in your cars if you want, not me. You can get the set of front lower control arm bushings from Carson for $156.