Rear Control arm bushing replacement

[reeber]

Is this a difficult job for a rookie mechanic without a lift?

Or should I pay a mechanic to replace them.

If I pay a mechanic, how much would the average charge be?

I'm replacing both upper and lower control arm bushings on my MAC control arms. I have all the parts, but have no idea how to replace them.

Any advice would RULE!

Thanks!

 

[rjs281]

The lowers are not bad at all. The uppers are a pain. You can do it but ready to get frustrated from time to time. I have replaced mine twice. Am looking to get something different myself. There bushings suck.

 

[nyuk98gt]

reeber:

Pick up a Haynes manual ($20) and read their procedures for both upper and lower control arm bushings. You have to drill out the UCA rubber so that you can recover the inner sleeve. There is some hefty labor required but, yes, you can do it. You might want to do one control arm at a time so that the axle does not 'roll' and then it is tough to get things to line back up for reassembly. Maximum Motorsports may have a write-up on their site, too, come to think of it.

HTH,

Chris

 

[merc123]

I just replaced my entire rear end. You can take off the LCA's without a lift easily, just need a jack & stands. You don't even need to get under the car. They were difficult to get back into place but then again I had the whole rear end out.

I don't know about taking the actual bushings out though but they were a PITA to get the new top ones put back in the rear.

 

[nancygrl]

Maximum Motorsports has a write up for the lower, but their write-up for the upper is for using their tool, that they sell, to press out the entire stock bushing and press in a new Ford bushing.

For using aftermarket upper bushings; drilling out the rubber for the uppers is a PITA! Just gotta be patient and persistent. The second one was easier than the first because you figure out what you did wrong/correct on the first one

Oh, and I did mine without a lift, just make sure you get the car high enough to do the work comfortably.

 

[Mel96GT]

Use the special tool they sell for removing and installing the UCA bushings on the differential housing. The tool cost me about $30.00 and it was a breeze to use. Otherwise you will be struggling for hours. Also use the FRPP upper control arms since they seem to bind the least and last the longest. I have had mine for a couple years with no problems.

 

[fast97gt]

If you replace them with energy suspension urathane bushings like I did, it was a piece of cake. All u do is remove the upper and lower control arms and heat the outer sleave till the rubber starts smoldering then using a LONG screw driver push out the bushing and inner sleave. Let it cool and drop in the new urathane bushing with grease included in the kit. Also the outer sleave gets reused so don't press it out. Yes the rear housing bushings are the same way, it is a little more difficult but its simple

 

[Mike97gt]

If you replace them with energy suspension urathane bushings like I did, it was a piece of cake. All u do is remove the upper and lower control arms and heat the outer sleave till the rubber starts smoldering then using a LONG screw driver push out the bushing and inner sleave. Let it cool and drop in the new urathane bushing with grease included in the kit. Also the outer sleave gets reused so don't press it out. Yes the rear housing bushings are the same way, it is a little more difficult but its simple

thats how I do them..


For the housing bushings I heat the shells with a torch and push the bushing out after it starts to melt.. then clean with a wire wheel and put the new ones in.

 

[bhuff30]

The difficulty of the swap will also depend on how easily the bolts come out. The lower control arm bolts on my 97 were siezed to the bushing, and I had to grind them out, which isn't fun. I later heard that if you hold the nut and loosen the bolt, for whatever magical reason, it will not sieze up. I'm happy that I didn't get the chance to test the method yet though.