cracked lower control arm Bushing

[space-time]

My Civic has cracked lower control arm Bushings. Both sides. I think the arm itself (the metal part) is fine, only the bushing (the rubber part) is cracked. I don't know how long I wife have has been driving like this. I don't hear any noise, I don't feel any difference.

The control arm itself is $194, the bushing is about $10. Multiply that by 2x and you realize that it may make sense to replace the bushings, not the whole control arm.

My dealer (who saw the problem during an oil change) quoted $470 +tax, and then I would need alignment. I assume this includes the entire arm, not only the bushings, but I don't know for sure.

My independent mechanic was off today, my one of his colleagues told me I would have to replace the entire control arm. I don't know this guy at all so I didn't ask too many question, will call again when the mechanic I know is in next week.

I see that I could buy the bushing from Honda (#12 in this diagram), or even from Autozone

I think my mechanic would put it in if I ask him nicely. Of course he would charge me 1 hour of labor, but I don't mind. Or I could try to do it myself, although I never did this before (I did change brake pads so that gives you an idea ...)

What do you say? new control arm? just bushing? DYI or Pay The Mechanic?

[mrbigstuff]

I am doing this job right now, albeit on a Volvo.

the same thing: busing $18, arm $188.

but, it's not that simple; you need a press or a way to get the old bushing out and the new one pressed in. you can do it with a bench vise, but it requires another set of hands, some adapters (depending) and some skill (though not too much, since it is a gorilla function)

I would recommend that you take the car to a mechanic unless you regularly are used to doing this type of work. It also requires a decent set of tools (breaker bars, strong six point sockets) and the aforementioned bench vise.

If you do it, buy the Honda part - you'll regret the aftermarket.

[Black]

This belongs on the political side, no?

Typically you would buy a remanufactured (or stoopid-expensive new) control arm with new bushings pressed in.

I have to say though you're being taken for a ride, so to speak-- or are you pestering your mechanic to find little things that can be replaced to make you car absolutely perfect? Or are you thinking this car will be a classic someday and want to keep it in showroom condition?

99% of car owners will never ever address a problem like this, and will get on with their lives just fine.

[Black]

Edit= except for Mr. Big Stuff :-)

[mrbigstuff]

that fee does not seem too outrageous to me. my job was quoted as $600-800. again, I did the job for $36 plus $20 to have someone press in the bushings (I gave up)

[C(-)ris]

Who cares if they are cracked? They are made of rubber, it cracks. The new ones will crack to. Is there some sort of noise or an alignment issue that is worrying you?

[space-time]

Black wrote:
...

99% of car owners will never ever address a problem like this, and will get on with their lives just fine.

mrbigstuff and I are different

glad to hear that this problem is not urgent though. My dad will visit soon and I guess we can do it together; he has more experience, he had to, he drove one of these

[Buck]

!@#$%@$%^#%^ foreign cars with expensive parts!

[Black]

space-time wrote:
[quote=Black]
...

99% of car owners will never ever address a problem like this, and will get on with their lives just fine.

mrbigstuff and I are different

glad to hear that this problem is not urgent though. My dad will visit soon and I guess we can do it together; he has more experience, he had to, he drove one of these


A 1977 Shostakovich?

[space-time]

or I could just forget about it... but then I would be like the 99% of people.