Control Arm bushing lube?
- Thread starter va_life
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OEM-type rubber control arm bushings don't need lubrication because they are pinched in place and twist, rather than rotate like a polyurethane bushing does. There's nothing to lube.
Thanks.
And to add, as you probably already know if they aren't installed unloaded then they will fail more quickly. Does the maintenance manual give you a ride height prior to tightening? It depends on the exact design and which bolts, but my BMW control arms had a loaded height for the body bolt.
Exactly - Don’t tighten them with the car on the lift, tighten them with weight on the suspension, or you’ll ruin them in very short order.
They’re designed to flex +/- from installed position, neutral suspension, not get cranked all the way around from unloaded to fully compressed.
Can I use a jack to lift the wheel up when installing bushings ?
That would not be my first choice, but that is the idea - full weight of the car on the control arm so that the bushing is in the proper position. A rack is better, with the car level.
I leave the bolt finger tight, drive the car up on ramps, jack up the back so that it is level, and then tighten it to spec.
I would not get under a car held up by a jack.
I have quick jack lift system so it MUCH sturdier than a jack.
That's what I do, seems to get it close enough, I lift until its "about" the same angle as sitting on 4 wheels, or that side gets light on the jack stand.
edyvw
$50 site donor 2025
Measure the center of the wheel to the fender. After installing, lift the tire to that position and tighten it. It is is the second best option, after one @Astro14 mentioned.
I do that on Quickjack as it is much easier to do that on them. But I also need to secure the rear wheel in the opposite direction to prevent the vehicle from tilting.
I use silicone paste lube, current brand on the shelf is Raybestos DBL-2T but several brands are similar, but not so much to make the bushing last longer if rubber, but rather to slow down fastener/sleeve rust.
Once upon a time ago, I got tired of having to use an angle grinder to cut everything off. A couple days ago it snowed an inch, and the streets are covered white, but not from the snow which melted as fast as it fell, rather the excessive amount of salt the road crew puts down if it even, might, snow.
Once upon a time ago, I got tired of having to use an angle grinder to cut everything off. A couple days ago it snowed an inch, and the streets are covered white, but not from the snow which melted as fast as it fell, rather the excessive amount of salt the road crew puts down if it even, might, snow.
"Preload" is the term you should know, and when unintentionally applied, will destroy rubber bushings more rapidly than any perceived lack of lube.
If a vehicle is on a lift, with suspension at full droop, tightening the bolts, or not applying temporary installation lube (in the case of some BMWs) will result in an unintended preload when the vehicle is lowered, and back to sitting down at normal ride height. Because things have been fixed in place while raised, and the bushing can't rotate to its expected, normal position, it will be twisted, and under unintended stress.
FSMs will note when certain precautions, or specific procedures need to be taken to avoid situations like that, which put simply, is an improper installation and will result in premature failure.
If a vehicle is on a lift, with suspension at full droop, tightening the bolts, or not applying temporary installation lube (in the case of some BMWs) will result in an unintended preload when the vehicle is lowered, and back to sitting down at normal ride height. Because things have been fixed in place while raised, and the bushing can't rotate to its expected, normal position, it will be twisted, and under unintended stress.
FSMs will note when certain precautions, or specific procedures need to be taken to avoid situations like that, which put simply, is an improper installation and will result in premature failure.
Torque with wheels on the ground and suspension loaded. I’d use Super Lube or Loctite ViperLube for this. You don’t want petroleum products on rubber(suspension parts use neoprene) or polyurethane parts.
also they make special polyurethane bushing lube which I am 99.9% sure is just regular silicone paste
Those are supposed to remain dry. An occasional silicone based lubricant won't hurt.
Some of us dont like to telegraph the road surface to our kidneys at speed.
Here is a video from A1 Auto which shows the mechanic installing a lower control arm. The vehicle is up on the hoist and when he is ready to torque the bolts, he put a stand under the knuckle and and jacks it up to make the lower control arm more or less level, then he uses a torque wrench to tighten the bolts. To be honest, the control arm probably travels in a arc of about 15 or 20 degrees but might as well start in a neutral position.
The whole idea is to avoid using a moving joint that is cycled millions of times and would wear out. The rubber pushing just flexs to avoid any direct surface to surface wear.
The whole idea is to avoid using a moving joint that is cycled millions of times and would wear out. The rubber pushing just flexs to avoid any direct surface to surface wear.
This would require a lab test but so far the bittoggers are convinced that it’s best to tighten the bolts with the suspension in the loaded position. The ends of the bushing are pinched against the metal structure on each side of the bushing. Now imagine the upper and lower arms moving up and down many times per second with an incredible amount of force as the vehicle drives over bumps in the road. Think the bushing might spin the slightest amount to find it’s own new neutral position?
There’s no lab test required.
Forums are full of people who replaced control arms, DIY, torque it while the control arm was at full deflection, and then the bushings wore out in 5000 miles.
There is the right way to do things, and the wrong way to do them has immediate and painful consequences