aameghoo

I've come to a fairly definite conclusion that my front end noise is due to my front right lower control arm bushings being worn and I have a few questions regarding it.

1. How hard is it to replace the lower control arm myself (the most mechanical work I've ever done myself is installing a CAI lol but I want to try my hand at this and probably save some money as well

2. I heard you can't just replace the bushings you have to replace the entire arm, how true is this?

3. How bad would it be if I just replaced the right control arm for now and then replace the left one in about 2-3 months (due to some money constraints at the moment)

4. Where could I find the cheapest but still good quality replacement, I know the two don't go hand in hand but I want to go as low as I can without compromising quality

5. What symptoms should I look for in a worn lower control arm, I heard a few that match my situation but it would be nice to hear it from fellow acura/honda owners so I can be even more sure

zeta

iTrader: (1)

1) Read the thread below, post #6&7 have some info in regards to this.

https://acurazine.com/forums/2g-cl-tires-wheels-suspension-54/simple-ball-joint-separation-740248/

2) You can buy a new LCA that has the bushes already inserted, OR, you can buy the bushes and have them installed in the old LCA by a skilled machine shop, OR, if you are really up for an adventure, you can DIY with the right equipment.

3) As long as one or the other left on the car is not bent in some way to affect the handling of the car, there should be no problem; however, it would be prudent to have an alignment done post replacement.

4) RockAuto has decent stuff; it may be foreign though. Autozone or Advanced may have as well.

5) Personally, I did not have symptoms per se. If I remember correctly, I noticed that the outer OEMs had started to split after around 100k or so and replaced them as part of maintenance.

Good Luck.

AnthraciteTypeS

I was forced to do mine as I found out the hard way when installing my coilovers that the bushing was seized to the control arm. Ended up having to cut the bolts followed by my friend pressing/air hammering them out. Did everything with the control arm still on the car, but my friend's basically a honda master tech so most probably wont be so lucky. Gooood luck haha

FwC

iTrader: (1)

1. How hard is it to replace the lower control arm myself (the most mechanical work I've ever done myself is installing a CAI lol but I want to try my hand at this and probably save some money as well

-If that's all you've done, you probably shouldn't attempt this sort of work by yourself. Especially if you don't have the right tools (heavy duty jack, various tools to reach into tight spaces or getting loose stubborn bolts, etc, etc, etc, etc, etc, etc....)

2. I heard you can't just replace the bushings you have to replace the entire arm, how true is this?
- OF COURSE you can service the bushings, but changing the entire arm at once is much easier and saves a bit more time than pressing new bushings in yourself.

3. How bad would it be if I just replaced the right control arm for now and then replace the left one in about 2-3 months (due to some money constraints at the moment)
-I recommend doing this all at once, raise the front end and work the right side, then the left side (or vice-verse). If you are doing any suspension upgrades like new struts, coilovers, or slamming than I recommend you use energy suspension bushings made for the accord/Odyssey. If you prefer to do one at a time I think it might compromise ride quality.

4. Where could I find the cheapest but still good quality replacement, I know the two don't go hand in hand but I want to go as low as I can without compromising quality
-I have personally changed suspension components and most of them I got from Rockauto.com. I DO NOT RECOMMEND their Moog LCA outer bushings, mine collapsed within one month after install with a slightly stiffened dampening. Everything else that was Moog from Rockauto.com was great. As stated above I recommend you get the Energy Suspension Polyurethane Bushings, I've had them on for six months and have enjoyed the ride thus far. You can buy a remanned LCA for about $90 EACH SIDE IIRC on Rockauto.com but the Energy Suspension Bushings would probably cost about $60 for both fronts if you source them from Amazon/Ebay/Internet. Most Moog products from Rockauto come with a limited lifetime warranty and Rockauto is very good at honoring that.

5. What symptoms should I look for in a worn lower control arm, I heard a few that match my situation but it would be nice to hear it from fellow acura/honda owners so I can be even more sure
-get on your belly and look at the strut fork and where it attaches to the LCA. If the bushing is collapsed or cracked with worn rubber; than you probably should replace them. Often you will notice that the strut fork has pushed the bushing way down which means the bushings (or entire arm) should be replaced.

Good Luck, I also recommend you get new radius rod bushings the Moog ones from Rockauto.com are fantastic! You may also consider a Lower Ball Joint, Upper Ball Joint, Tie Rod End replacement. The Sway Bar Bushings are a good item to change also.

- Frank

aameghoo

thanks for the detailed replies guys, after reading into what you guys said I think I'm just going to have the mechanic do it, they're gonna charge me $69 to change just the front right LCA if I supply the part which I think is worth the headache I would have to go through if I did it myself.

@FwC I was looking into get part# HNH215 (ball joint and Polyurethane rubber included) under RockAuto's control arm section, do you think that would be a good choice? I see you mentioned Energy Suspension Polyurethane Bushings but i'm a bit confused since i'm not seeing any options with them included, are you suggesting ordering the control arm and the Energy Suspension Polyurethane Bushings separately then getting the bushings pressed in? Sorry for the confusion, I really appreciate the help

FwC

iTrader: (1)

http://energysuspension.com/assets/f...on-catalog.pdf
Page 45 of this catalog. Mine was compatible with the Accord/Odyssey so they fit on my car.
The parts I ordered were 16.3106R (Amazon.com) and 16.8106R (Ebay.com). The 16.8106 set has extra bushings for the upper control arm which do not apply to the CL.

HNH215 - I have absolutely 0 experience with this brand. This part will most likely NOT include a preinstalled ball joint because you must install the ball joint onto the knuckle and then set it into the LCA. I would call rockauto to confirm that.

If you get the energy suspension bushings, you will have to press them into your original LCA, which means removal then servicing the LCA, then reinstall. Or you can try to find the LCA in a junk yard then install the bushings and then just have your mechanic swap out the LCAs.

aameghoo

ok I think I'm just going to go the route of buying the energy suspension bushings, they're cheaper than I thought they would be too:


Now I just have to see if the mechanic can press the old ones out and press the new ones in without charging too much


Question, what's circled red in the pictures, is that the lower ball joint? I fairly certain that's the source of my front end noise. The white stuff is lithium grease from me trying to isolate the noise

FwC

iTrader: (1)

LOL clean that jizz off your car, your sway bar bushings definitely need to be replaced. That is the LBJ circled in red and to me it looks fine, but I can't really tell without touching/feeling it. Like I said, it's probably time for a complete makeover.

I'd bet the creaking is coming from the sway bar bushings, there shouldn't be any type of gap like the one pictured.

Those sway bar endlinks are MOOG but the Zerk fittings are not installed which tells me the guy that owned the car before you was a retard (unless you put them on :-P). Also those LCA Bushings look very very bad. The inner LCA bushing probably doesn't need to be replaced but definitely the outer. I would make sure that set listed on Amazon covers both bushing sets because the Outer Bushing set is 16.3106 and the inner bushing set is 16.8106 IIRC. Outer bushing set should include new top hat bushings which helped my ride a lot. Inner bushing set should include upper control arm bushings (which don't apply to the CL).

aameghoo

haha the only thing I've put on the car since I bought it a month ago is that "jizz" lol. Do the bushings really look that bad? I never really knew what to look for I'm definitely going to order both sets of those bushings once I have everything figured out,they really seem like a great buy.

I unbolted the sway bar bushings but still got the noise with them off when I pushed down on the front right or turned the steering wheel and when pulling on and moving the bar there was no noise from the endlinks . I did take the wheel off and took a picture of this guy to see what you thought. Thanks so much for the help btw

FwC

iTrader: (1)

Ok, maybe we're getting ahead of ourselves, what is the noise you're hearing?

That tie rod end looks OK, a little cracked in the rubber which means you're losing lubrication. It's hard to tell if it's bad or not without touching or moving it. If it has ANY movement or jiggling or anything like that when you're turning then it's bad, if it's solid and swivels with the knuckle without any slack then it's good (IMO). I'm not a mechanic so I'm just speculating, I changed mine before it went bad with some MOOG ones which are greasable and very solid.

aameghoo

ok I guess it's not as bad as it looks. I'll see if it has any movement in it the next time I get the chance. Below is a video of the noise, I also get the noise going over bumps and while stopping or going and of course turning the wheel while driving, I can actually feel the creaking in the steering wheel whenever I hear the noise, the noise also increases the longer/more I drive until it gets extremely loud. The level of loudness resets to very subtle/almost non existent when the car sits for a couple hours, but sure enough after about 10-20 minutes of driving it slowly starts to get louder and louder until it just gets obnoxious

FwC

iTrader: (1)

IDK dude, my guess would be that tie rod end.

It's very bad to crank your wheels at a dead stop unless the car is in the air, maybe you should lift the front end and get under there to hear where the noise is coming from. IDK what else to tell you. Just change out most of the front end serviceable parts, and hopefully the noise will be gone and you will have a better ride overall.

aameghoo

Ok so after finally getting the car up on a lift I've confirmed that it's the lower balls joints that are causing the noise. I got quoted $125 labor for each side, $150 with parts but it's OEM. Which LBJ is my best bet from www.rockauto.com ? I was looking to order MOOG Part # K9643 but I wanted to hear how it stacks up to the OEM and if there is anything better

aameghoo

just an update I replaced both lower balljoints and no more creaking!