Lower control arm bushing replacement

[pathfinder_se_black]

Do any of you guys know what bushing set off of 4x4parts.com that will resolve the death sway for my r50? My lower rear control arms have busted bushings. I need help finding the parts. Thanks

[pathfinder_se_black]

for those who had death sway, what did you do? how did u get it fixed?

[pathfinder_se_black]

anything helps

[Pwnin O'Brien]

If the front bushings on your lower control arm are bad, then these are what you're looking for... https://www.4x4parts.com/catal...d=712

If the rear bushings on your lower control arms are bad, then these are what you're looking for... https://www.4x4parts.com/catal...d=711

It's probably recommended that you replace both the front and rear bushings since they are all probably in bad shape.

(The above parts are for the control arms located on the front of the vehicle. The bushings for the rear trailing arms (also sometimes called the rear control arms) are completely different parts but are also sold at 4x4parts.com.)
Modified by Pwnin O'Brien at 11:02 PM 12/25/2009

[mda185]

Does anyone know if the control arms can be purchased with bushings installed? I did this job on my 97 Jeep Grand Cherokee and it involved burning out the center of the old ones, then cutting the shells and working them out with a hammer and chisel. I am not looking forward to doing this again on my 01 Pathfinder. I will buy arms with bushings preinstalled in a heartbeat if they come that way from the factory.

[tmorgan4]

I'm building some upgraded arms that are more heavy duty than factory. They'll arrive at your doorstep with the bushings installed, greased, and ready to bolt on the Pathfinder. All TIG welded.

Here's a set with a flex joint on one end and a bushing on the other. I can do bushings on both ends if you just want an OEM replacement arm with better bushings and no worries of bending it off road.

[pathfinder_se_black]

Thanks, I really appreciate the help. Cheers

[mda185]

I'm building some upgraded arms that are more heavy duty than factory. They'll arrive at your doorstep with the bushings installed, greased, and ready to bolt on the Pathfinder. All TIG welded.

Here's a set with a flex joint on one end and a bushing on the other. I can do bushings on both ends if you just want an OEM replacement arm with better bushings and no worries of bending it off road.

Tyler, I am interested in control arms with bushings on each end. Should we take this offline or do you want to post price and availability information to this thread?

[Chuck Tribolet]

Y

Does anyone know if the control arms can be purchased with bushings installed? I did this job on my 97 Jeep Grand Cherokee and it involved burning out the center of the old ones, then cutting the shells and working them out with a hammer and chisel. I am not looking forward to doing this again on my 01 Pathfinder. I will buy arms with bushings preinstalled in a heartbeat if they come that way from the factory.

Yes, you can get them preinstalled. Or pay a guy with a press and the rightbits to install them. It will cost about $50 less to put new bushings in the oldarms than to buy new arms with preinstalled bushings.

Expect a battle to get the bolts loose. And note that the FSM specs replacingthe bolts and nuts on my '01.

[tmorgan4]

Tyler, I am interested in control arms with bushings on each end. Should we take this offline or do you want to post price and availability information to this thread?

Sweet! I need to figure out pricing but it should come out pretty close to OEM replacement parts. Send me an email at [email protected] if you want or I'll figure out pricing and post back ASAP.

[pathfinder_se_black]

would these work for the rear suspension? the rear is very wobbly. thanks

[tmorgan4]

would these work for the rear suspension? the rear is very wobbly. thanks

Yep! These are to fix the death wobble from worn out bushings in the rear links. I had always heard people say that the uppers are really the issue, but the upper and lower bushings were destroyed on mine when I pulled them off.

[fueler]

those are some bad a** links youre building, tyler!!! If i didnt already have the 4x4parts bushings installed in mine, you know we would be talking!! PS my lowers were the bad ones....

[N2mesnob]

look similar to the ones i saw on ruggedrocksoffroad.com. All the more reason i wish i knew how to weld so i could make my own.

[goon9]

If the front bushings on your lower control arm are bad, then these are what you're looking for... https://www.4x4parts.com/catal...d=712

If the rear bushings on your lower control arms are bad, then these are what you're looking for... https://www.4x4parts.com/catal...d=711

It's probably recommended that you replace both the front and rear bushings since they are all probably in bad shape.

I just ordered these, I've used ES poly bushings on a maxima. These are definitely a more dense poly. I'm awaiting the delayed struts to come in before I install them.. Can't wait.

Oh btw, took 3 business days to get to my door.

[agriffin85]

Just fixed my death sway in a matter of a few hours. I'm sure I will be given a hard time for this but I ordered new oem bushings (infinitipartsusa.com) nstead of the newly designed poly bushings. I've got 140K on the qx4 so if they lasted that long I'm hoping for another 140k, assuming I have it that long. Anyhow I used this site http://nissannut.com/projects/Poly_bushings/ to guide me in the process. When I realized my girly forearms were not going to be able to break the bolts loose so I ran up the street to the brake shop and the guy knocked them loose with the air impact for me then snugged them back up by hand so I could break them. In my opinion, a great idea that didn't cost me a dime. Obviously the arms came off no problems after this. I used a drill as per the website suggestion to get the old rubber insert out. Then I took a chisel and put it in the groove between the metal casing and the arm. Punched out pretty easy but left a nice scar inside the arm. I just used a rounded file and smoothed it right out. New bushings went in without much of a fight. I laid the arm on the ground and lined up the bushing. I used a 5 pound mallet and a galvined pipe coupling to knock the new one in. The coupling was big enough so sit on the metal casing and it allowed the middle of the bushing to sit in the hole of the coupling undamaged. I did have to prop the arm up to beat the bushing into place at the end since the middle of the bushing sits higher than casing and was hitting the ground. Then i repeated the process 3 more times and I was done. Put the arms back on and my axel was about a half an inch off from lining up the bolt hole. Got the wife to feed the bolt in while i pushed the tire forward. Tightened up everything and its driving like a champ. No more death sway. I got lucky, thought I would have to change out the uppers too. Now if I could just find that oil leak I would have a problem free infiniti.

[Qx4ismy4x4]

I just replaced all 8 bushings with the polyurethanes from 4x4 parts.com. Now my Qx4 seems real rough when it hits bumps almost like there is no cushion and and on some bad roads feels like i am riding a horse. On a smooth road it drives great. Anyone else have similar issues with these. I also replaced my shocks and struts using rancho shocks in the rear and kyb struts in the front.

[Pwnin Obrien]

I just replaced all 8 bushings with the polyurethanes from 4x4 parts.com. Now my Qx4 seems real rough when it hits bumps almost like there is no cushion and and on some bad roads feels like i am riding a horse. On a smooth road it drives great. Anyone else have similar issues with these. I also replaced my shocks and struts using rancho shocks in the rear and kyb struts in the front.

If I had to guess I would say it's the Rancho shocks, they are supposed to be stiffer than stock. I'm not 100% sure but I don't think the KYB's are supposed to be stiffer, but I could be wrong. Did you replace the springs or are they stock?

[Qx4ismy4x4]

No we didn't replace the factory springs just all the bushings, rear shocks with rancho rs5000 shocks and front struts and strut mounts with kyb. It does seem to be the rear that's real stiff or bouncy. I am hoping it gets a little better with time.

[qx4 99]

Just tried to replace my lower control arms, and ran into some trouble got the nut off but could not get the bolt out of the control arm, heated with torch still would not budge, even with air ratchet nothing, if someone could give their insight on this problem it would greatly be appreciated, this is the bolt behind the rear tire thanks

[fleurys]

Heat again until it is bright red, then hit with hammer.... they will come out.... This is the worst step in this job...

S.

[qx4 99]

Thanks fleurys i will try that this weekend

[MDicnMan]

Is the lower link wobble a shake or a kind of slow sway? I would expect more of an out of balance wheel type wobble from the stabilizer link. Mine has more of a broad sway that, in the winter, makes me feel like it is sliding. I can also make it happen by jerking the wheel back and forth. I can make it a bit better by engaging the 4WD. Is this a different problem?

[MDicnMan]

Is the lower link wobble a shake or a kind of slow sway? I would expect more of an out of balance wheel type wobble from the stabilizer link. Mine has more of a broad sway that, in the winter, makes me feel like it is sliding. I can also make it happen by jerking the wheel back and forth. I can make it a bit better by engaging the 4WD. Is this a different problem?

[atraudes]

Is the lower link wobble a shake or a kind of slow sway? I would expect more of an out of balance wheel type wobble from the stabilizer link. Mine has more of a broad sway that, in the winter, makes me feel like it is sliding. I can also make it happen by jerking the wheel back and forth. I can make it a bit better by engaging the 4WD. Is this a different problem?

The death sway can be characterized by any type of lateral movement in the rear. Wiggle, sway, lurch, etc.

I had the same problem where it felt like I was fishtailing (especially in the winter). It disappeared completely after replacing the control arm bushings. Full write-up here: replacing-rear-control-arms-guide-t587665.html

You can figure out if the bushings are bad by crawling underneath the car, grabbing the control arm and twisting it. If it has any sort of give or wiggle, it needs replacing. They should be super firm.

[attofarad]

You can figure out if the bushings are bad by crawling underneath the car, grabbing the control arm and twisting it. If it has any sort of give or wiggle, it needs replacing. They should be super firm.

I could flex my wife's original lower arms a bit (187k miles). When I replaced them with new dealer arms, I could flex those a bit too. Of course I am a massive 138 pounds, but I make up for that by being old and weak.

[robbykennedy]

Is the lower link wobble a shake or a kind of slow sway? I would expect more of an out of balance wheel type wobble from the stabilizer link. Mine has more of a broad sway that, in the winter, makes me feel like it is sliding. I can also make it happen by jerking the wheel back and forth. I can make it a bit better by engaging the 4WD. Is this a different problem?

I could feel the death sway when driving on open road by removing my foot from the gas pedal, it almost felt like if the rear was moving from left to right. Kind of dangerous because it can make you lose control at a high speed. Last weekend I replaced all of my four rear trailing arms (Upper and Lower). Both my rear lower and upper were cracked and lose.
Not bad at 86K miles.

I should have gone poly but I ended buying dorman arms - all four of them. I figured if they can last another 86K miles I would get my money's worth.

[yngw13]

Is the lower link wobble a shake or a kind of slow sway? I would expect more of an out of balance wheel type wobble from the stabilizer link. Mine has more of a broad sway that, in the winter, makes me feel like it is sliding. I can also make it happen by jerking the wheel back and forth. I can make it a bit better by engaging the 4WD. Is this a different problem?

I could feel the death sway when driving on open road by removing my foot from the gas pedal, it almost felt like if the rear was moving from left to right. Kind of dangerous because it can make you lose control at a high speed. Last weekend I replaced all of my four rear trailing arms (Upper and Lower). Both my rear lower and upper were cracked and lose.
Not bad at 86K miles.

I should have gone poly but I ended buying dorman arms - all four of them. I figured if they can last another 86K miles I would get my money's worth.

might do the same...
I have only been putting 3k a year + a few months....
then I ll keep and refurbish the old arms and put some polys