Where to buy lower control arm bushings...

D

Dippy Daddy

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Hey Folks,

I just ordered new upper control arm bushings from RockAuto for my '86 Fifth Avenue and they had several brands to choose from. But no bushings for the lower control arms. And I don't see 'em at Advance Auto, AutoZone, O'Reilly's, etc. Am I missing something? Anybody know where I can get 'em? I see Energy Suspension sells a whole kit for the front end that includes LCA bushings, but they're polyurethane, and I'd like to stick with good old rubber. I've heard the poly bushings give kind of a harsh ride.

Thanks,
Scot in Ohio
 
XfbodyX said:
www.ebay.com

807-12365 12365 Suspension Control Arm Bushing Plymouth Dodge Chrysler 1976-1989 | eBay

Find many great new & used options and get the best deals for 807-12365 12365 Suspension Control Arm Bushing Plymouth Dodge Chrysler 1976-1989 at the best online prices at eBay! Free shipping for many products!
www.ebay.com
Click to expand...
Hey, thanks for the link! The eBay auction says nine people are watching in the last 24 hours -- any idea why these bushings are so rare? The uppers are all over the Internet but the lowers aren't anywhere.
 
Probably because of the stress put on the single lower bushing and the abuse the lower takes over the uppers. All geometry related. For me its just as easy to keep my head in the sand as long as I can find what I need. But its really just stress. I wont say who but a company who sells some things for the fmj cars and other mopars has told me over and over that we really only benefit from poly in a few limited areas and it was suggested to use oem or nos rubber when possible. Much easier to repop a part in poly vs rubber does explain some of it. The lower poly units sold really suck on several levels.

Not really rare imo but nothing is ultra rare if ya can hunt it and pay the prices asked. Maybe some parts are hard to find because people like me and others that just need two feel much better with eight extras.
 
XfbodyX said:
Probably because of the stress put on the single lower bushing and the abuse the lower takes over the uppers. All geometry related. For me its just as easy to keep my head in the sand as long as I can find what I need. But its really just stress. I wont say who but a company who sells some things for the fmj cars and other mopars has told me over and over that we really only benefit from poly in a few limited areas and it was suggested to use oem or nos rubber when possible. Much easier to repop a part in poly vs rubber does explain some of it. The lower poly units sold really suck on several levels.

Not really rare imo but nothing is ultra rare if ya can hunt it and pay the prices asked. Maybe some parts are hard to find because people like me and others that just need two feel much better with eight extras.
Click to expand...
Wow, that's really interesting. I have poly bushings on my front anti-sway bar, but everything else is rubber. I've had my '86 Fifth for five years and she's at 195,XXX miles now, and the ride's a lot clunkier than when I bought the car at about 130,000. I put a lot of miles on it and I just want the quiet, cushy-but-firm ride she had five years ago. When I hit a bump now I definitely hear metal against metal, and the alignment shop where I took it two months ago said they couldn't align it. Poor thing has negative camber now, and the tires are wearing out on the inside.

Why do you say the lower polyurethane bushings "really suck"?
 
They suck imo because they are a PIA to install. You have to use your old pressed in outer shells. The main reason though is the do not function like a oem rubber bushing. It is also one area that is hard to keep lubricated. As well as the increased ride harshness and shorter service life.

"I put a set of polyurethane control arm bushings in my '91 about 4 months ago. It made a big difference in NVH. Hitting bumps is a lot more harsh than it used to be. The biggest difference though is when sitting at a stop light when in gear (I have an automatic) It makes the inside of the car rattle and vibrate."

"Did it to my old 89 a few years back. big increase in NVH (noise/vibration/harshness) and no upside, other than worn bushings were gone."

"After a few months of daily driving the front end starting creaking and popping like an old door when going over bumps. I found the grease washed out of the sway bar bushings and the bolts for the lower control arms kept coming loose no matter how many times I rammed them back on with an impact wrench. I never even noticed any improvement in handling. Still felt the same way as the rubber bushings, although there was definitely more noise and vibration felt in the floor.
As I see it, the problem with the control arm bushings is that the OEM rubber has a steel sleeve with teeth that is molded into the bushing. The bolt when torqued locks the sleeve into the K member by the teeth biting in. "

"I can attest to ride harshness with poly bushings in the lower control arms. I replaced the lca bushings with Whiteline bushings, and hated the ride afterward. I ended up putting in new oem control arms with the rubber bushings, and the ride quality difference was night and day."

There are some quotes from around the web. Feel free to use any search engine

Not sure what more I can add here. I do not like posting here but I did post the link that answered your question on where to find them.

If you do use the oem rubber type make sure they are a bit older and have the visible ledge at the one end so you know the pressed fit will be proper. Some of the newer ones that were around did not have that and fit loose in the control arm.

This guy has three moogs for 50 shipped, you can clearly see the bit larger diameter on the one end.


Moog
 
XfbodyX said:
They suck imo because they are a PIA to install. You have to use your old pressed in outer shells. The main reason though is the do not function like a oem rubber bushing. It is also one area that is hard to keep lubricated. As well as the increased ride harshness and shorter service life.

"I put a set of polyurethane control arm bushings in my '91 about 4 months ago. It made a big difference in NVH. Hitting bumps is a lot more harsh than it used to be. The biggest difference though is when sitting at a stop light when in gear (I have an automatic) It makes the inside of the car rattle and vibrate."

"Did it to my old 89 a few years back. big increase in NVH (noise/vibration/harshness) and no upside, other than worn bushings were gone."

"After a few months of daily driving the front end starting creaking and popping like an old door when going over bumps. I found the grease washed out of the sway bar bushings and the bolts for the lower control arms kept coming loose no matter how many times I rammed them back on with an impact wrench. I never even noticed any improvement in handling. Still felt the same way as the rubber bushings, although there was definitely more noise and vibration felt in the floor.
As I see it, the problem with the control arm bushings is that the OEM rubber has a steel sleeve with teeth that is molded into the bushing. The bolt when torqued locks the sleeve into the K member by the teeth biting in. "

"I can attest to ride harshness with poly bushings in the lower control arms. I replaced the lca bushings with Whiteline bushings, and hated the ride afterward. I ended up putting in new oem control arms with the rubber bushings, and the ride quality difference was night and day."

There are some quotes from around the web. Feel free to use any search engine

Not sure what more I can add here. I do not like posting here but I did post the link that answered your question on where to find them.

If you do use the oem rubber type make sure they are a bit older and have the visible ledge at the one end so you know the pressed fit will be proper. Some of the newer ones that were around did not have that and fit loose in the control arm.

This guy has three moogs for 50 shipped, you can clearly see the bit larger diameter on the one end.


Moog
Click to expand...
Hello XFBodyX, and thanks for all the input. This forum is a great resource because of people like you, and I appreciate your time & effort to find those quotes and tell me about the best bushings to look for. I plan to buy the three Moogs for $50 you linked in your post, and I have an appointment at a DIY garage with air tools and a press to install them in a couple of weeks. This is new to me, although I've rebuilt carburetors & distributors and installed intake manifolds, etc. So your experience is a huge help. The 1980s Fifth Avenues had a great ride and that's all I want, not cornering like a Porsche. Thanks very much!
 
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