Control arm bushing

[Sinovac]

The driver side lower rear upright bushing rubber boot on my car is coming apart. The passenger side lower rear upright boot is starting to come apart. My car is a very late 2006 with over 8k miles. I am going to attempt to repair the boots.

Driver side



Passenger side

 

[jcthorne]

This is really looking like the rubber aging poorly. Look forward to see what you come up with for a repair technique. Good luck and keep us posted on your progress or difficulties.

 

[viva gt]

I have used a self vulcanizing rubber repair tape to repair ball joint boots on trucks. The stuff is mildly adhesive in its shelf state off the roll but you stretch it as its applied and the layers bond to become one rubber piece with the elasticity of the original tape. Its pretty interesting and tough stuff. I usually only use the black but its even available in colors. I will try to get the brand name tonight.

This application might be more difficult because of the narrow application site. But as the boot is only to keep dirt out, it might be worth a try. As long as the joint is kept clean and well greased....

Is this the type of material you speak of?
http://www.tpcwire.com/ItemForm.asp...Category=c0039449-8112-49d7-bbdc-0b508e306e10

 

[jcthorne]

That sure looks like it but the brand name is different. I have used it to repair a radiator hose on the side of the road before and it held for several hundred miles home til I could replace the hose.

 

[MTV8]

I am going to attempt to repair the boots.

Any luck with the repairs?

I just bought new machined control arms so I more willing to experiment with the original set.

I am planning to punch a hole in the top of the boots to inject CV grease with a syringe and flush out contaminants then seal them with RTV silicone.

 

[Sinovac]

Sorry, I haven't attempted to repair them yet. I am going to use either self fusing/vulcanizing tape as jcthorne suggested or a liquid rubber product.

 

[European GT]

I know this problem realy well and we have developed a new set of bushings in polyurethan. I get the 1st set during the next 3 weeks and change the A-arm bushings to polyurethan. The poly bushings are much stronger than the rubber bushing and give your car much more performance.

 

[MTV8]

I know this problem realy well and we have developed a new set of bushings in polyurethan. I get the 1st set during the next 3 weeks and change the A-arm bushings to polyurethan. The poly bushings are much stronger than the rubber bushing and give your car much more performance.

Have you seen issues with bushings other than those on the lower rear arms? Interested to see pictures of your repair when available.

 

[European GT]

Yes ones on a front A-Arm. In 90% of the cases is the car race track used and with a lower right hight. When you lower the car you bring more stress on the bushes.

 

[Vincent998]

Assuming your new bushes work properly, will they be for sale? If so, any idea of the cost?

Thanks!

 

[PILOTJPW1]

The damaged bushings reported here in the states are they on cars that have been lowered? Might be worth reverting to stock ride height?

 

[Sinovac]

The damaged bushings reported here in the states are they on cars that have been lowered? Might be worth reverting to stock ride height?

My car has a couple damaged bushing seals and the suspension is stock.

 

[GT101]

We have seen a small number of cars with split boots on the lower rear arm joints which appear to be due to ageing of the rubber. This has been on varying mileage cars.

We now have a supply of replacement boots of exactly the same size as the OE ones. We can supply a kit of one car set (4) for £49 plus shipping.

Drop me a pm if this is any help to anyone.

 

[bonehead]

We have seen a small number of cars with split boots on the lower rear arm joints which appear to be due to ageing of the rubber. This has been on varying mileage cars.

We now have a supply of replacement boots of exactly the same size as the OE ones. We can supply a kit of one car set (4) for £49 plus shipping.

Drop me a pm if this is any help to anyone.

I thought this want a serviceable/rebuildable item?

 

[Sinovac]

We have seen a small number of cars with split boots on the lower rear arm joints which appear to be due to ageing of the rubber. This has been on varying mileage cars.

We now have a supply of replacement boots of exactly the same size as the OE ones. We can supply a kit of one car set (4) for £49 plus shipping.

Drop me a pm if this is any help to anyone.

Could you please post a picture of the boot in the kit?

 

[GT101]

The kit comprises 4 boots which are supplied with o-ring type retainers. We prefer to reuse the steel clips that are already on the car they fit perfectly with these boots.



It's not a great picture but I don't have any to hand to photograph at the moment.

Dave

 

[Sinovac]

Thanks Dave. Could you please explain the procedure to replace the boot? I am having a difficult time visualizing how the clips can be accessed, particularly on the control arm side of the bushing (I have been diagnosed with partial, temporary blindness caused by Venenoitis).

 

[GT101]

The removal and replacement process is ideally done with the car on a ramp. It's covered in 204-02-5 of the workshop manual. Essentially you need to remove the lower arm to knuckle bolt (with the load removed from the joint) and drop the arm out of the knuckle which will provide access to both sides of the joint. I would estimate a qualified tech could do all four in around an hour.

It is a bit surprising that replacement boots were not released as service parts - we simply removed one, measured it up and found a matching replacement part with the same dimensions.

Hope this helps.

Dave

 

[Sinovac]

Thank you.

 

[European GT]

We have now the upper wishbone finished a hope to have the lower back by next week. The PU bushes make the car more reliably agive more feedback from the track