Replace or rebuild lower control arms

[jeeptorino68]

Replacement lower control arms are ~250 each.
Should I just get bushings and press the old ones out and new ones in instead?
It appears That my current bushings are walking around causing clunks...

Any experience here?

 

[duderz7]

Have you checked to see if it's covered under the recall?

 

[JasonJ]

What new LCA's are you looking at for $250 each? OE replacement Mopar parts?

I'd just put any one of the budget lower control arms on.. 1A Auto has the pair for $200. I doubt the arms themselves are going to be significantly different in quality from any other.. where you'll be getting the difference is in the bushings and ball joints, both of which are replaceable later on.

But for less than half the cost of one arm you quoted, you can at least get back on the road and would be fine for a few years at minimum.

The same parts are only $133 a pair at AM Auto parts- whom I've ordered from before and like a lot.

Up to you, some folks want top quality no matter what, and that's cool.. but you'll pay for it. And judging by your post and concern over the $250/ea price tag, that may not be you. It certainly isn't me.

Have you checked to see if it's covered under the recall?

Recall only covered the lower ball joints, didn't it? And there was another covering the entire REAR lower control arms...

Which brings up a good point, are we talking about FRONT or REAR? Probably should have asked that first before typing my reply.

 

[LONGJEEPOWNER]

Amazon has the front end kit which includes the complete upper A arm (both sides) lower ball joints with bushings, tie rod ends, and stabilizer bar bushings for less than $300 if you want to save money!

 

[jeeptorino68]

Sorry guys, talking about front lower control arms

 

[jeeptorino68]

I am looking for decent wuality (moog or mevotech) but not oe cost (mopar)

I have replaced a lot of other front end parts, so I am just down to these.

Any tips on pressing these in and out?

 

[duderz7]

Ya, I was thinking rear. I personally feel better about moog over mevotech.

 

[mrlavalamp]

Funny timing. I literally just got the moog front LCA's from rockauto (they were 130 each iirc).

They are sitting in a box in my garage right now, ready for the weekend when I can work on it. Ordered them tuesday night and they got here yesterday.

If it would help with your search for quality, I will open up later and see what they look like, snap a couple photos if there is anything special to see.

I am also doing lower balljoints, front hubs, CV's+intermediate, and we will see what else as I start getting her apart (probably axle bearings and seals too).

Regarding moog vs. mevotech.

mevotech has an entire line where they paid to license the "supreme" brand to stick on their stuff. That money comes from somewhere (either higher price, or corners cut elsewhere, or just go for it and do both).

 

[Aceofspades]

https://rover.ebay.com/rover/0/0/0?mpre=https://www.ebay.com/ulk/itm/151872824383

Take the money you just saved and install moog ball joints, end links, sway ba bushings and tie rod ends.
Sell or toss out the ball joints in the kit
I’ve done this on both jeeps and it’s perfect.

 

[sota]

I just did the lower ball joints, and did the bushings a while back. Would do it again, even if pressing out and in ball joints allows me to practice my cursing vocabulary.

 

[tommudd]

One thing that has always amazed me, and you hear more of it I guess on the forums/ internet is people buying cheap parts. Yes been hearing it since the 1970s but more now.
When doing any suspension/ brake etc you should be looking at the best available instead of some of these " Package Deals" out there where you can rebuild your whole front suspension for $19.99 .
I know kind of off subject but noticed a couple of comments all of these various parts for a ridiculous low cost.
Moog over Mevotech, way over them any day.
But buy good parts
Just like NAPA remanned CVs instead of the cheap junk that are too short from a lot of other parts store etc
Unless you like replacing the same parts every few months buy name brand good parts
Cheap is expensive

PLUS if you are doing front LCAs, go ahead and buy 4 of the bolts, makes it lot easier at 2:00 AM and you need to get finished up. If you don't use them take em back to the dealership on Monday

 

[Aceofspades]

Tom if you look at my post - repacking the OEM arms with 3 new bushings per side is in my opinion a tremendous waste of money and time.
With the time saved and money saved - I recommend then using all moog parts to reassemble.
Most of the time moog parts are superior over OEM - thicker or tougher in ex: the K3199 Lowe ball joint.
I hope this helps

Also sourcing the bolts from the dealership is a far better option as well.
Most of the time those bolts are seized and need to be cut out. Sawzall and plenty of blades.
Anti seize and grease will be your friend

 

[JasonJ]

I highly doubt the arms themselves are of any varying quality.. steel castings and forgings only being made by so many foundries and all.. the difference (and there IS one) is in the bushings and articulating parts such as balljoints.

 

[jeeptorino68]

I found the arms on rock auto for 130 ish like you all mentioned. I'm planning to go that route and lower ball joints too.

 

[Aceofspades]

130 each?? Jesus...

 

[mrlavalamp]

$127 and some change.

The bushings alone (Moog) Would only be about $40 ($32 for inner pair, and $6 for the strut) per arm and would cost less to ship than the arm itself.

The issue comes about the task of pressing out the old and pressing in the new, and the time that takes. I could probably figure out a way to do it, but it will take A LOT of time.

Also, my current LCA are all rock rashed and dinged up and not even a Chrysler factory part to boot (cant find any markings on them at all). So I just decided it would be better to spend the extra $80 per side and get something I am not going to have to dick around with for hours.

The Moog arms I have look nice and the casting is clean and no artifacts left from the manufacturing process for the cast part or the bushings.

The balljoint hole is painted inside though, probably won't be a problem, but I am going to sand it out of there just in case (because I have always seen them clean metal for these mating surfaces).

 

[mercdudecbr600]

So I just rebuilt the front end of my KJ and thought "hey, those LCAs are spendy, I'll just get the bushings". MISTAKE. Standard rental bushing press (c shaped) won't touch the bigger/any bushings so you end up having a shop do it with a stand mounted 20ton press, etc. You end up spending about the same cost as MOOG preassembled, but having wasted much more time. Basically, nothing is easily done in regards to bushings or ball joints on this vehicle, the 4wd components are just too big/tough.

And as far as Mevotech vs. MOOG, their supreme stuff is about the same as MOOG problem solver. MOOG also sells garbage/economy parts (basically non-problem solver stuff), so it's all about knowing the level of product. Just FYI, Napa rebadges a lot of mevotech and moog stuff... like the mevotech extreme terrain UCA are now sold at NAPA... for twice the cost but with NAPA branding. FYI, the mevotech extreme terrain UCA have a much larger ball joint than stock. No doubt that JBA UCAs are the best, but they seem like a good compromise.

 

[first&lastKJ]

So what is the best way to tell if the lower control bushings need replaced?

 

[mrlavalamp]

mine had the strut fork bolt just about touching the metal on the bottom of the bushing ( the bushing sleeve/housing wasn't rubbing metal to metal yet, but almost), and the inner bushing had large cracks (looked like the worse case of tire dry rot you have ever seen).

I already chucked them in the recycle bin at work (and now there is a bunch of crap on top of them I am sure), but google image search for bad suspension bushing will give you some good pics of what to look for.

 

[first&lastKJ]

The strut fork bushings look like they need replaced. But I can't tell about the control arm bushings.