lsxjunkie

So, after the fiasco of installing these bad boys, which included torching the **** out of the factory bolt, setting the OEM LCA bushing on fire, limping the car to the dealership to cut out the factory LCAs because the forward bushing sleeves were completely seized to the bolts, getting overcharged for new hardware they clearly didn't install, and then having to retorque everything because the guy clearly torqued the bolts with the suspension unloaded...



I now have a decent creak from somewhere in the passenger side, sounds like the front bushing. I tried greasing the outside of the bushing with Super Lube (not nearly as sticky as the included grease), and the creak didn't go away.

I've ordered Energy Suspension Formula 5 to regrease the whole thing, but I need to get the bushings out to grease them. What's the best way to do that with hand tools without damaging the bushings? Thanks in advance.

SilrBult

I am not sure which model J&M LCA's you have, but most poly bushings are simply pressed into the housings. I have J&M Extremes on my car and that's how the front poly bushings are installed. The rears on the the Extremes are installed differently [ and somewhat ingeniously ] and a spanner wrench with pins would be useful, but probably not really necessary. In any case the rears have a zirk fitting so disassembly would only be required for replacement. Assuming you have the typical front bushings you will need to unbolt the front of the control arm from the chassis to re-lube the front bushings. If it were me I would take the arm out completely since it's probably easier that way. If you have a large bench vise or a hydraulic press that will make it easier, but it's not necessary. If not place the bushing end of the arm over a socket or a length of pipe with an inside diameter large enough for the inner steel part of the bushing to fit in it. Use a drift or a bolt big enough to fit the outer diameter of the steel bushing and drive it out with a hammer. Now you should be able to push or pry the poly bushings out and re- lube them. Push them back into the arm's housing and then drive the inner steel bushing back into place. A plastic or brass hammer would be best as you don't want to bugger up the ends of the steel bushing. Rubber bushings are molded to their steel shells and must be tightened and torqued to spec with the car at ride height ie. the suspension in a "loaded" condition. Rubber bushings twist within their shells as the suspension moves. Poly and spherical bearings rotate within their shells or housings. With polys it's usually the inner steel bushing that rotates within the poly. In any case since they rotate it's not necessary for the car to be at ride height or "loaded" when they are tightened. No twisting of the bushing or bearing material is involved.

lsxjunkie

You're a gentleman and a scholar. Thank you.

I figure the squeak must be coming from the outer face of the bushing rotating against the torque box, but just to be safe, I want to add more grease to the bushing halves as well, in case I am getting movement of the bushing inside the arm.