UPGRADED the lower control arm bushings, the a-arm bushings Options

[Batman722]

I was going to do a how-to but was too caught up with just getting this done, I only snapped a couple of pics at the end.
Me, Manny, and Stef knocked this out pretty easy.

I ordered some front suspension bushings from Paul in Poland



here's a pic of the control arm



(taken from this post)

I went from this bushing



to this bushing



and the other



I know the pics I took kinda suck (they're a little messy from the grease too) but I was more concerned about feeling the difference driving with them and then eating.

I have to say after launching a few times on the ride home I can really feel the difference with keeping the wheels on the ground. They really help to reduce wheel hop and it feels great.
The other thing I wicked noticed was how much tighter the front end feels during turns. They keep the front end of the car much more level to the ground and cornering is so much more controled, it's amazing.

also, ride quality was not compromised at all, which I was a bit concrened about.

The entire process took a few hours and air tools made it much easier

This post has been edited by Batman722: Jun 30, 2009 - 8:22 AM

[Tigawoods]

There is truth to Dustin saying the tubes are not needed. With 150ftlbs to torque those bolts, your compressing the pocket that the arm is in, so for the most part, it shouldnt move, I just wanted the tubes as an extra security measure.




I took this from my progress thread



For the crash tubes, the "right" method for installing them would be to drop the subframe and drop the tubes in from the top. And in my quest to find a way NOT to drop the subframe I did it this way:


Since the crash tubes from toyota are fairly thin in thickness, I put them into the bushing hole (arm uninstalled). There are two different ends to the tube. One is tapered in and the other tapered out.
The tapered in end would be facing down upon installation.

Here is where my lazy crafty...ness came into play.
When the tube is centered in the bushing, about 1/4 of the tube sticks out on either end. Having it like this will NOT allow you to pop in the mount in the pocket...there just isnt the clearance for that. (hence why the proper way is to drop them in from the top) SO.
I took a mallet and hammered both of the ends of the tube inward and so they would be flush with the bushings metal center.
At that point, the arm will be able to be installed, and when aligned, I took a screw driver and pryed back out the knocked in lower end, and took a long screwdriver and hit the upper knocked in end so that it would be unfold back to straight.

does that make sense? I really should have taken pictures.

and this will more than likely NOT be able to be done with those thicker crush tubes. Those would require the subframe to be dropped.