Are these rear control arm bushings shot?

[K4fxd]

ignore the 20 ton press

Sure makes it a lot easier

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[Oakley]

Sure makes it a lot easier

so would a lift but most people don't have em.

 

[Oakley]

If you dont have other rear suspension bracing, then Steeda is right, just doing their sphericals wont add NVH. If you have a bunch of braces and supports added YMMV.

just so people know, i have zero additional bracing and zero wheel hop and the car hooks.

this proves the bracing is really just a band aid for the root causes: factory control arm and diff bushings that restrict the movement they should allow and allow the movement they should restrict.

 

[Eyesac]

the first of the new ones slipped right in. I'm talking ZERO effort, no wiggleroom, just absolute perfection. the second required a little bit of force, i used a long bolt with a nut to gently encourage its cooperation.

I went with Steeda, I definitely needed a press, like there was no way some ball joint press would have done it... So depending on your choice I wouldn't ignore the advice of having a press available.

 

[AnthonyA1234]

Right now I have their steeda tri point brace for the rear suspension, the irs bushing support system and alignment kit. Is that enough bracing that the spherical bushings would cause NVH?

 

[Oakley]

I went with Steeda, I definitely needed a press, like there was no way some ball joint press would have done it... So depending on your choice I wouldn't ignore the advice of having a press available.

my advice was specifically for the FTBR parts which are comparable in cost and vastly superior in terms of quality and easy of install.

 

[K4fxd]

The hard part is getting the old one out. Yes the sawzall trick does work. If you don't have a press, taking it to a shop and paying 20 bucks is well worth the time.

 

[NightmareMoon]

Right now I have their steeda tri point brace for the rear suspension, the irs bushing support system and alignment kit. Is that enough bracing that the spherical bushings would cause NVH?

Uncertain. Probably fine and worst case removing the cradle supports would probably do the trick if you do get more NVH than you like.

 

[S550HPP]

wrong



removing the LCA and the old bushing is the hardest part. ignore the 20 ton press comments. if you have one its nice to get the old ones out but you won't need it to install.

getting the old ones out is the hardest part. cut out the cores with a hole saw and with then slit the sleeves so i could hammer the rest of the carcass out.

the first of the new ones slipped right in. I'm talking ZERO effort, no wiggleroom, just absolute perfection. the second required a little bit of force, i used a long bolt with a nut to gently encourage its cooperation.

zero NVH increase and the car hooks and books like a mother flipper now.

Maybe it's easier to do a low milage LCA?.....anyway I doubt I will have an issue with meagre 330 HP and no drag or race mode use.

 

[NGOT8R]

Forg

Maybe it's easier to do a low milage LCA?.....anyway I doubt I will have an issue with meagre 330 HP and no drag or race mode use.

Low mileage didn’t matter when I did mine. I had 472 miles on my car at the time.

I bought a 12 ton shop press specifically for this job and quickly bent the press ram on it and the factory bushing sleeve didn’t budge one bit. I ended up taking it to my buddy’s shop and he used his 20 ton shop press to finish the job.

Pics of the damaged press ram and repair needed to return my press to operational status.

 

[Oakley]

I believe it that's why i suggested just cutting them out.
its kind of messy but its waaaaaaaaaaaaaaay easier to do it that way.

1. hole saw the core out
2. sawzall slits in the sleeve
3. hammer the sleeve out

once you relieve the incredible tension on the sleeve you can get it out pretty easy.
an air hammer would make this a lot faster.

i clamped it on my workbench and used a sledge and chisels

again, if you get the FTBR LCA bearings with the snap rings they basically slide right in without needing a press. I've done a LOT of different installs, especially bushing installs, and I have never seen anything close to the incredibly high quality of those bearings.

 

[S550HPP]

Forg


Low mileage didn’t matter when I did mine. I had 472 miles on my car at the time.

I bought a 12 ton shop press specifically for this job and quickly bent the press ram on it and the factory bushing sleeve didn’t budge one bit. I ended up taking it to my buddy’s shop and he used his 20 ton shop press to finish the job.

Pics of the damaged press ram and repair needed to return my press to operational status.

Tear out?

 

[NGOT8R]

Tear out?

If you’re asking whether my bushings tore out, the answer is no. I was able to use my press to push the rubber bushings and inner sleeves out, but when I moved on to press the outer shells out of the RLCAs, that’s when the press ram bent.

When I took the RLCAs to my buddy’s shop, he used his lathe to turn down the aluminum press puck that Steeda supplied, making it step down to fit inside of the sleeves. See pic here.

 

[S550HPP]

Good thing had all those shop resources avail!

 

[GrabberBargeCaptain]

Right now I have their steeda tri point brace for the rear suspension, the irs bushing support system and alignment kit. Is that enough bracing that the spherical bushings would cause NVH?

almost certainly. a lot of it depends on how bad the roads are that you frequent.

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