Monday, July 18, 2011 - 03:43 pm, by: James Tims(Timzy)
Hey guys I've got 2 front lower control arms with vft bushes in them and need to swap them over with my current setup since my current bushes are cracked! Is there much involved with just simply swapping the front lower control arms over?
Monday, July 18, 2011 - 08:12 pm, by: Ben Lipman(Ben12a)
No, it is a straight forward job. Off the cuff:
Get the car safely off the ground and onto stands with the wheels off. Remove sway bar links and the lower shocky bolt. Undo the ball joint nut and get a puller on there to remove the ball joint (bit of the hub that the LCA bolts to- this will be tight on there and you will need a puller/separator as Tom has said. You can get them at any auto parts store for $30-$50). Undo the nuts from the camber bolts on the inboard ends of the LCA. Remove the camber bolts. Depending on how ruined your bushes are the arm will either fall out, or you will need to bang it out with a mallet or pry it out with a pry bar.
Assembly is the reverse.
I do the ball joint first as otherwise the whole hub assembly flops around when you are trying to work away with the ball joint separator. Some tie wire also comes in handy to hold some of the weight of the hub etc and keep it sort of steady when reassembling, reducing the chances of damaging a brake hose. You may need to apply heat if the ball joint is well and truly seized, but to much and you will totally trash the ball joint/boot/etc. No problems if you are swapping out the LCA and don't need it I guess.
If I have forgotten anything someone will chime in.
Monday, July 18, 2011 - 08:55 pm, by: Allan Langford(Allan)
the other way to do it with risk of damage to ball joint...
With the car still on the ground turn it full lock undo the ball joint nut till the top of the nut is flush with the top of the ball joint then use a drift and a mash hammer to pop it out... I have used this method many times in my younger days when I had less tools but not on a soarer...
Monday, July 18, 2011 - 09:20 pm, by: Tom Richards(Tomr)
having the ball joint puller is the secret, that makes the job easy and straight forward.
IMO, do not attempt without one.
PS, if fitting vft bushes, you need the "round rubber stopper" that fits on the front end of the LCA. If it has norlaphane bushes, this stopper will not be there. You need to buy a set ~ $16 ea from memory
Wednesday, July 20, 2011 - 02:52 pm, by: James Tims(Timzy)
Yeah I gave Gary Mcmillan Toyota in Preston a call and nothing showed up on their systems, either that or it comes in a bundle. I also called a Lexus dealer ship that couldn't help either, I will call Castle Hill Toyota, I'm at work but I've got no choice my front lower control arm needs to be replaced.
Friday, August 05, 2011 - 01:06 pm, by: James Tims(Timzy)
Being in such a rush I've realized that I ordered the wrong part, I needed the stopper not the bush which I ordered above FML - okay can I please confirm with someone that 48657 - 24020 is the rubber stopper that I need and because I'm replacing both of the lower front control arms will I need to order just 2 each? I have the vft bushes already in them!