My clunking and popping remedy

Simpleman · Mar 17, 2010

The best way to replace these it to take the control arm off and use a sawsall to cut the bushing off at each side of the insertion hole and get creative with your other tools to pop them out. No need for a press to put the new ones in. You can just hammer in the new ones with it in a vise. Its not really to difficult, but a good vise is the key.

Midgear · Mar 17, 2010

now a bit of realistic information.. no I'm not gonna go beating my KJ with a hammer, that's called abuse lol.

I went to the shop and I showed him the bushing and said it mounts on the lower control arm where the strut mounts to it.. he looked me dead in the eye and said "that doesn't go to the bottom of the strut.."

... I said "Well hell yes it does, I'll show you?" he agreed and we walked out and had a look, I pointed directly at the bolt and bushing, and he goes "oh, guess it does. 124 dollars and about 2 hours and I can have that bushing replaced, I'm gonna have to take the entire lower control arm off the vehicle and press the old one out and press the new one in, but I can't touch it till next week."

well shit.. I agreed to that and said I'd call him next week some time and probly schedual for next Friday to have them both done. cause as we all know, if you do one side, might as well do the other.

as much as I work, I just don't have time to be tearing my LCA's off. 3:30 PM - Midnight 7 days a week for over a month now.. 38 days without a day off. I R tired.

so 248 dollars worth of labor and about 4-6 hours.. and my clunking and popping will be over finally. woot!

Midgear · Mar 17, 2010

I gotta ask.. what happens if this bushing completely fails? or is this what I'm hearing right now?

I notice my popping is getting worse, but if the shop can't touch it till next week.. is it even gonna last that long? what's the worst that could happen?

it's not gonna snap off and my front driver side corner nose dive into the pavement will it? lol

Simpleman · Mar 17, 2010

You will be Ok. Those bushings are very rigid and in there good & tight. They do not have any impact on steering. Only vertical cushioning. Your Upper and lower control arms hold everything in place. Do not be disappointed if replacing these will not get rid of your clunk, but the best of luck to ya.

tjkj2002 · Mar 17, 2010

twack said:
thats robbery

The aftermarket LCA's are not that much cheaper,the cheapest found was $240 each side.Might as well get the OEM stuff that is at least made in North America and not China.

tjkj2002 · Mar 17, 2010

Midgear said:
now a bit of realistic information.. no I'm not gonna go beating my KJ with a hammer, that's called abuse lol.

I went to the shop and I showed him the bushing and said it mounts on the lower control arm where the strut mounts to it.. he looked me dead in the eye and said "that doesn't go to the bottom of the strut.."

... I said "Well hell yes it does, I'll show you?" he agreed and we walked out and had a look, I pointed directly at the bolt and bushing, and he goes "oh, guess it does. 124 dollars and about 2 hours and I can have that bushing replaced, I'm gonna have to take the entire lower control arm off the vehicle and press the old one out and press the new one in, but I can't touch it till next week."

well shit.. I agreed to that and said I'd call him next week some time and probly schedual for next Friday to have them both done. cause as we all know, if you do one side, might as well do the other.

as much as I work, I just don't have time to be tearing my LCA's off. 3:30 PM - Midnight 7 days a week for over a month now.. 38 days without a day off. I R tired.

so 248 dollars worth of labor and about 4-6 hours.. and my clunking and popping will be over finally. woot!

Boy he's going to have fun.

Oh and don't forget you will need a alignment afterwards since the LCA mount bolts are how the front Camber/Caster is set,a alignment is required if those bolts are loosened.

twack · Mar 17, 2010

tjkj2002 said:
The aftermarket LCA's are not that much cheaper,the cheapest found was $240 each side.Might as well get the OEM stuff that is at least made in North America and not China.

theres a set of new ones on ebay for 120 each right now buy it now, just sayin

tjkj2002 · Mar 17, 2010

twack said:
theres a set of new ones on ebay for 120 each right now buy it now, just sayin

Good luck,you most likely will end up with something you don't want.Fleabay is a total scam.

Porkchop · Mar 17, 2010

Common sence is not vary common
If its to good to be true
if I had a nickle every time
There is a cost to learning
If I only learn the first time
If i could do it again
You can lead a horse to water
and so on and so on
Been there done that

Atrus · Mar 17, 2010

Just curious before you drop the cash....you're 110% sure it's not your sway bar end links?

Porkchop · Mar 17, 2010

Atrus said:
Just curious before you drop the cash....you're 110% sure it's not your sway bar end links?

Check twice buy once
I like that Idea

Midgear · Mar 18, 2010

you know, I certainly hope it is, because those seem like they'd be a helluvalot easier to repair than the bushing connecting to the lower control arm.

how do I check the sway bar links? jack it up and relieve pressure on the sway bar and give it a wiggle?

how about disconnecting it all together and takin it for a spin around the block, no grind = that's the problem. would you advise this as long as I took it nice and easy?

Midgear · Mar 18, 2010

nope, it's not the sway bar links. found a way to perfectly replicate the clunk- and that is to pull up on a curb with one front tire and get the tire up on it, it clunked loudly, and my cousin was watching closely for bushing movement, and sure enough, that bushing where the strut mounts to the LCA, he said it moved about 1/8th - 1/4 inch when he heard the pop.

we traded spots (i watched the bushing, he drove over the curb), and same thing, both sides are doing the same exact thing.

picked up my other bushing today, 18.45 out the door.. asked the dealer how much they'd charge to install the bushings, they quoted me 131 bucks for BOTH sides.. the shop I was going to have it done at wanted 124 per side.

aren't dealers suppose to screw you over? I'm starting to like my Jeep dealer..

twack · Mar 18, 2010

Midgear said:
nope, it's not the sway bar links. found a way to perfectly replicate the clunk- and that is to pull up on a curb with one front tire and get the tire up on it, it clunked loudly, and my cousin was watching closely for bushing movement, and sure enough, that bushing where the strut mounts to the LCA, he said it moved about 1/8th - 1/4 inch when he heard the pop.

we traded spots (i watched the bushing, he drove over the curb), and same thing, both sides are doing the same exact thing.

picked up my other bushing today, 18.45 out the door.. asked the dealer how much they'd charge to install the bushings, they quoted me 131 bucks for BOTH sides.. the shop I was going to have it done at wanted 124 per side.

aren't dealers suppose to screw you over? I'm starting to like my Jeep dealer..

ya well thats a dealership QUOTE by the end of the process who knows what you will owe them. but you might get away with 131

Midgear · Mar 18, 2010

she guaranteed me 131.92 -- I even asked her twice to verify it, stating both sides need to be done, and she agreed and said "yes hun, I know, and the total would come to 131.92" she also said it wouldn't take but a couple of hours.

so we'll find out next week!

Porkchop · Mar 18, 2010

Did you get it writing?
Gota let us know how it comes out.

twack · Mar 18, 2010

Porkchop said:
Did you get it writing?
Gota let us know how it comes out.

i know if we can get a scanned reciept maybe we can all get such a good deal

Prospect62 · Mar 18, 2010

twack said:
i know if we can get a scanned reciept maybe we can all get such a good deal

Indeed. Keep us posted.

Midgear · Mar 18, 2010

I'll be sure and post a photo of the reciept once it's done.. provided it comes to what she said it would-

Midgear · Dec 2, 2010

as per request, I'll provide updates to this little ordeal-

the Jeep was taken to a little tire shop who agreed to do the job for 60 bucks.. I couldn't turn that down.

one big ass impact hammer and a chisel tip, hour and a half later, the old bushings fell out- in several pieces. they were shot.

couple taps with the impact hammer to set the new ones, bolted it back together- STILL HAVE A CLUNK.

said to hell with it and stopped by advance auto parts, picked up two sway bar links, went to lowes and got some washers and 10.9 bolts and took it back to the same shop- they had to take a grinder to the driver side sway bar link to get it off. whole change took about 15 minutes- they torqued the bolts down "tighter than a frogs ass" according to the shop owner, and THE CLUNKING WAS CURED.

My clunking and popping remedy

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