Rear lower control arm bushing replacement (pics)

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ack

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tired of the squeaking and not about to pay the man i finally decided to tackle the job. the biggest problem is only one side of the control are is machined and the other is a cast surface. i did some careful filing on the cast side to achieve a flat surface so i could trap the bushing. i used a depth micrometer to get the dimension from the end of the bushing back to the control arm. i then made the "end caps" (blue) using those dimensions so everything stayed inline.

removing the original bushing
0810120841.jpg



homemade puller with the bushing removed
0810120848.jpg



old bushing along with the new one.
0810121232.jpg



installed
0810121323.jpg
 
Very nice! Good job! A few questions tho....

1. How is the ride quality?

2. what material did you make the 'end caps' from?

3. Do you have a part number/source for the bushings?

I am very impressed!
 
Looks like a universal bushing of some sort.

Can we have a round of applause for this gentleman!
 
Faith in humanity has been restored for our not so frequent users!

Good work. Same questions as those listed above.

I opened this thinking it was the front lower control arm bushings. For the sake of LS owners keep up the good work.
 
the ride is quite once again! i don't remember the type of plastic the blue is. a coworker gave me a leftover bushing from a custom build. the inside diameter was right. the length was too long . just needed cut to length.

i actually was planning this repair for a couple weeks but just did not have the time. i was really hoping to find a stock bushing the correct length and just sleeve the outside. the problem is trapping the bushing. the ls does not have any snap rings holding the bushing in place. it is pressed in to the correct depth. i was contemplating selling a bushing sleeve and letting the purchaser locate the bushing, but the problem of an unmachined casting on one side really messed up those ideas. the rear blue spacer needs to be custom fit at assembly for a proper bushing trap. i spent hours and hours looking for a bushing and or solution to the mess lincoln left us with. i see no reason why they don't offer that bushing as a replacement.

now i just need to find time to do the passenger side. :(
 
You did a great job!

If you are not going to go into biz with this then could you ask your co-worker where the bushing came from? The plastic spacers could be made from UHMW polyethylene washers as they are tough and self lubricating.

As long as there is one machined side there could be a stepped drive plate to locate the bushing a relative depth from the machined surface. It would be the way it was done at the manufacturer who supplied the part to Ford.

I too am surprised that an aftermarket company like Moog or Dana has not come up with a solution.

On edit: If you had the dimensions of the bushing there are enough "hot rodders" on this site that could come up with something production.
 
ack said:
the ride is quite once again! i don't remember the type of plastic the blue is. a coworker gave me a leftover bushing from a custom build. the inside diameter was right. the length was too long . just needed cut to length.

i actually was planning this repair for a couple weeks but just did not have the time. i was really hoping to find a stock bushing the correct length and just sleeve the outside. the problem is trapping the bushing. the ls does not have any snap rings holding the bushing in place. it is pressed in to the correct depth. i was contemplating selling a bushing sleeve and letting the purchaser locate the bushing, but the problem of an unmachined casting on one side really messed up those ideas. the rear blue spacer needs to be custom fit at assembly for a proper bushing trap. i spent hours and hours looking for a bushing and or solution to the mess lincoln left us with. i see no reason why they don't offer that bushing as a replacement.

now i just need to find time to do the passenger side. :(
Click to expand...

Well that answered one of my 3 questions. When you do the passenger side please take some measurements of the I.D. of the hole the bushing goes in and a length of the bushing so the rest of the community can start doing this as well. Its kind of a teaser when you do something thats never been done before and then have no info for the rest of us to use! Im just busting your balls man..I am very impressed at your inginuity and risk taking on this project. Once again, Great job!
 
i will stick with my home brew bushings with those at 140$ each.
 
hite337 said:
Well that answered one of my 3 questions. When you do the passenger side please take some measurements of the I.D. of the hole the bushing goes in and a length of the bushing so the rest of the community can start doing this as well. Its kind of a teaser when you do something thats never been done before and then have no info for the rest of us to use! Im just busting your balls man..I am very impressed at your inginuity and risk taking on this project. Once again, Great job!
Click to expand...


the od of the bushing is 1.8515 . the length is 2.12 . the id of the bushing without the reducing bushings is .630 . i reused the end caps as the bushings i used had the same id. the bushings i used had a 1.5 od so i made a steel sleeve to fit. after filing the arm it ended up 1.5 inches wide so i cut the length of the rubber and the outer steel sleeve down to 1.5.

the original bushing was "proud" (to the front of the vehicle) .435 from the arm. that is how thick the front (blue) spacer ended up. the rear blue spacer was approx. .190 thick.

the 2 blue spacers i made 2 3/8 dia. with a .625 dia hole which made a nice press onto the tube that went through the rubber.

hopefully that answered your 2 questions and possibly your next couple also! ;)
 
So you used a new bushing that was 1.5" O.D. and then made a sleeve that had a 1.5" I.D. and a 1.8515" O.D.? And then you had to modify the length of the new bushing as well? I've been on the Vodka/Redbull tonight so I may seem a little confused because I am.

Thank you for the info....I will most certainly be doing this myself soon. I'm glad (as I am sure many other members are) that you have taking the initiative to tackle this issue! You now have me thinking about the front control arms now...
 
I'm not sure how fast I can get to this project with so many others going on right now but I will keep that in mind, thanks
 
No problemo, I remember when I did mine that i mentioned going out and finding a replacement. Never got around to it.
 
hite337 said:
So you used a new bushing that was 1.5" O.D. and then made a sleeve that had a 1.5" I.D. and a 1.8515" O.D.? And then you had to modify the length of the new bushing as well?
Click to expand...


yes
 
If the durometer of the rubber is close to what is used with leaf springs, a leaf spring bushing could be used with modification.

Here is info I found from one site, and will look more when I have time.

The ideal bushing would have an OD of 47mm plus, but the ones they list at 47mm would not work (Type 4, need Type 1). So from their site you would have to go with a 1 7/8" OD bushing and reduce the outer shell diameter by 0.012" per their specs. On this page it looks like RB-274 would work after being machined on the OD and cut to length and some ID dressing. A centerless grinder could take care of the OD, then 3 or 4 cuts on a lathe to get the inner and outer sleeves to spec and a tailstock ream for the ID dressing. Or two cuts and use the poly washers.

If they are specially manufacturing these bushings, then their supplier might be able to make them to an exact spec the LS would need.

http://www.huskyspring.com/1-78-inch-1875-OD-RB-Bushing-Type-1234_c_468.html

On Edit - It looks like the RB274 bushing is either the front or rear leaf spring bushing on the 2003-2006 Ford Sport Trac, available from Ford for $18 or $58 depending on which it is. These aftermarket sources would be cheaper.
 
yes those would work. i did not know for sure what i needed until i pressed the old one out. i looked through the list and seen one that would work after some slight mods. just need to turn the od down as you said and then cut to length. if i remember the id of the end caps and bolt size are 9/16. i could be off a tad. i did not pay much attention to that once i knew the original end caps fit my tube dia. if the bolt is 9/16 a guy could chuck up the bolt with the bushing on it in a lathe and turn off the extra stock.

great find! these should eliminate the problem of the unmachined casting and trapping the bushing as i did.
 
If the 9/16" ID would work then the RB-237 or RB-261 might be a better choice. The 237 size runs about $27 each. All of these identifiers (RB-XXX) are industry standard designations for spring shops.

I'm not sure how centered the ID to OD is, or the movement of the OD shell from the rubber compliance if it was turned in a lathe. It might be fine, but being cautious is why I brought up using a centerless grinder.

However, if I know my auto engineers there probably was a reason to go with those end caps and a lightly larger ID in the bushing itself. They can't be there as a bearing surface to allow movement between the ID shell and bolt as all the movement should be provided by the rubber.

Maybe they were trying to keep some clearance between the ID of the inner shell and the bolt to prevent a situation where if the tolerances were tighter any rust formation would make it difficult to remove the bolt later in life.
 
ack said:
i will stick with my home brew bushings with those at 140$ each.
Click to expand...

$140 would be for a pair of bushings. This would do 1 arm, or both inners, or both outers. All of a sudden it's not so expensive. :cool: $240 to do both arms, is still cheaper than replacing 1 control arm assembly. This definitely has my interest. Especially since it's an improved design, and someone else did all the homework. ;)

The overseas shipping might add a little to the price.

---Mike---
 
Last edited:
Thankfully some new options, my LSs rear end started squeaking about a month ago, but I. Haven't had any spare time or money to replace the whole shebang. Time is easier to find than money, so replacing just the bushings is a godsend!
 
Reviving this thread. Can anyone confirm those Jag bushings will definitely fit? Did anyone find any other solutions since this thread? I really don't want to throw cash at a new control arm.
 
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