upper control arm

[Wayne Partridge]

In your experience would it be less expensive to have a new control arm replaced or have bushings and ball joint replaced ? thing it might be because of labor costs ? ( driver side )

My bushing are squeeking bad. 2007 v8 . Looking at shocks at the same time .Thanks

 

[Yardsale]

I would not replace a new control arm, but it must be more expensive.



I think the OEM bushings and ball joint for the upper control arm are not available as separate parts, but MOOG has them. I have found that many shops do not want to mess with bushing replacement. I suspect the reason is bushings are inexpensive compared to a control arm and the labor is about the same (perhaps a bit less replacing the control arm).



Assuming you can find a shop willing to replace the bushings, I think it would be less expensive to replace them and the ball joints.



Check the bushings; squeaking doesn't necessarily mean a bad bushing. Replace both (the other can't be far behind).

 

[Vic Sorlie]

How many miles on your Trac? Are you sure it's noise from the bushings and not ball joints or sway bar bushings? If you're not a DIYer it might be worth paying a shop to diagnose your issue. Good advice from Yardsale on doing both sides vice just one. See you're up north in Ontario, so road salt could be aggravating wear. Plenty of postings here on shocks, so search those for what others have done. I've been very pleased with KYB on previous Gen1 and current Gen2.

 

[Wayne Partridge]

I sprayed lythum grease on the bushings . Helped for a couple minutes. I stood on the foot bar and swayed the truck back and forth no doubt a arm bushings. 200,000 klm on truck.

No point in installing bushings and not replacing ball joint at the same time. I will check Part Source , and the dealer Thanks

 

[swshawaii]

The cost of replacing bushings alone would probably exceed the price of new Moog Problem Solver or Raybestos Pro Grade upper control arms that include ball joints. No brainer.

 

[Dennis Shelley]

Just went through the whole front suspension on my 2001. Upper and lower control arms, sway bar links, tie rod ends and shocks.

It is cheaper and better to have new upper control arms put in. On the front passenger side the upper is a two piece control arm. The ball joint is attached to a piece that looks like this { with the ball joint out on the point. Then this attaches to a larger arm that attaches to the frame. It is this second piece that has the bushings in it. This second piece is scarce and O'Rilley's would have had to special order it, about a week. Rock Auto might have it on hand. However, the bushings were readily avaliable and were installed by a shop with a press. Other than the need for a press, the upper arms with new bushings and ball joints are not a bad install. Given it needs to be done, either by a shop or DIY, the new parts are the way to go.

Good luck

 

[Yardsale]

On the front passenger side the upper is a two piece control arm.

FYI this is true for the Gen 1, not the Gen 2.