good day: seems like the lower control arm bushings going in these cars are common. i would like to attempt to put these in myself. if any one has done this before, did you pound them out or take them to a shop to have them removed and the new bushings installed.
thanks , dnd

I read your question about lower control arm bushings and have been told by the dealership that I need mine replaced (at a price tag of close to $700!). I was wondering if you ever got an answer to your question and/or figured out how to fix the problem yourself.

Thanks!

Fix them. It made a world of difference in my car when I had it done. But it only cost me $480, about a year and a half ago. If one were particularly handy, and had all the right tools, you could do it yourself. But if I'm not mistaken, the bushing have to be pressed out, and the new ones pressed in, and you can't do that at home.

Pony up. These are expensive cars. Lord help you if you've got a needy one.

You can do it yourself if you are pretty handy.

I had a rough time doing mine, took me about 3 straight days to get it done (with a lot of delays). My advice is if you can get it done for $400 or less then get it done at the shop. I was quoted $800 and couldn't find anything lower than that.

You do not need a press although it will definitely help. You can do it by hand. The best way to do it would be to completely replace the entire control arm, on both sides, but if you don't want to you can get all 4 bushings for the lower control arms for about $120 total. I spent on top of that an additional $200 roughly in tools. And a hell of a lot of elbow grease. If you don't already own a good set of metric sockets, breaker bar, floor jacks/stands, then you could spend as much as $300-400 in tools.

To remove the bushings yourself try this after you remove the control arms:
1. burn the bushing with a propane torch, being careful not to warp the control arm. Blast it for about 1 minute and let it cool a bit before continuing to burn.
2. After you melt a significant amount pull out the center piece of the bushing.
3. Scrape out the rubber with a knife, flathead screwdriver, or burn w/ the torch.
4. Using a hacksaw, thread the blade through the bushing. Cut the casing. Be careful not to cut into the control arm. This will take significantly longer for the rear bushing as it's made of a different alloy.

Once you cut the casing the case will slide out, if not cut it twice to cut out a little chunk like a pizza slice, and now it should slide relatively easy.

Remember to clean the inside thoroughly with soap & water and a wire brush lube it with some soap or other water-soluble liquid to help you push in the new bushing. Push in the bushing with a clamp on the edges of the bushing & control arm. Don't worry about the control arm as much as the bushing - IPD has shown these control arms are some strong SOBs. If you continue having problems pushing in try a large rubber mallet, or borrow a friends press.

Trust me, you'll cut down hours of the process if you have a press or if you have a friend that has one or you can find a place to rent one (try Sunbelt)