Installing Daizen Lower Control Arm Bushing

[92LS4008888]

I have a 92 LS 400. I am planning and budgeting to replace the Lower Control Arm bushing with Daizen bushings. I have been quoted about $400 labor for the job and the part is $100.

Since I am paying the labor to do the LCA, what other part should I change at the same time so that I can save on labor.

Shocks? Anything else. I am not familiar with the suspension parts that need to be removed to do the LCA.

Bushings and even shocks are relatively inexpensive parts which I can order before hand and get the mechanic to put in for me, while he does the LA bushings.

Thanks

[Gumart1]

Just wondering how you landed on replacing the LCA bushings? Do you want to try the Daizen bushings, or were yours worn? I would definitely look at the lower ball joints and the upper control arms/bushings (Daizen sells upper bushings also). OEM struts are only about $50 a piece from Lexus suppliers on the internet. I see more people mistakenly pay more for the aftermarket KYB GR-2 when the OEM is only $50. How many miles on the car? $400 labor is too high for the lower bushings! We're talking one bushing per side and they may be able to be pressed out. Also check the stabilizer bar bushings and stabilizer links. What symptoms are you having?

[92LS4008888]

I just read lots of folks complaining about LCA bushings. So I figured that must be it.

When I bought the car, the right front tire was unevenly worn almost to the threads on the right shoulder. The car pulled to the right. I put in new Michelins in the front and did an alignment. The alignment guy said alignment was within spec. When I drove the car after the alignmnet, it still pulled to the right. So I brought it to a recommended alignment place and they said alignment was in spec too. I asked them to check bushings and they said suspension was tight. But the car still pulls to the right. It canot be the tires because these are new tires; whatever was causing the pull to the right and wore out the first set of tires has not been solved.

So I figure, probably LCA bushings. The steering is vague will little self centering effort but I have been drive Front wheel drive cars and this is my first LS. Also steering does not seem precise and when going on an highway on ramp, I need to correct my steering inputs a little. There is also some steering vibration.

You think it is the LCA? I am pretty confident that the shocks are gone.

Just wondering how you landed on replacing the LCA bushings? Do you want to try the Daizen bushings, or were yours worn? I would definitely look at the lower ball joints and the upper control arms/bushings (Daizen sells upper bushings also). OEM struts are only about $50 a piece from Lexus suppliers on the internet. I see more people mistakenly pay more for the aftermarket KYB GR-2 when the OEM is only $50. How many miles on the car? $400 labor is too high for the lower bushings! We're talking one bushing per side and they may be able to be pressed out. Also check the stabilizer bar bushings and stabilizer links. What symptoms are you having?

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[AussiLS400]

Check the lexls.com site as this has 2 different ways to change these.

[Threadcutter]

92LS4008888;

As Gumart1 asked, how many miles on your LS? I just replaced the struts & lower ball joints on my '95 LS, with 150K on it. The old ball joints had about one eighth of an inch of "slop" in them. They definitely needed replacing. I paid $66.19 per side for "Jen-You-Eyne" Lexus ball joints. Replacing the ball joints was the easiest part of the struts/brakes/joints job. On his website/tutorials, "Lexls" mentions a "ball joint puller" from Autozone......It's actually a Pitman Arm Puller and it's well worth the Ten bucks they charge for it. It's perfect for the UCA ball joints. Anyway, Autozone has one size larger, which is the proper size for the lower ball joint(s) and it's probably not more than Fifteen bucks......again, well worth it.

From my perspective, it could be your LCA bushings, but if you're going to spend $400 on labor, do the struts & lower ball joints at the same time. It shouldn't cost any more labor $$$ to install the new lower ball joints as the old ones are easily removed from the LCA's in the process of changing the LCA bushings.

The $400 sounds high for just bushing replacement, but if you throw in front strut replacement (and LCA ball joint replacement), then that's a fairly reasonable charge. My experience with strut replacement is that it's a PITA......(The rears being the worst, the fronts being absolutely no fun).

[ko90ls]

i thought the ball joints could only be found on brand new UCA/LCA?! since you found them were did you get them from. i am planning a full suspension rebuild and was debating on getting OEM parts or skipping the ball joints. Tread have you used the daizen bushings and if so did everything work out fine? thanks for the info

[Threadcutter]

i thought the ball joints could only be found on brand new UCA/LCA?! since you found them were did you get them from. i am planning a full suspension rebuild and was debating on getting OEM parts or skipping the ball joints. Tread have you used the daizen bushings and if so did everything work out fine? thanks for the info

ko90ls:

Keep in mind I'm referring to my '95 LS400........

The ball joints on the LCA's are removeable/replaceable. It's the UCA's that have to be replaced as one unit, meaning that you cannot replace the ball joints seperately. On the LCA's, The Left ball joint is P/N 43340-59036 & the Right hand is P/N 43330-59036.

I was told (and confirmed after doing the work on mine) that it is very unusual to have to replace the UCA's because of the upper ball joints being worn. They were just fine. It is possible that you would need to replace the UCA bushings. However, as I stated in the post above, the lower ball joints had about one eighth of an inch of slop in them.

I have not used the Daizen's because mine is a '95 and they don't have them available yet (although they have said "January '06" on their website). I have held off on doing any work on the bushings for now, mostly because of (un)available time.

I would make it an absolute priority to replace the Lower ball joints. They are not expensive, it is almost brain dead simple, and new ones make a big difference. If you are going to put new tires on your car (or even preserve the one's you have presently), I think it's a necessity.

If you are interested in a good parts guy, e-mail me at kfm@whidbey.net.