Front LCA bushings replacement

[CheapJeep'n]

Hi,

First time poster long time lurker.
I have a 2003 Jeep Liberty Limited Edition and the front lower control arm bushings are starting to look a little rough, especially the bushings where the clevis attaches.
Hopefully I don't need to replace them too soon but I like to be prepared since I daily my KJ and I can't have it side lined for too long.

I've already purchased 3 replacement bushings for each arm (Moog K7389 and Moog K200258) but after reading some other posts about pressing out these bushings I'm a little hesitant to do so.
I don't have access to a shop press so my plan is to use a ball joint press (Astro Pneumatic Kit 7897) to press out the old bushings and press in the new ones.
From what I've seen people seem to have to drill holes in the rubber and press the inner sleeve first, then the rubber, and then finally the outer sleeve.

For anyone whose done this job before, how was it?
Did you need a shop press or were you able to use something like a ball joint press?
I know the Factory Service Manual wants you to use a few special kits to remove the bushings (Miller 8858, 8830, and 8839 for the threaded rod), but I don't see why a ball joint press kit wouldn't work.

Thanks,

 

[KJowner]

Your plan might work, depends how powerful the ball joint press is, the bushes can be very tight. The old trick to get them out it is to drill round the steel center and chop it out to make room to hacksaw split most of the steel sleeve, don't go all the way and damage the arm, then fold it in and split it with a chisel.
I'm eyeing up polyurethane bushes for mine, not many available here so looks like a lathe job.

 

[lfhoward]

^^^ This. I did mine two summers ago but first I found an old but good shop press for sale on FB Marketplace or Craigslist. I also used the attachments from the ball joint press kits along with the shop press to be able to press out the centers of the old bushings and to press in the new bushings after I cleaned up and repainted the arms.

 

[CheapJeep'n]

Thanks for the replies.
I would love to have a press but I don't have anywhere to put one at the moment.
My LCA's look to have been replaced at some point so I'm hoping the bushing sleeves wont be too stuck.
I purchased the car from an auction at the end of 2017 so I know they're at the very least 8 years old.
I thought about just replacing both arms with new already assembled arms like this Mevotech Supreme but I'm hesitant.
I did replace the front upper control arms last summer with Mevotech Supreme control arms and they've been fine so far but I'd prefer to keep the current lower control arms if possible since they appear to be Mopar replacements.

 

[KJowner]

If you get stuck then you can always take the arms and bushes to a garage and ask them to press them out and in, shouldn't be too expensive, the labour is removing and refitting the arms.

 

[CheapJeep'n]

That's true.
Yeah I'm hoping the camber/caster bolts come out without a fight, I've seen a few posts mentioning they were rust welded to the inner sleeve and had to be cut off.
I'm planning on installing these Moog Grease-able bolts , anyone have any experience with them?
I know the hole drilled in the center technically makes them weaker than a solid bolt but I think it's worth the trade off to get a little grease between the bolt and the inner sleeve.