LCA bushing replacement

[mike759]

What's up I'm new here, last meeting was my first. I'm curious if anyone can refer me to a shop or preferably someone with the resources to help me press out old LCA bushings on a 1st gen Tacoma and replace with polyurethane. They're original and shot and sandwiched between some also original cam bolts that are for sure seized. Will probably have to torch the bolts out and I was going to replace with new octagon ones. If anyone's got a guy, let me know, I'll compensate in cash, beer, etc.

 

[rushthezeppelin]

Sawzall with Milwaukee Diablo blades to cut through the stuck cam bolts. There's some people in the club with presses to get the old bushings out and press the polys in. There's also the bottle jack trick but it won't work on super stuck bushings and there's a risk of bending the arm.

 

[mike759]

Sawzall with Milwaukee Diablo blades to cut through the stuck cam bolts. There's some people in the club with presses to get the old bushings out and press the polys in. There's also the bottle jack trick but it won't work on super stuck bushings and there's a risk of bending the arm.

I had looked into some alternative methods but it's an east coast truck which makes everything a bit trickier so I'd rather just take the most efficient route. Also don't have a great work space at the moment if a project like this requires more than expected.

 

[rushthezeppelin]

Yeah I wouldn't even bother with the bottle jack trick. Just get it straight onto a press. My truck is a lifetime CO truck with an amazingly good frame and I only popped two out with the bottle jack trick. Also count on this job being a pain in the arse. I did and grabbed some arms from a junkyard so that I could have everything completely prepped to just swap arms. I still have the original arms btw which I think are the same arms you find on a taco. If you want I will sell them both for $30 (I think I paid $40 for the junkyard arms and this saves you having to track some down and drag tools into the yard etc).

 

[rushthezeppelin]

Okay there is a slight difference between 3rd gen 4runner and 1st gen taco, the sway bar end link mounts are a bit different. So if you are running no front sway bar they will work fine, if not you would have to track down a sway bar and end links for a 4runner.

Edit: actually the different sway bar might be a mid generation change so if you have an older 1st gen it might be an exact swap.

 

[mike759]

Yeah I wouldn't even bother with the bottle jack trick. Just get it straight onto a press. My truck is a lifetime CO truck with an amazingly good frame and I only popped two out with the bottle jack trick. Also count on this job being a pain in the arse. I did and grabbed some arms from a junkyard so that I could have everything completely prepped to just swap arms. I still have the original arms btw which I think are the same arms you find on a taco. If you want I will sell them both for $30 (I think I paid $40 for the junkyard arms and this saves you having to track some down and drag tools into the yard etc).

I'll lyk when I get some more info and start gathering parts. Mine's a 2002 so I think there are some changes from the earlier years

 

[rushthezeppelin]

Just look at your end links, if there are 2 ball joints then it's the updated version as far as I can tell.

 

[DaveInDenver]

@rushthezeppelin I can't say for sure about 1st gen Taco/3rd 4Runner but you have to be careful on 2nd gen Taco/4th 4Runner with the arms.

The parts are interchangeable but you have to swap everything - lower, upper, ball joints and spindles to match. The taper on the ball joints is different so mixing-and-matching will result in a poor fit (it won't seat) or part failures.

Just something to check and be careful. From what I gather the reason for this is the Tacoma derives from the Hilux while the 4Runner derives more closely from the 90/120/150 trucks like Prado. So the supply chains aren't the same. A lot of Tacoma/Hilux parts are Dana/Spicer made in Brazil and such while 4Runner OEM are Japanese like Denso or Sankei.

 

[rushthezeppelin]

@rushthezeppelin I can't say for sure about 1st gen Taco/3rd 4Runner but you have to be careful on 2nd gen Taco/4th 4Runner with the arms.

The parts are interchangeable but you have to swap everything - lower, upper, ball joints and spindles to match. The taper on the ball joints is different so mixing-and-matching will result in a poor fit (it won't seat) or part failures.

Just something to check and be careful. From what I gather the reason for this is the Tacoma derives from the Hilux while the 4Runner derives more closely from the 90/120/150 trucks like Prado. So the supply chains aren't the same. A lot of Tacoma/Hilux parts are Dana/Spicer made in Brazil and such while 4Runner OEM are Japanese like Denso or Sankei.

I know ball joints are different on 1st/3rd but it has to do with the steering stops. Taper is the same, some people actually think the taco ball joints are slightly beefier and swap those on their 3rd gens but they lose some of their turn radius.

 

[mike759]

For the sake of simplicity I'll probably just stick with oem tacoma LCAs and jam the poly bushings in. I'm just trying to get rid of this horrific clunk so I don't break more stuff.

 

[Notyourmomslx450]

way easier to just swap the LCA's
especially if its crusty

 

[mike759]

way easier to just swap the LCA's
especially if its crusty

I kinda figured that, but even if I take that route looking for someone with a shop or workspace to help me out. I don't feel like dismantling this thing in my apartment parking lot

 

[mike759]

Follow up question: I get the clunk associated with the bad bushing when taking a sharp turn or flexing the suspension. Will hitting a trail in the meantime, like the switzerland trail, cause more damage than daily on road driving? I'm just itching to get out

 

[DaveInDenver]

I would go easy on it until you get it fixed. I'd avoid putting extra stress on it going on trails.

How much you wish to tempt fate depends somewhat on how it's failed. Does the truck steering wander? Can you see movement in the bushing when you saw the steering back and forth? Is the rubber still soft or is that hard and crumbling?

Obviously it was bad at some point before you noticed so these things are a moving scale. Is today the day it's dangerous? Maybe. It could have been a month ago or it might just keep wearing and be annoying for another month before it's gone too far to be safe.

But at some point the bushing could rip or disintegrate and that's not gonna do anyone any good. As it is it's probably messing up your alignment so that's not good for tires or having control of the truck. If the bolt tears through the bushing then you'll have real trouble.

 

[mike759]

I would go easy on it until you get it fixed. I'd avoid putting extra stress on it going on trails.

How much you wish to tempt fate depends somewhat on how it's failed. Does the truck steering wander? Can you see movement in the bushing when you saw the steering back and forth? Is the rubber still soft or is that hard and crumbling?

I guess I’ll give it a wiggle tomorrow and report back. Do you have a go-to guy who won’t charge an arm and a leg to press new ones or replace the LCAs?

 

[DaveInDenver]

I guess I’ll give it a wiggle tomorrow and report back. Do you have a go-to guy who won’t charge an arm and a leg to press new ones or replace the LCAs?

Me? No. I've always done it myself and with the 2008 you can only get complete control arms from Toyota so that's what I did last time. That is still a stinger in the wallet.

 

[rushthezeppelin]

Me? No. I've always done it myself and with the 2008 you can only get complete control arms from Toyota so that's what I did last time. That is still a stinger in the wallet.

You can buy just the bushings I'm pretty sure

 

[Lastresort576]

Are you sure its not just sway bar parts that have failed? I would start there honestly and that is something you can definitely replace in an apt complex lot. Often times the bar to body mount bushings are toast.

But if its not that and indeed a control arm, personally I would still hit a trail. If it can be safely driven at hwy speeds on the hwy, then itll be just fine on a trail.

 

[DaveInDenver]

You can buy just the bushings I'm pretty sure

I dunno, maybe. But Toyota doesn't sell the ball joints individually so I haven't had the opportunity to test the lifespan of the bushings.

 

[mike759]

You can buy just the bushings I'm pretty sure

Yea you can buy the bushings, control arms, and ball joints as separate pieces