Check out my control arms bushings... look shot, don't they? Front end still feels great...tight. Anyone replace these before? Are they easy or a PITA? The bumps stops are in horrible shape too. Crumbling to pieces...and they look riveted in.

 

bump stop are not that important. most lowered truck just remove them. i removed them too.
on my 99 ( 97-04 same part ) i just burned them with a torch , sandblasted inside of the sleeve and put new one.
pretty easy. the PITA was to remove the arm itself. everything was rusted ( truck was sitting since 2-3 years on tall grass when i bought it ).

other solution is to buy 2 brand new cheap arms. i did not try the ultra-power arm myself but friends like them for the price. i tried other parts from them and absolutly loved them.
i tried dorman many time.. worst product ever when they have rubber. thier electronic and metal is good tho.
i don't know anyone with dorman that thier rubber lasted more than a year.

keep in mind they can't be dengerous. they have security check to pass to be sold in most country. the only thing that matter is rubber durability. nothing to worry about security. they wont break in two parts because they're cheap. this is a seller crap to sell pricey parts to make more profit. the only true thing is rubber durability.

 

Seems like the bump stops just pull out of the holder. I didn't try it though, as they look like they'd crumble. I hate Dorman parts and would only use them in desperation. I got a lower steering shaft made by them and when I saw how much punier it was than the OEM, I returned it. Luckily the OEM stopped clicking when I put it back in.

Anyway, I'd really like to keep the OEM arms if possible and just replace the bushings, hopefully with Mopar ones.

 

well i don't know if mopar sell the bushing alone. if the STOCK ride quality is not important for you , go with energy suspension. way better and 90% of time cheaper than oem. i did on my accent , rio, lancer, and soon my dak.
anyway they are not hard to change.

 

I believe you can get the upper assemblies cheaper than the bushings and labor.

We have a press here, I did both sides uppers in about 3 hours.

 

Thanks, fellas. It's not so much preserving the stock ride, it's finding a solution that will last for years and years. I don't want to do the job and pay for an alignment, only to find needs to be done a year or two later because I used crap parts. I don't have a press but have watched a few videos where guys burn out the old bushings with a torch. Truth is, all this doesn't need to be done immediately, so I have time to weigh options. From a handling and feel standpoint, I can't tell that the bushings are worn....yet.

 

Burning them out with a torch works, but, it sure smells bad.........

 

Your bushings may be ok I replaced all top arm bushings 6 years ago they now look all cracked like your pic.

The cracking rubber means nothing now if they feel lose you have a problem. The complete arms are the best way and faster.

 

I looked up Mopar arms. Most sites say discontinued, the ones that had it were listing anywhere from $350 - 500.... DAMN! AM looks real attractive now.

Now about the cracking rubber.... once that sandwich portion in my pic gives out, I would imagine that would make a racket when the metal seats start touching.

 

the crack mean they are dead. maybe it holds up together but they are not working at all.
just try to make it aligned in a shop. they will refuse to do it because it will lose the alignment in less than 200 km.
but anyway , it is known to NEVER use mopar parts in suspension/steering for thier trucks. even a honest dodge dealer will tell you. its like that since over 20 years.