It is quite simple. I don't feel like shelling out the jack for new control arms and the rubber bushings from the arm mount points do not look that bad, but they squeak horribly and as I'm replacing nearly every suspension item in my revival thread I will not stand for reassembling the car to have it still squeak. I wouldn't be doing this though if the bushings were in really bad shape. There is some slight cracking, but it is surface cracking. The bushings are of course completely bone dry.
Disclaimer: A lot of people may not like what I'm doing and say its a waste of time, but I will be the judge of that once its all back on the vehicle. This is the first time I'm trying something like this and I'm not saying this is a bonified way to avoid bushing problems, nor it is a way to get the control arm to 100% OEM spec again. It is however possibly a way to resolve squeaky sounds from underneath as well as possibly extend the life of your control arms on our cars. Also, this will take some time to do so be prepared for that. Probably an all day project depending on your knowledge and skill. Breaking the bolts loose will require INSANE INSANE CAPTAIN INSANO leverage and force. Some have resorted to cutting these bolts which is no fun in this tight confined space. Where INSANE INSANE CAPTAIN INSANO leverage and force are not available or ability to cut, recommend taking it to a shop and having new lower control arms installed instead.
Setup: 17mm Socket that fits in a breaker bar, breaker bar, 14mm socket, 17mm combo wrench, huge huge combo wrench (IE: 1 3/4") or pipe to use for leverage on the breaker bar, slightly larger (like 19mm) combo wrench to use together with the 17mm wrench (double wrenching together for leverage, an air ratchet for after you've "broken" the bolts loose with the breaker bar and huge huge combo wrench, a full size grease gun, a grease gun needle attachment, air compresor, and air gun.
- Replace your lower control arm ball joints with new ones. We now have at least 3 vendors selling good ball joints for our cars. 2 guys on Ebay and 3SX. Here is an excellent write up (if I do say so myself) on replacing your ball joints: Remove knuckle/hub to remove fr ball joint? - After the install leave the dust boot just barely pushed onto the top of the ball joint just to block debris while you work. Push the hub/knuckle forward and very gently lay it on top of the control arm or have it elevated with a jack or 4x4's or something else to hold it out of the way.
- Remove control arm. Inspect bushings. Likely you will find the rear most rubber mount to be fairly decent looking with very slight deformality inside and outside of it. The front bushing is rubber then metal sleeve. The metal sleeve will most likely have rust in it.
- Use a high speed drill with a round wire brush on the end of it to get the rust and funk off the big bolts. If there is any distortion or rubber debris on the male end of the control stub that sticks into the big rear rubber bushing then using the drill wire brush that off the stub too.
- Use the drill and a sanding stick, or a cut in half abrasive scrubbing pad (like the Scotch brand), or steel wool, or a dremel round sanding sitck in the bore of the control arm front metal bushing to remove rust and funk build-up. If you are using a scrub pad or steel wool you'll have to twist it hard till it firms up and is actually scrubbing the inside of the metal bushing bore pushing/pulling it in and out to get the crap outta dere. Some rust remover squirted on beforehand may not be a bad idea either.
- Clean up - Wipe, use pinky finger with shop towl in metal bushing hole and rubber bushing hole, wipe all contact points squeaky clean. Air gun away all debris from the arm contact points, metal bushing bore, inner rubber bushing bore, and your work area.
- Lube 1 - Ensure that you have PROPER CHASSIS LUBE AS ANY OLE MULTIPURPOSE LUBE LIKELY HAS PETROLEUM IN IT THAT WILL EVENTUALLY BREAK RUBBER DOWN. I bought some Valvoline DuraBlend Tough Driving Formula moly-fortified synthetic blend grease which says: "for all U.S. European & Japanese vehicles. It specifically says for disc brake wheel bearings, chassis, suspension, uv joints, and cv joints. It is a Lithium Complex EP Grease and I got it at AutoZone. I hesitated on what grease I'd use where most would just use any ole high temp high pressure multi-purpose grease because of the petroleum thing although I cannot comment on how fast or how much deterioration greases with petroleum cause. It does seem odd though that grease would even be produced at all with an element that would degrade rubber over time which makes me think that the point could be moot. Nevertheless I prefer a grease which specifically states its for all the elements of the undercarriage as said above.
I did not try to remove the front lower control arm bushing because it didn't move by hand, so I left it. Not knowing the insides of it (could have ridges) if I would've pressed it out it may have damaged it. So, after you have your proper lube tube load it into your grease gun and clip in the grease gun needle. With the arm off its easier to get the needle in between the rubber and metal bushing sides. Inject grease at 6 to 8 points on one side of the rubber and 6 to 8 points on the other side of the rubber to hopefully get a good coverage in areas between arm metal and rubber bushing and also between metal bushing and rubber bushing. Put grease inside the metal bushing bore (enough to matter). Thoroughly wipe off excess grease from bushing edges. - Rubberized undercoating Part 1 - Now here is where you might think I'm crazy, but I don't care. I'm trying it myself anyway and we'll see how it goes. Get in an open air area, wear a breathing mask or respirator and goggles if you got'em, put the rear arm rubber bushing in an area you don't mind excess spray going, and "lightly" coat the inside of the rubber bushing as best as you can angle it and then more liberally coat the entire outside of this rubber bushing (maybe suspend it between two bricks to maximize coverage) with the rubberized undercoating. Also, clean off and rubberize undercoat the face of the rear arm support bracket on the side that touches the rubber mount bushing. Let it all dry for a day or longer.
- Lube 2 - Thoroughly grease the rear lower control arm stub that the rear rubber mount bushing fits over. Plug the rubber mount bushing with some grease as well; enough to slide the distance of the stub. Slide the newly rubberize coated rubber mount bushing over the stub so that the lettering (either "L" for left driver side or "R" for right passenger side) behind the bushing is right side up. Wipe off all excess grease on the edges.
- Rubberized undercoating Part 2 - Take the same setup and precautions for spraying rubber coat as you did before. This time you will spray rubber coat over the rear rubber mount bushing contact point (the edge or seam between the rubber bushing and the base of the stub on the control arm) all the way around. The idea here of course is simply to cover the edges/ends with the rubber coat so that when it dries dirt and anything else cannot enter where the grease is. Spray the edge/seam where the head of the stub meets with the rubber bushing as well. YES, I DO REALIZE THAT ONCE THE ARM PIVOTS ON THESE THAT THE SEAL WILL BREAK, BUT IT WILL BE A PRECISE LITTLE SLITHER OF A SPACE THAT RESULTS FROM THE PIVOTING AND WILL BE MUCH BETTER SEALED THAN NOT HAVING THE RUBBER SPRAYED ON AT ALL.
- Remount the lower control arm - {*Preinstall note: Make sure when you tighten the control arm mount bolts that the control arm is not hanging much more than 10 degrees downard (which is where its good to have the arm supported by something underneath). The idea here is to tighten the arm mount bolts where the lower control arm level is that of the level or close to what it will be when the tires are on and the vehicle is standing on the ground normally. Might be a good idea to retighten once the vehicle is down on the ground if you can get under there.}
-Install: Put the resurfaced bolts back on. If you want to get down to it you can RTV underneath the bolt and nut heads for a good seal to prevent rust. Put the newly rubber coated bracket back on so that the support bracket rubber coat now touches the rubber mount bushing bottom. You could follow the service manual's torque settings here and thats always a good idea, but I figure if I just put enough Captain Insano force back into tightening the bolts that everything will be fine especially on the bolts with the locking washers. - Ball Joint Lube - Move the hub/knuckle out of the way of the ball joint and support it with something if you can. Coat the base of the tapered shaft at the ball joint itself with the grease. Coat the inner sides of the ball joint dust cover with a thick coat as well. Try to avoid letting it touch the inner lip of the cover that will touch the ball joint tapered shaft. Stick the lube needle inside the lip top of the ball joint cover while you push the ball joint cover down by the base of the cover either hard with your fingers wearing gloves or the tip of a flathead screwdriver massaging it all the way around till it is flush with the base of the ball joint body. Inject some more grease in there. Pull the needle out. Wipe off all excess reaaaall good. Tape over the ball joint shaft threads with masking tape down to about 1/8" above the top of the dust cover leaving 1/8" of the ball joint shaft exposed.
12-10-2006, 11:33 PM
Reconditioning Lower Control Arms Prowler Style (IE: No cash man's method)
Re: Reconditioning Lower Control Arms Prowler Style (IE: No cash man's method)
