Let's end the control arm bushing debate

[fjbj40]

i was born and spent a 2 years of my career in ohio and got my degree in automotive sciences in dayton ohio. i worked maintenance for a commercial landscaping company that plowed snow in the winter. i once replaced a fuel pump assembly because the sending unit rusted out.

again, mechanic, been doing it for a while, might know what i’m talking about?

you must have a stock height rig and 33s. replacing stock parts on a stock truck is an economical solution for those who aren’t hitting any obstacles. some people here are lifted +3 inches and on 37s or bigger. those are the people who need a real solution and geometry corrections and not the peanut gallery chanting “oem bushings” over and over by people with stock rigs.



@faded_80 on the ‘gram. i put a gopro video up of the links somewhat recently.



i still have the stock steering, and i’m using the stock spring/coil setup instead of coilovers. works fine. total cost was a hair under 900$ for materials/parts to do the whole job myself.

haven’t had any issues with the JJs yet. i’d hope with 20 years of production they would make changes. there are also beefier options out there with similar poly lining. if i change my mind i don’t need a press to put a different bushing in.

You know coming here and calling people names or trying to belittle them is uncalled for.

Grow up, be intelligently involved in a conversation or keep your trap shut.

Bravo for you, you worked 2 years in the rust belt, so of course you are an expert on every single thing that happens and how every single piece of metal reacts to this environment. You are an expert, you know the best way, in this OEM VS. aftermarket bushing discussion, is by saying change your rig to a three link set-up. Yea, that’s relative

I’m sure if you search you can find a conversation thread to tote your superiority in front suspension design.

Do you have an engineering degree to show your insurance company after you have killed a bus full of nuns your superior design over what the truck was originally certified with?

Yup, I have a stock rig, have a suspension kit to install. Maybe this summer sometime, will be done properly, will drive and handle properly like the factory intended.

Peace out junior, it won’t matter in 5-10 years, this coming from someone who has been maintaining and modifying snowmobiles, motorcycles, cars, trucks and aircraft for 35 years. But always open to learning something new and tries to be humble. But the occasional kick in my ass from someone helps with that

I’m out, rock on everybody

 

[Maozebong]

You know coming here and calling people names or trying to belittle them is uncalled for.

Grow up, be intelligently involved in a conversation or keep your trap shut.

Bravo for you, you worked 2 years in the rust belt, so of course you are an expert on every single thing that happens and how every single piece of metal reacts to this environment. You are an expert, you know the best way, in this OEM VS. aftermarket bushing discussion, is by saying change your rig to a three link set-up. Yea, that’s relative

I’m sure if you search you can find a conversation thread to tote your superiority in front suspension design.

Do you have an engineering degree to show your insurance company after you have killed a bus full of nuns your superior design over what the truck was originally certified with?

Yup, I have a stock rig, have a suspension kit to install. Maybe this summer sometime, will be done properly, will drive and handle properly like the factory intended.

Peace out junior, it won’t matter in 5-10 years,

I’m out, rock on everybody

i’ve actually been in an accident already with the linked setup. twisted my sector shaft but the links were fine. progressive insurance acknowledged the modified suspension and didn’t give a s***. they are concerned with frame stiffening/frame mods more than suspension.

is this not the thread where we end the debate on control arm bushings? seems like the place to pull out my “superior knowledge of front suspension” as you call it.

i wasn’t belittling anyone til you folks put words in my mouth; when i said that the answer to the bushing problem is the system they reside in, not the bushing, everyone tells me i’m wrong and oem is best... but if you change frame height. you no longer have oem geometry and end up going thru bushings faster. but again, i got told how i don’t know better from someone who isn’t a mechanic and has a stock height 80.

nobody got called any names other than having a stock rig. if being told your rig is stock offends you, i got news for ya...

 

[Railwelder93]

 

[Pin_Head]

If you have ever been a mechanic in someone else’s shop, you know that you don’t get to pick and choose the parts; the shop does. You just install them. The shops I worked in only used parts that the local parts shop delivered. The majority of these parts were in MOOG boxes and they never came back with failures. Many had factory OEM markings, like MoPar, Delco, Motorcraft. I have continued to use MOOG suspension parts and they have never failed me.
Like someone else said: Bushings are replacement items. Every now and then you need to replace them and it is no big deal.

 

[-Spike-]

i wasn’t belittling anyone til you folks put words in my mouth;

spending 10x more on OEM bushings doesn’t change this and our forum “gurus” like to act like it won’t happen if you do. (hint: just because they buy more overland junk and have brand relationships doesn’t make them an expert)

did you not get enough of a pat on the back for your first response? acting like the guy who says a bad joke and nobody laughs so they say it again/louder.

we have car forum mouth breathers to chime in on the job they have done twice in the last 5 years

we already have a nukegoat, we don’t need a great value version.

nobody got called any names

You're being a dick. There are better ways to conduct a conversation.

 

[Tachycardic]

Going back to the OP's request for facts...I'm not sure you're going to get them. Do a search for rubber vs poly bushings an all one gets are blogs and forum posts. These are ALL opinions. Go poly if you want. I'll probably go poly too. But everything is going to be anecdotal. I don't think there are any facts out there with regards to bushing material other than poly is firmer than rubber.

 

[BILT4ME]

If all you dicks post numbers, mileage of what you pulled then replaced and why, maybe this could go somewhere.

Otherwise it's all anectdotal, heresay, and BS.

Be nice to the OP. He asked for no s*** show.......

 

[Dave 2000]

Great that this timely thread has come up.

Early March I purchased a pair of Pedders heavy duty rear control arms from my 80, and yes the OEM bushings did last 20+ years BTW .

The arms arrived with the voids in the bushes installed every way except the correct way. Then the virus turned up so now waiting for the replacements from Oz.

What has annoyed me is the skill required to press the bushes in correctly is less than the ability to wipe your arse, and yet some pratt managed to screw them up, and Pedders employed a manufacturer perhaps worse one of their own people had the brains of a rocking horse!

Something I would add is I have seen many bushes fail in the very short term, and 90% of the time they have been installed using an incorrect procedure, so not always the product.

I would have loved to offer some feed back but hey..........BTW....did I mention the OEM...............

regards

Dave

 

[Pin_Head]

Toyota has changed its mind about the proper orientation of the bushings, so it depends on whether your point of view is their early or later opinion. The fact that it has changed suggests that it does’t matter a whole bunch.

 

[surfpig]

So... Has the debate ended yet?

 

[Maozebong]

You're being a dick. There are better ways to conduct a conversation.

first off, dont care. people were condescending to me and i returned the sentiment.

secondly, some will always have an issue with their ideas being challenged. it’s a control arm bushing debate and discussion shouldn’t be limited to stock control arms. i brought up a lot of valid tech arguments, so i’m still contributing in good faith, even if i won’t coddle any confirmation bias.

i even said i use OEM for my customers but for some reason people still wanna jump on my case for saying it can be done better

moog and beck arnley have both been disappointing and the only two brands that i’ve had to warranty for customers. they always seem like NOS items so they likely had old rubber. i’ve also had old stock toyota genuine stuff not last very long, but if i get it at the dealer, it seems fresher. if i had to guess, age of the rubber when installed is likely the biggest factor in their premature failure.

 

[Maozebong]

So... Has the debate ended yet?

yep. stock parts go on stock cars. don’t you dare think of messing with 90s toyota engineering.

it’s so perfect, the whole engineering staff retired the day the last 80 rolled off the line.

it’s so perfect, i bought a lifted 80 off craigslist just to put it back to stock height.

rumor has it that the sr71 blackbird was powered by 420 1fz engines too.

they didn’t even sell them with manual diesel options in the states because they were worried about the torque stopping earths rotation.

 

[souzgs]

Not sure if this help...original rear sway bar bushings off my ‘94. Some outside wear but no cracks inside. No hard wheeling.

 

[Box Rocket]

secondly, some will always have an issue with their ideas being challenged.

LOL, you don't say? Sorry, but you have lost essentially all your credibility that you may have had by showing up and basically telling everyone here they are clueless. You're also exactly the type of "mechanic" I'd never want working on my rig.

Have fun with your 3-link. But I know that there's no reason to continue any sort of discussion with you any further on any topic based on how you respond to people in this thread.

 

[fjbj40]

How does he know that WE are not mechanics ?

 

[Maozebong]

LOL, you don't say? Sorry, but you have lost essentially all your credibility that you may have had by showing up and basically telling everyone here they are clueless. You're also exactly the type of "mechanic" I'd never want working on my rig.

Have fun with your 3-link. But I know that there's no reason to continue any sort of discussion with you any further on any topic based on how you respond to people in this thread.

do me a favor and go back and read what i wrote. each time i responded to some condescending jab, but nobody else is in the wrong? get called a dick because i returned the condescending remarks? now you too? can nobody here handle a little s*** talking and all busting? baldilocks was the first one to start something, i have no beef with him because i know talking s*** doesn’t mean anything and i don’t take it personally. hell, we even agreed several times after that. that’s how debates work!

i contributed quite a bit of information to this thread and valid data points too; but apparently none of that matters if the thread isnt a safe space.

i wouldn’t trust a brand rep who takes their car to a mechanic for mechanic advice so i guess we got that mutual hate going

 

[nukegoat]

do me a favor and go back and read what i wrote. each time i responded to some condescending jab, but nobody else is in the wrong? get called a dick because i returned the condescending remarks? now you too? can nobody here handle a little s*** talking and all busting? baldilocks was the first one to start something, i have no beef with him because i know talking s*** doesn’t mean anything and i don’t take it personally. hell, we even agreed several times after that. that’s how debates work!

i contributed quite a bit of information to this thread and valid data points too; but apparently none of that matters if the thread isnt a safe space.

i wouldn’t trust a brand rep who takes their car to a mechanic for mechanic advice so i guess we got that mutual hate going

Let's see pics of your sick ride

 

[tacocat]

do me a favor and go back and read what i wrote. each time i responded to some condescending jab, but nobody else is in the wrong? get called a dick because i returned the condescending remarks? now you too? can nobody here handle a little s*** talking and all busting? baldilocks was the first one to start something, i have no beef with him because i know talking s*** doesn’t mean anything and i don’t take it personally. hell, we even agreed several times after that. that’s how debates work!

i contributed quite a bit of information to this thread and valid data points too; but apparently none of that matters if the thread isnt a safe space.

i wouldn’t trust a brand rep who takes their car to a mechanic for mechanic advice so i guess we got that mutual hate going

Your first post was on page 2, and someone responded "OK", and then you did roll in guns blazing like Major Alan Dutch Shaefer's fire team in the jungles of South America. This isn't The Drake or Reddit. It's a very mellow board, archaic in format, but ridiculously helpful and up to date. A rarity in this day.

In 4x4 speak, the FJ80's are really a new comer to this game. Their ultra high retail price and limited numbers has hampered their development until now. Since the the 80 was released to the general public, Both the Bronco and 40 have gone from ultimate rock crawler vehicle, trim the hell out of the fenders back to preserve the patina and full hot rod original restorations. Other vehicles have had long aftermarket evolutions. This one has not. Hell, there's even an FJ Cruiser rolling on leaf springs.

In time, you'll see more people address the radius arms in a myriad of ways as they have done for the early bronco.

 

[DRANGED]

sub'd for L8er

 

[fjbj40]

do me a favor and go back and read what i wrote. each time i responded to some condescending jab, but nobody else is in the wrong? get called a dick because i returned the condescending remarks? now you too? can nobody here handle a little s*** talking and all busting? baldilocks was the first one to start something, i have no beef with him because i know talking s*** doesn’t mean anything and i don’t take it personally. hell, we even agreed several times after that. that’s how debates work!

i contributed quite a bit of information to this thread and valid data points too; but apparently none of that matters if the thread isnt a safe space.

i wouldn’t trust a brand rep who takes their car to a mechanic for mechanic advice so i guess we got that mutual hate going

Look at all posts up to your first, #31, all was ok, then you showed up and threw the first stone......s***e, I said I was done, but