RAudi Driver

Prepping to buy new tires and thought now might be a good time to also freshen up the front suspension.

Purchasing two new upper control arms as I can’t find the bushings alone.

For the lower control arm I was thinking of purchasing the lower control arm inner, outer and rear bushings and having them pressed in then thought about the ball
joint.

Should I just get new lower arms as I’ll get a new ball
joint or will the ball joints last another 100k?

what would ya do?


thanks in advance.

GDA

Its only another hour to 90 min to both sides and you will need an alignment after doing the uppers so if it were me, I'd spend the $ to buy new arms upper and lower so you are good for another 50k. I hate sloppy steering, vibes and wander at high speed so I vote go all the way.

twodollardoug

I sure wouldn't replace anything until they needed to be replaced. When you're all done you will have to have it aligned again.

What symptoms are you having that you think your bushings needs to be replaced? Are you hearing clunking? Does it wander on the freeway? Does it feel mushy or wallow in the twisties?

The good thing about suspension parts is that they normally give you a warning when they wear. And don't normally leave you stranded.

Besides, I thought we were saving up for tuning?

cwheeler

I'd just replace the whole arm. Less work and al new joints. Plus factoring the cost/time of the pressing and running around I'd have to do, new arms comes out the better option.

Cw

Quadcammer

my understanding was that doing the upper control arms required removing the air struts and having to refill with nitrogen again. Is this the case?

RAudi Driver

I was leaning this route as I hate wasting time on running around and having multiple people involved with one project. Someone doesn't press a busing correctly you can't really go back and assign blame. Rather just get all the parts in the easiest and most streamlined way. Time is money.

RAudi Driver

Haven't looked into it yet, but I've got nitrogen here at the house.

RAudi Driver

I have nitrogen at the house

a tiny squeak on the front suspension and when the car was in the shop they said bushings were getting tired.

deilenberger

Hey Ed,

Doing that sort of job - I'd just go for the new ones. You know once you go to all the effort/time to press in new bushings something is gonna happen to one of the ball-joints.

For those who haven't met the man - he seeks perfection. Nothing less will do.

F SANE IL

I'm with you on this. Get the replacement UCA from FCP. LifeTime warranty too. I actually looked at this yesterday. $400 for the pair OEM. Also, saw a 957 video for replacing. Pretty sure our is exact same. Video in DIY section. So, air strut needs to come out it looks like

slavie

I did the LCA rear bushings on my 957 (same bushings, came size control arm except for 958 arm being aluminum vs cast iron for 957). Reason for not just replacing the whole arm: I really don't like using aftermarket components, and OEM is very expensive compared to the cost of the bushings.
LCA rear Lemforder 3503401 bushing is $25, front Lemfoerder 3072401 is $3. That's < $60 for both sides. If you have to pay a shop for press work then yea, maybe not worth, but if you're doing this yourself with your own press then why not.
At 100k, the original TRW LCA ball joint felt perfectly fine. LCA rear bushing was completely shot (this is the new, 72mm "182G" revision, not the old 60mm 955 bushes that were even weaker), fluid inside leaking on one side and about to on the other. The front inner and the outer bushings (the one the strut attaches to) were worn and the center pushed to the side a bit.

My conclusion: even the upgraded 957/958 suspension wears out by 100k to the point where it really should be replaced.
Hope this helps.

RAudi Driver

Ok, I'm off after Friday and will keep this thread updated on the progress.

Car drives great now but I would like to see how close to new I can get it.

Joel 67

Did you ever end up doing this project? I need to replace my right front control arms.

RAudi Driver

Car is in the shop getting the transmission heat exchanger replaced.

Joel 67

Hi there, been procrastinating on this job for a while as it's still pretty chilly here in Chi-beria, but wondering if you ever went through with it? Hoping for a full how to from someone who has been through it.