Outer Limits 4x4 Board

How do I know if I need new radius arm bushings and also for that matter, rear control arm bushes?

They can look alright, but be pretty flogged out. Signs of a really worn bush would be cracking in the rubber, particulally around the holes in the rubber.

The most obvious signs are in the handling. If the steering wheel wobbes or tramlines on road bumps then the bushes are worn. If there are clunks or excessive vibration when driving over bumps in the road they are worn. If there are clunks when you brake, particually coming to a stop, or when accelerating from a stand still they are worn.
If you bought the truck with 250k on it they are probably worn (it's not a cheap job to have done and most people would sell before having them replaced)

Most nissan and toyota bushes seem to last 200k with a more onroad favoured journey.

Radius arm bushes in particulat, the diff to arm bushes usually wear quicker. Signs of that are steering wobbes and tramlining. It's more logical to replace all the bushes when doing the job, front and rear.

its an easy enuf job to do your self if you have a press, or pull the arms and take them to the local mech, and he might do it for a carton or something.

mine compleatly let go as in the steel pipe in the center of the bush sepersated from the rubber and the tell tail sign was it felt like it needed a wheel alinment drifting left then right, mainly the way the road lent.


chris.

oldmate wrote:They can look alright, but be pretty flogged out. Signs of a really worn bush would be cracking in the rubber, particulally around the holes in the rubber.

The most obvious signs are in the handling. If the steering wheel wobbes or tramlines on road bumps then the bushes are worn. If there are clunks or excessive vibration when driving over bumps in the road they are worn. If there are clunks when you brake, particually coming to a stop, or when accelerating from a stand still they are worn.
If you bought the truck with 250k on it they are probably worn (it's not a cheap job to have done and most people would sell before having them replaced)

Most nissan and toyota bushes seem to last 200k with a more onroad favoured journey.

Radius arm bushes in particulat, the diff to arm bushes usually wear quicker. Signs of that are steering wobbes and tramlining. It's more logical to replace all the bushes when doing the job, front and rear.

Yep, that sounds exactly like whats happening to mine. It had about 130,000 on it when I got it a couple years ago, but I drive on a lot of bad roads here. I will be chaning out all of the bushes next month. Thanks guys.

use genuine rubber bushes. the rest, that i know of, dont compare

wyliespatrol wrote:its an easy enuf job to do your self if you have a press, or pull the arms and take them to the local mech, and he might do it for a carton or something.




chris.

I wish i knew your mechanic. Took my arms to mechanic today to have bushes pressed out and in. I removed arms, and supplied new bushes. Charged me $200, i couldn't f@#$%n believe it Cost me more than the f@#$%n bushes

He said he had a c@#$ of a time removing them, which i have no doubt about. And that included pulling off two swivel hub bearings too (bearings supplied). But $200, you've gotta be kidding. He'll never get my business again.

He reckons he had to soak them first as they wouldn't press. So, his price was based upon 3hrs labour. Even though he rang me 2hrs after dropping them off and i collected them 0.5hr later = 2.5hrs (including soaking time). Lucky for me he didn't need to soak em overnight, might have cost me $2000

GQ Bear wrote:

wyliespatrol wrote:its an easy enuf job to do your self if you have a press, or pull the arms and take them to the local mech, and he might do it for a carton or something.




chris.

I wish i knew your mechanic. Took my arms to mechanic today to have bushes pressed out and in. I removed arms, and supplied new bushes. Charged me $200, i couldn't f@#$%n believe it Cost me more than the f@#$%n bushes

He said he had a c@#$ of a time removing them, which i have no doubt about. And that included pulling off two swivel hub bearings too (bearings supplied). But $200, you've gotta be kidding. He'll never get my business again.

He reckons he had to soak them first as they wouldn't press. So, his price was based upon 3hrs labour. Even though he rang me 2hrs after dropping them off and i collected them 0.5hr later = 2.5hrs (including soaking time). Lucky for me he didn't need to soak em overnight, might have cost me $2000

lol thats a bit of bad luck,
still cheeper than buying your own 20tone press.

pedders supply and press rubber bushes for $155 for the 4, supply your own bushes and its $42

GQ Bear wrote:

wyliespatrol wrote:its an easy enuf job to do your self if you have a press, or pull the arms and take them to the local mech, and he might do it for a carton or something.




chris.

I wish i knew your mechanic. Took my arms to mechanic today to have bushes pressed out and in. I removed arms, and supplied new bushes. Charged me $200, i couldn't f@#$%n believe it Cost me more than the f@#$%n bushes

He said he had a c@#$ of a time removing them, which i have no doubt about. And that included pulling off two swivel hub bearings too (bearings supplied). But $200, you've gotta be kidding. He'll never get my business again.

He reckons he had to soak them first as they wouldn't press. So, his price was based upon 3hrs labour. Even though he rang me 2hrs after dropping them off and i collected them 0.5hr later = 2.5hrs (including soaking time). Lucky for me he didn't need to soak em overnight, might have cost me $2000

I'd say he intentionally charged you that much just to be a cvnt. I have done these bushes plenty of times at work and it is an easy job, though we do have a good quality AC press, not an upside down bottle jack pos that some tightarses have.

Yes mechanics charge a lot to work on your vehicle. Have you considered how much rent they have to pay, how much wages they have to pay, the electricity bill, insurances and of course every 4WDer that comes in with mud and sand all over the truck amongst rust etc etc.

I bet that at the end of the day that the owner of the workshop takes home less money.

I use to be on the band wagon, however, now I own a workshop I firmly sit on the other side of the fence.

Unless you own a workshop or an accountant then I can't see you knowing the full costs.

I do love what I do in selling 4WD Suspension though.

Shane

That is very true Shane I'm in the trade and I know running a shop is not a cheap exercise, but charging 3 hours labour for a job that takes 1 hour max is just wrong.

Chunks, would you be willing to fit Suspension kits that I send down to Canberra. It appears that you wouldn't rip me off, if so I will send pm's to see if you are happy with the prices of set kits.

I am going to find out if you are full of it or someone we can have a great relationship with for years to come.

Cheers
Shane

Shane, PM sent.

Cheers,
Bill.