2nd Gen Rear Control Arms

briasmit91

briasmit91

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Hi guys, I've been trying to figure out my sources for control arms as my car is creaking from the rear getting in and out and going over bumps.

Before the freezing cold hit I bought some all 4 rear control arms from a salvage yard to hold me over til the warm weather hits again. But I'd like to buy brand new parts to fix the problem and rid my sanity. Is it recommended to get ford parts for this? Are there any aftermarket ones out there? I've seen the bushings on eBay for them, but I thought I read somewhere that the Deutsche Parts aren't the greatest. Can someone shine a light here?

Thanks guys. Sorry, I'm sure this has been discussed many times.
 
Ford is pretty much it unless you can find some LemForder ones laying around. Although LemForder is just the manufacturer who made the arms for Ford.

If you get the rear bushing it's been said you will have to machine the rear control arms to fit the bushings as they are a little bigger then the old ones.

I just bought a new set of rearl arms from Tasca Parts and they ran $788 shipped. It is nice when the rear wheels are straight up and down though.
 
So what we are saying here is that replacing the rear control arms is the only way to both, get rid of the annoying squeaking in the rear suspension as well as to reduce the out of spec negative camber that can't be dialed out during alignment?
 
You can loosen the lower arms and use a come-along to pull the rear arms in a little bit more before torquing down. It's not going to correct anything out of spec. I think that was worth maybe half a degree of camber or so.
 
Jaguar does sell a camber kit for adjusting the rear wheels, at least for the XJ models. Might be something to look into since the LS has a lot of Jaguar in it. My dad was going to get a set for his Jag, but he sold it before getting around to it. The Jag dealer sells them.
 
So just to confirm, there are no Ford or Jaguar or even aftermarket bushing kits out there being sold either in the US or Europe that allow you to press out the warn out factory bushings in the rear control arms and then press in new one? Just for clarification I am talking about a Gen 2 here, if that makes any difference.
 
Deaconblue, here's a set of bushings from eBay for the rear control arms. I've heard the manufacturer is horrible though. http://m.ebay.com/itm/Lincoln-LS-Re...ngs-LEFT-RIGHT-SET-6-/121363132894?nav=SEARCH

Ford claims you can't push the bushings out on these. At least that's what my dealers are saying, so that's out of the window. I think the easiest and cheapest way would be to just replace the entire control arm.
 
Deaconblue said:
So just to confirm, there are no Ford or Jaguar or even aftermarket bushing kits out there being sold either in the US or Europe that allow you to press out the warn out factory bushings in the rear control arms and then press in new one? Just for clarification I am talking about a Gen 2 here, if that makes any difference.
Click to expand...

Positions #10-12 (among others) here :

http://powerflexusa.com/stype.aspx

For gen1 S-Type, but I have not been able to confirm yet on the net if anyone has ran these. Or if the Stype bushings will work in Stype Arms.

Anyone seen these before?
 
There are no reliable/confirmed aftermarket bushings that you can buy for the control arms. You can get reliable aftermarket front control arms that are rebuild by Moog, Mevotech, etc, but no one reman's the rears. You'll have to go to Ford for the rear control arms.

There are bushings you can buy on EBay but the few posts I've seen on them say that you have to have the rear control arms machined out a little to make them fit. If you don't machine them out you will crack the arms pressing them in.
 
Quick question here on the Lower Control Arms in the rear. (Yes, no full search just yet)

~ they the same for both GEN's ?

04 LSE ~ after replacing both rear UCA's, Sway bar end links and Toe adjust lateral linkages I exchanged a slight ticking noise for a "too many cheeseburgers" annoying squeak in the RR.

I have to look some further into this new problem of mine but I suspect the LCA on the Right Rear ... probably cuz I used it hastily as a lift point one night. Doh! :(
 
Looking on Tasca Parts, the LCA part numbers are similar but not the exact. I'm assuming not? Doing some research, I believe the LCAs are the culprit for the "too many cheeseburgers" squeak.

The noise noise drives me insane as I hear it when I get out of the car and with every crease in the road. [emoji36]
 
I like that. "Noise has been identified as a TMC-induced squeak."

"TMC? What's that?"

"TOO MANY CHEESEBURGERS!!!"

too_many_cheeseburgers_by_tjaybrandon.jpg
 
Just got back and my TMC-induced squeak has been resolved for the time being.

Drove the rear end up on simple laid-out wooden ramps to elevate the LS some. With the load still on the suspension and control arms, a Mechanics Stethoscope ... actually my Buddy Mechanic with his Stethoscope, was ... used to pin point the squeak while I rocked the RR up and down at the fender well.

52500.jpg


It is indeed the outside bushing at the knuckle on the lower control arm. We had the through-bolt out and gave it a clean out and reinstalled with Permatex Anti-seize. Some more lubricating with a PB blaster. Didn't solve the problem until the rubber bushing was noted to have dry cracks in it. Cleaned out, blown out and more PB Blaster eventually got rid of the squeak. (for now)

Needs new bushings or whole arm replaced. 12yr old car in Canadian winter climates will do that to it.

I tell ya ... the fun ... it just never stops!

52500.jpg
 
Kumba said:
There are no reliable/confirmed aftermarket bushings that you can buy for the control arms. You can get reliable aftermarket front control arms that are rebuild by Moog, Mevotech, etc, but no one reman's the rears. You'll have to go to Ford for the rear control arms.

There are bushings you can buy on EBay but the few posts I've seen on them say that you have to have the rear control arms machined out a little to make them fit. If you don't machine them out you will crack the arms pressing them in.
Click to expand...

What if you chilled the bushing in the freezer and heated the control arm before pressing the bushing in place?
 
BigRigLS said:
Just got back and my TMC-induced squeak has been resolved for the time being.

Drove the rear end up on simple laid-out wooden ramps to elevate the LS some. With the load still on the suspension and control arms, a Mechanics Stethoscope ... actually my Buddy Mechanic with his Stethoscope, was ... used to pin point the squeak while I rocked the RR up and down at the fender well.

View attachment 828475362


It is indeed the outside bushing at the knuckle on the lower control arm. We had the through-bolt out and gave it a clean out and reinstalled with Permatex Anti-seize. Some more lubricating with a PB blaster. Didn't solve the problem until the rubber bushing was noted to have dry cracks in it. Cleaned out, blown out and more PB Blaster eventually got rid of the squeak. (for now)

Needs new bushings or whole arm replaced. 12yr old car in Canadian winter climates will do that to it.

I tell ya ... the fun ... it just never stops!
Click to expand...

What is after cleaning the bushing, how about spraying the bushing with say a rubber renewal chemical or loading the joint up with Energy Suspension Formula 5 marine grade bushing pre-lube;

http://www.energysuspensionparts.com/9.11110
http://www.energysuspensionparts.com/9.11110
 
Deaconblue said:
What is after cleaning the bushing, how about spraying the bushing with say a rubber renewal chemical or loading the joint up with Energy Suspension Formula 5 marine grade bushing pre-lube;

http://www.energysuspensionparts.com/9.11110
http://www.energysuspensionparts.com/9.11110
Click to expand...


Okay so I may try this trick even if it is only a short term fix. If I have to end up replacing the lower control arms, this modification will be done on the new ones as well.

http://www.lincolnvscadillac.com/fo...(pics)&p=2037390415&viewfull=1#post2037390415
 
Deaconblue said:
What if you chilled the bushing in the freezer and heated the control arm before pressing the bushing in place?
Click to expand...

Try it and let us know. The couple of people that tried after market bushings had the control arms crack unless they machined the arm for the new bushing. I would say that if the fit is tight enough for it to crack that the few thousandths you're going to gain heating the aluminum won't help. Cooling the steel bushing won't gain you much more then a thousandth. Since I don't work in a machine shop any more and paying someone to do that would likely be more then the cost of new arms from Ford I just bought new and was done with it. No more guess work that way too.

The other thing to consider is that heating the aluminum arm up enough to get that few thousands is likely going to be too hot for the rubber/grease in the bushings to be happy. In other words if you got the bushing in, you'd likely burn the rubber and grease that's in the bushing. Somewhat defeats the purpose.
 
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