yes this question is very basic, but i know nothing about it lol, alright my car's control arm?'s bushings are all cracked and brittle and i believe some are missing, basically all my steering bushings, on all those links and stuff idk what they're called,

anyways i started doing a search but i don't know how to phrase it, and i was looking at some bushings on re-speed but i don't know what i need, if you could help me out i'll appreciate it a LOT..here's a pic so you know what area i'm talking about since my describing abilities are very low and i would like to go ahead and replace all of them so if you could help me by telling me where to look at or letting me know of a kit that has all of them.

 

I can't view the picture from work, but I would suggest that if you are going to change out any of the bushings in the front end, change them all.

Billy (from Respeed) should be able to hook you up with a kit that includes all you need to do the front end. You can PM him here, his user name is Bwaits.

Also, spend 20 bucks on an angle grinder and a couple of cutoff wheels. You'll need it to cut the old bolts (you can never get them out of the metal tubes that run through the bushing due to corrosion).



.

 

thanks dad's got angle grinders and stuff, yes i only plan on doing the front end for now, i know it'll be a pita but i gotta do it lol

 

I responded to your PM before I saw this thread.

That is the idler arm. Those bushings are not on the website but I have them. You need two.

The rest of the front end will need:

Stay rod bushing kit
control arm bushing kit
sway bars end links
sway bar pivot kit

Those would be items 3,4,5 and 9 in this link:

http://mrcmfg.com/catalog/index.php?cPath=112_41_91

I will toss in 2 idler bushings with the order.


-billy

 

cool cool, i'll place the order as soon as i get paid lol, hmm just out of curiosity, is it as self explanatory as it looks?, i really know nothing about it since i've never done it, i'm sure i can figure it out, but i wanna make sure so i don't have to re do it lol

 

Kentetsu, ye of little faith. I manage to salvage most of the bolts by soaking them liberally with PB Blaster and using a cheap 20 buck air hammer with the pointed chisel insert to hammer the bolts out. Granted the front lower A arm bolts are the worst ones, but my success rate is around 80% for the front, near 100% for the rear.

Replacing the bushings is pretty straight forward. When you get to the tension rods, only loosen/remove the front nut. If you move both nuts, it will change the caster. Reference nut is part # 14 in the Black dragon catalog, p. 63. Do not change/move the rear nut.

 

on the idler arm, i usually replace the whole arm because of the balljoint at the drag link end is usually worn as well. new bushings are great but are useless if the balljoint is worn.

when i replace the idler arm, i replace the sway bar end links as well. i use the ST poly bushing kit. it comes with new bushings, washers and through bolts. you can buy it through black dragon. at that point i replace the tension rod bushings with ST poly bushings (which are very simple) and i replace the sway bar mounting bushings with poly as well. the control arm bushings should also be replaced as well. check the pitman arm for wear and play as well as the inner and outer tie rod ends for play and for cracked or broken boots. check the lower ball joints for the same. its best to do it all at once and have it aligned.

 

Trochoid-

I spent three days soaking, torching, hammering, and swearing at the bolts in my lower control arms. I finally got the angle grinder and was done in ten minutes. I ended up having to replace the crossmember though, because trying to drive the bolt out of the bushing actually distorted the crossmember and cracked the metal in a couple of spots.

Now, if they give me any trouble at all, I just hack them off and buy new bolts (which should probably be done anyway). Maybe I'm just not lucky like you are, but it probably has more to do with the environment.

 

With you being in the rust belt, I'd have to agree with the environmental part.

 

Probably because you live in Michigan. I have no problem sliding it out in my California car

 

Where does one get the "correct" bolt, as Billy said they might not be readily available.

 

PB Blaster is for the kids. Try getting some Kroil. It is better than anything I have ever tried, including PB blaster.

Don't bother changing the bushings on the idler arm. Just get a whole new one from Autzone. I got what I believe to be a MOOG idler arm at Autzone for $20-30. Bolt it on and you're done. Plus, it has a lifetime warranty so I never have to pay for another one.

Jamie