Lower control arm bushings

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spanishrr

New Member
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I have a knocking noise going over bumps. Steering wheel vibration, particularly at low revs and somewhat vague steering.

Below is a photo of a bushing, left front. The right is in a similar condition.

A simple question for the group; is this in bad condition?

Thank you

1000140378.jpg
 
spanishrr said:
Badly so?

I've booked into the garage here.

Is this an expensive fix?
Click to expand...
If you look closely, the rubber has split and has become dislodged. Leading to alignment problems with your Tyres and noises from below. How much it costs will also depand on how easy the arms come out, some places will replace a complete arm some will replace the bush only. Then the tracking will need doing. Ask the garage to check all of the other bushes before they start the job as there may well be other rubber parts that need replacement 👍
 
Last edited:
biketeacherdave said:
If you can't identify a broken Bush...
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Use a 'known good' workshop to do the diag & repairs for you?
Not everyone has the confidence, knowledge & skills. At least the photo shows some level of 'this doesn't look right to me, please confirm' rather than the all-too-often seen 'keep driving until it can't be driven any more' which inevitably causes more cost.

I'm all for highlighting stupidity, but this isn't it. If nothing else, it gives the OP some confidence in being on the right track and may help someone else later on who isn't brave enough to stick their head above the parapet and ask for help / opinions.
 
biketeacherdave said:
Seriously.....you felt the need to comment on my obviously humorous comment.
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There was no obvious humour - the collection of letters & spaces after the part I quoted suggested 'functioning alcoholic'*




*intended to be humourous, well to me. Unless you are, in which case, seek help.**



** also intended to be humourous.
 
spanishrr said:
Badly so?

I've booked into the garage here.

Is this an expensive fix?
Click to expand...
A few of us have done them ourselves so around £80 and a couple of hours work at the most, although I'd expect much quicker on a ramp. Main thing is that the garage tighten the bolts with the wheels on the ground/ramp and the suspension at normal height. As said factor in for tracking. Looks like you are in Spain so hopefully no rusty bolts to contend with.
 
I would suggest that you do both lower arms (and on both sides). If it's been like that for a while it will have put undue stress on the other arm bushings. I did mine recently, not expensive on parts at all and as it's been suggested, a couple of hours to do but you absolutely MUST not tighten them until the car is back on the floor (or wheels at normal ride height at the very least) or the use will twist and start life under more stress than it should be which will result in it lasting about a 5 minutes and need to be done again. Most garages and mechanics know this is usual practice for any bushes but it can easily be forgotten.
 
a non main agent garage will charge you around €300-500 for the job, get the parts yourself, it will save you a fortune! Normal practice is to renew both upper AND lower at the same time.
 
Mark Piercy said:
If you look closely, the rubber has split and has become dislodged. Leading to alignment problems with your Tyres and noises from below. How much it costs will also depand on how easy the arms come out, some places will replace a complete arm some will replace the bush only. Then the tracking will need doing. Ask the garage to check all of the other bushes before they start the job as there may well be other rubber parts that need replacement 👍
Click to expand...
Thanks for your reply. The two best local garages both recommended replacing the arms too. They gave some compelling reasons to do so.
 
Graculus said:
Use a 'known good' workshop to do the diag & repairs for you?
Not everyone has the confidence, knowledge & skills. At least the photo shows some level of 'this doesn't look right to me, please confirm' rather than the all-too-often seen 'keep driving until it can't be driven any more' which inevitably causes more cost.

I'm all for highlighting stupidity, but this isn't it. If nothing else, it gives the OP some confidence in being on the right track and may help someone else later on who isn't brave enough to stick their head above the parapet and ask for help / opinions.
Click to expand...
Thank you for the sensible answer. Not all of us are mechanics and use forums like this to gain knowledge from people with more experience. I was 99% sure of my amateur diagnosis, but wanted to hear from people in this group. I'm glad, albeit with one idiotic exception, that I did so.

Yes I'm in Spain and a high quality garage I've used before has suggested replacing both arms at the same time.
 
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