So I just finished disassembling my front end due to seized bolt in the lower shock bushing and seized lower ball joint on the drivers side. Actually all bolts were seized in the bushing sleeves except for the passenger side lower shock bolt. Due to this I had to cut all the lower control arm bolts and drivers side lower shock bolt. My intention was to replace all the bushings obviously, but the dealer is telling me that the lower strut bushing is part of the control arm and I need to replace the whole arm at $400 each! WTF!? Anyone else deal with this? Any controls arms out there that aren't $400 each?

 

Hit up rockauto.com

 

Yeah will do, thanks. I'm sure not interested in paying the dealer >$400.00 per side. I'm just amazed at how retarded this is. The main bushings are replaceable but the lower strut bushings are not. Considering the tendency of the bolts to seize in the bushing sleeves makes this just one more reason why the front ends of these trucks are junk. And I hate to say that about my truck, but this is sad. Anyway, I digress.

 

Your statement is correct; the only way to get the lower bushings is to buy the entire control arm (regardless if it is OEM or aftermarket). I was in a similar dilemma when I had my struts replaced.

 

You can knock a few more bucks off with a coupon code from retailmenot.com

What about using a local U-Pull place? (I haven't done the front end part initiation dance yet, so I may be missing something obvious as I have not touched the part.)

 

Thanks for the tip on the coupon. As far as the U-pull option, the last time I checked around here there weren't any 3rd gen Dakotas in the yard, and I'd be willing to bet that if there were, the bolts would be just as seized requiring extreme measures to remove.

Since I'm replacing the upper control arm assembly, tie rod ends, wheel bearings, struts, and lower ball joints, and brakes, I really wanted the lower bushings to be new as well. I'll put new arms in since that's what it takes, just not at the $800 - $1000 that the dealer wants.

This is definitely one of those jobs where it's harder to take the damn thing apart than it is to put back together, especially when you don't have a set of torches. I've been reading that the Ram guys have the same issue with the non-replaceable lower strut bushing. Stupid design.

 

Don't buy Mevotechs.... there's reybestos and other brands. I had a fun time with the mevos, they come with the cheapest possible balljoints and a balljoint nut that will strip the threads terrible going on. The boot is terrible too, it just crunches and wrinkles intead of colapsing inside itself like a good MOOG does.

THose alignment bolts are $20 a peice too, I got all 4 when I did mine. Really hard to get off so I used a 7" cutoff on a 4" grinder to get the reach (shield removed, dressed like bomb-squad). Carve an outline where the circle washer things are with a razer knife before you remove anything so you can get it close to where it was before you get it aligned.

If you have any other questions just ask, I just did this same thing a week ago.

 

Yeah I read some of your write up. I used the grinder method as well since I don't have torches, but I got away with a 4.5" disc somehow. Amazing what can be accomplished with a grinder and a BFH.

Good idea about scribing the position of the bolts before removal, but I totally didn't think of it at the time. At least it's not a far drive to the alignment shop.

Unfortunately I already bought Mevotech uppers but will buy something else for the lowers. I've been gathering the parts for a while so I bought them before reading about the thread problems. I thought using a different nut solved the thread problem though? Didn't you end up using ball joint nuts from the dealer?

 

So I did not find this thread before, I already bought a used control arm from a bone yard, they shipped it with the remains of the mount still attached! after some doing I got it apart but the bushing is fried..can I use the service kit to push out the old one and replace with a used one from the back of the old arm??

 

It's probably too late lol, sorry I didn't even see the response. I ordered the nuts from the dealer but never picked them up. I ended up re-using the old balljoint nut instead and some high strength loc-tite which is a rust promoter lol.

It's not going to be easy, I thought about that and in the end bought new arms all together. I can see it working though I guess, if you have a kit with the right rings and such.. are able to save the old bushings from damage and they are able to be securely pressed into the junkyard arms.. i guess. not recommended.

TO help answer Elites question as well, this is why I wouldn't buy used arms...