[smelanson]

I recently got an oil change and they said my lower control arm bushing are cracked. I have a couple of questions. Would I be ok to continue to use the car for a month or two? What happens when they go? I hear I have to replace the lower control arm, will that come with all the bushings? Are 3rd party parts ok or do they break quickly? Lastly anyone have any hints aboud doing this? Sorry to ask so many questions but my Chilton book, by far, isn't as useful as this site and I am kind of new at this.

 

[jedgxe]

Lower control arms are only sold as a unit ....Lower control arm/ball joint.....yes it comes with bushings.

 

[trepid1]

Busting loose the bolts is a pita specialy for me were the tension struts that need to be removed with the control arm. At least on my Intrepid, maybe your concorde is different. Take a look down there to see if you want to tackle it. It will save you labor cost. Get a alignment afterwards.

 

[Big3]

Get Moog control arms (www.rockauto.com) for $65 each, then have a pro do the job.

 

[smelanson]

After taking a look at it I think I will try it myself, would it be better the rent the tool to seperate the ball joint or will a pry bar work?

 

[Big3]

No special tool needed, just a socket of the correct size to loosen up the ball joint stud pinch assembly, then use a large screw driver to pull the control arm down enough to allow the ball joint stud to clear the steering knuckle. Loosen the front control arm strut bolt first, use a large adjustable wrench on the flats of the strut to keep it from rotating. Get a factory service manual as well ($25 on eBay), it is a must when working on your car (especially for torque specs). You MUST also use a torque wrench when re-assembling.

 

[smelanson]

I just got everything I need but I noticed that the bushings on the radial arm are also cracked, so those bushings be replaced?

 

[Veeb0rg]

you mean the tention strut? autozone carrys them for like 14$ for a set, i'd replace em while i had everything apart, since you need to take most of it apart to replace them..

 

[smelanson]

you mean the tention strut? autozone carrys them for like 14$ for a set, i'd replace em while i had everything apart, since you need to take most of it apart to replace them..

That is the part that connects to the control arm half way up? If so then that is it, and for that price I guess I would be stupid not to

 

[Veeb0rg]

its the part that connects to the control arm out near the ball joint and then to the sub frame..

 

[smelanson]

its the part that connects to the control arm out near the ball joint and then to the sub frame..

Excellent, just called NAPA, unfortunatly no autozone anywhere here, they have the bushings for $25 a pair Canadian, so I will grab those.

 

[Veeb0rg]

well there ya go

i had one go bad on me.. quite a pain in the ass to replace em..

 

[smelanson]

I had 2 problems, I could not get the tension strut seperated from the frame, I got the nut off just not the bar its self. The other problem is how to I remoed the seal for the ball joint on the old lower control arm?

 

[trepid1]

The tension strut and the control arm stay together until you get them off together as a single unit. See your shop manual.

 

[smelanson]

Thanks everyone, worked like a charm, both lower control arms are replaced.