Lower control arm

[MonLand]

Hi,
I need new bushing for the front lower control arms on a V6 '06 LR3. I've been reading about this a little but I can't get to a conclusion. What's the recommended path?
I've read that changing the bushing is a pain (but then bushing are always a pain) and that it can be cost effective to change the arm assembly. I've read too that there is a updated control arm as well.
So, at the end of the day: does it make sense to do the bushing, if not how to ensure I get the updated design for the control arm. Proline arms are half the cost of genuine but I can't tell what design they have.

Thanks!
Loic.

 

[ptschram]

I wouldn't consider doing just the bushings.

I can beat Rover's North's price!

 

[MonLand]

Apparently the new trendy thing to do is to get RRS arms which are used by the armored LR3 and tougher... it does look like just doing the bushings is not an option many take! So much for that!

 

[RVRSRVC]

I've fitted the polybush to 2 LR3's. One is on the road and I'm waiting for feedback. The other one is part of a larger project and isn't on the road yet.
After investing in the tools necessary to press the original bushings out and in, I'm going to need to do a few of these to recoup that cost!
Maybe I should consider getting a few pairs for an inventory.....

 

[MonLand]

Quick followup on this: took me ~8-10 hours to get the driver side done and about one hour for the passenger side. Things I have learnt:
- before jumping to the impact gun (and cutting bolts), use a breaker bar and see if the nut will turn.
- follow the steps that are documented. There is no shortcut, the brake disks have to come out. The fork-style bearing separator is the way to go.

If you pay for labor, it sounds like replacing the arms will be cheaper. As a DIYer, this is definitely much easier. Now... I need to figure out if I still go forward with my plan to refit new bushings, etc on my LR3 control arms or if I just give up.

 

[discostew]

I think your gonna want to replace the whole arms / all the bolts nuts and washers . Cover the bolts with anti sieze before you install them and put them in reverse direction of the way they came out . This way the welded cam style washer is the one that contacts the ear on the frame. If the bolts wont come out of the bushings your gonna have to cut them inside of the frame with a sawzall. If you can get them out its gonna be with a good air hammer .

 

[lforgue8]

I think your gonna want to replace the whole arms / all the bolts nuts and washers . Cover the bolts with anti sieze before you install them and put them in reverse direction of the way they came out . This way the welded cam style washer is the one that contacts the ear on the frame. If the bolts wont come out of the bushings your gonna have to cut them inside of the frame with a sawzall. If you can get them out its gonna be with a good air hammer .

x2 to what stew says and i have been through 2 sets of OEM bushings and i now have changed to the one big polybush....the ride is just a bit more stiffer but seems ok for now about 3-4 months on the poly......the ball joint isnt that hard to remove if you have the right tools and the front small bushings (usually) isnt bad.......my 2 cents

 

[WNYDiscoIIErik]

I installed polybush on my 2006 over 18 months ago. No complaints here. The job was a PITA, but worth it to never have to worry about it.

 

[carlosz]

Loic, you should have consulted me before the whole ordeal...

 

[jymmiejamz]

Cover the bolts with anti sieze before you install them and put them in reverse direction of the way they came out . This way the welded cam style washer is the one that contacts the ear on the frame\

I would highly recommend not doing this. The side that is welded to the bolt has a rounded edge and it can slip over the raised portion of the frame and sometimes crush the frame. I've probably fixed ten or so that had the bolts in backwards.

In my opinion, I would just do the whole arm if you are doing this without the special tools. With the special tools I would definitely just do the bushings.

 

[discostew]

I would highly recommend not doing this. The side that is welded to the bolt has a rounded edge and it can slip over the raised portion of the frame and sometimes crush the frame. I've probably fixed ten or so that had the bolts in backwards.



I've seen that but I think its just because the person who installed it was careless and smashed the ears when they blasted the nut on . I'm gonna take a look at the washer on the bolt. If it is in fact the rounded side I'll stop doing it .

 

[jymmiejamz]

I would highly recommend not doing this. The side that is welded to the bolt has a rounded edge and it can slip over the raised portion of the frame and sometimes crush the frame. I've probably fixed ten or so that had the bolts in backwards.



I've seen that but I think its just because the person who installed it was careless and smashed the ears when they blasted the nut on . I'm gonna take a look at the washer on the bolt. If it is in fact the rounded side I'll stop doing it .

We were all doing it at the dealership until we started having a lot of issues with it. I also discovered today that if someone puts the bolt in backwards you can't drop the diff down far enough to do the pinion seal without removing the driveshaft. When we do control arm bushings or control arms we just replace the bolts and washers. Half of the time they are stripped out anyway.

 

[jeffro0502]

About to attempt this on a RRS has anyone dones this successfully w/o taking out the entire control arm or is this necessary, can't see it good right now in the dark but looks like a pressed in unit from what I'm looking at on Roverparts.com.

 

[jymmiejamz]

About to attempt this on a RRS has anyone dones this successfully w/o taking out the entire control arm or is this necessary, can't see it good right now in the dark but looks like a pressed in unit from what I'm looking at on Roverparts.com.

Do you have the tools to do it?

 

[jeffro0502]

Do you have the tools to do it?

Well I have a press. Just ordered the poly bushings, will remove completely and press the old ones out. Can't be that hard right?

Edit: Will just pull the entire lower control arm out.

 

[jymmiejamz]

I'd be interested to see how you do this. I'm sure it can be done without the special tools, you would just need some cups in the right sizes. I've never seen poly bushes for an LR3 or RRS control arm, but I can't say I've ever heard a good thing about any poly bushing. If you want to do it on the car you may be able to do it if you have a really big ball joint press.

 

[jeffro0502]

I'd be interested to see how you do this. I'm sure it can be done without the special tools, you would just need some cups in the right sizes. I've never seen poly bushes for an LR3 or RRS control arm, but I can't say I've ever heard a good thing about any poly bushing. If you want to do it on the car you may be able to do it if you have a really big ball joint press.

It will be interesting to see how I do this. Not sure may have to bounce it off a buddy that owns a shop look at tools he has. Bushing should be here this week....if they turn out to be crap at least they'll slide out since they don't have to be pressed in.

 

[jeffro0502]

Got it done....first side took 3.5 hours. Most of that time was spent playing around with the bushing looking at ways to get it out. Finally got my drill and went around with the drill cleaning out the bad rubber, then worked the center piece out. Then used a sawzall and cut enough to where I could bend the edges down and was able to drive a screw driver in between the control arm and bushing sleeve working it in different areas till it finally popped out. The whole job wasn't bad at all and the other side went much faster after I had figured it out. Now my clunky front end is nice and quite again. Will be in the alignment shop in a few days if not tomorrow.

I only did this since I was going back with the poly bushings from AB. They were easy to put back in.

 

[jymmiejamz]

You'll have to keep us posted on the poly bushes, I've never heard any good things about them. That being said, my Defender had them on it when I got it, and they seem to be holding up pretty well.

Unless you marked the bolts, or know where they get aligned from the factory (sadly, I do), I wouldn't drive it until you get it aligned.

 

[jeffro0502]

I've read some stuff too about poly bushings wearing out a lot say to grease them which I did very well. That said they were cheap and easy to replace.

And believe it or not I almost forgot to mark the bolts but just as I was getting my tools I saw a mark on them from either factory or a previous alignment.