How to check for bad bushings when buying used control arms?

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11-03-2020, 01:14 PM

#11

engifineer

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Quote:

Originally Posted by fly_S2K

It's not just you. Those UCA mounts have torn from the unibody. OP, you need to have that addressed and rewelded.

Slowcrash posted those pics, not the OP. And I just thought the same when I saw that. Those are definitely tearing loose and need welded asap!

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11-03-2020, 03:13 PM

#12

B serious

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Quote:

Originally Posted by Slowcrash_101

The bushings have little rubber tabs, if they're not aligned with the rest of the bushing, they're torn.

Ignoring the MASSIVE chassis damage there...

Are you saying the tabs should be aligned when checked with the control arms off the car?

Obviously, on the car, with the wheels off the ground, there would be a misalignment because the bushing is twisting due to the suspension drooping. This is normal...

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11-03-2020, 03:32 PM

#13

fly_S2K

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Quote:

Originally Posted by engifineer

Slowcrash posted those pics, not the OP. And I just thought the same when I saw that. Those are definitely tearing loose and need welded asap!

My bad, you're right! That's one of the worse cases I've seen so I was shocked and distracted

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11-08-2020, 08:01 AM

#14

zakazak

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11-08-2020, 08:37 AM

#15

noodels

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Replace 54321

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11-08-2020, 08:51 AM

#16

zakazak

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Quote:

Originally Posted by noodels

Replace 54321

You mean, replace the bushing from pictures 1,2,3,4,5?
Well I can't buy the OEM bushings (they aren't sold separately).. so if that one is bad, I will have to replace all bushings with something else than OEM.

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11-08-2020, 09:04 AM

#17

Slowcrash_101

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Hard race makes replacement bushings for all but the rear lower front bushing.

Their compliance bushings are very similar to the Spoon ones, as are their motor mounts.

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11-08-2020, 09:06 AM

#18

noodels

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These ones.
I made tons of pictures. First, here are the pictures which worry me the most:
When bending the bushing with a long screw driver, it looks like the rubber is not fully attached to the outer metal shell anymore?

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11-08-2020, 09:46 AM

#19

zakazak

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Quote:

Originally Posted by Slowcrash_101

Hard race makes replacement bushings for all but the rear lower front bushing.

Their compliance bushings are very similar to the Spoon ones, as are their motor mounts.

So you also recommend me to replace the bushings from pictures 1,2,3,4,5 ?

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11-08-2020, 02:49 PM

#20

Slowcrash_101

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Cannot comment based on pictures, surface cracks do not equal bad bushings. Only bushings that are physically torn warrant replacement in my opinion. If they're not attached to the shell, those you'd replace. The shock bushings, the compliance bushings and the upper control arm bushings are usually the ones that tear, the rest are too beefy to really damage unless you do something really boneheaded. Most of the lower bushings don't really get torn because they're rather beefy, but also because they're always loosened and tightened when you do an alignment.

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