Originally Posted By: engineer20
Do bushings or changing bushings affect alignment? I went to the dealer for a quick inspection, since I had it inspected last month, they didn't do a full out inspection as it'd be the same, but I told him to test drive it and listen to the
suspension noises. He said it'd be 67 dollars for a full inspection of the suspension, so I said no, but he said he could test drive and visually inspect it for me. He said the ball joint is now fine, but the noise is the rear struts. Also, it may be the left control arm bushing (not the right? my ball joint was the right ball joint I changed, so wouldn't taht control arm go bad?) he said it's the left.
Also, beacuse I'm changing my rear stab link bushings, he told me the control arm bushings aren't serviceable and you need a whole new control arm, but I don't think that's the case, they are serviceable, right? If yes, will it change or alter the alignment if I replace it or no? Or not by much, not as much as if i were to replace the control arm or some other suspension compoenent? Thanks.
What about the rear stab links bushings? Will those affect alignment? If I don't change them, will it make my alignment go out again? since I was told a bad ball joint/bad suspension parts can make your alignment go out, but what about a worn bushing you don't change out, or will it change the alignment after you change it? Thanks.
Worn out bushings are fine, the car will feel bumpy but it will drive, steer, stop. Just get used to it, it is a 10 year old car.
Alignments will change every time you adjust something that's part of suspension geometry. Assuming you have taken geometry in high school, the "safe bet" would be every single links between the frame of the car to the wheels, front and back, every bushings, every knuckles, every ball joints, etc that is not high precision or that can flex (so in theory wheel bearings will not affect alignment if you put it back the same way.
And therefore every time you hit the curb you bent you suspension geometry and there goes your alignment.
And therefore over time when you wear out your bushings the geometry changes and there goes your alignment from 10 years ago.
And therefore every time you replace components the dimension changes slightly, and there goes your alignment.
And therefore every time you take suspension or steering apart and didn't put it back to the same place and there goes your alignment.
Your dealer said things are bad, maybe they are just bad and not BAD. For your car I'd just leave it alone if it is just uncomfortable rather than not passing inspection or wear out tires prematurely (like 1 set within 1 year). Replacing everything will cost more than your car is worth and you will not get your money back before rust out in Michigan.
Dealer said control arm bushings cannot be replaced, means it cost more money to press bushing than to buy the whole control arm, or the process may damage the metal of the control arm enough that it is not worth taking the risk. Again, if you do not have a hydraulic press or do not want to take the chance of damaging the control arm and your wheel fell off in the middle of a high way, listen to your mechanics / dealers who will be liable for changing bushings rather than the whole arm.
Originally Posted By: engineer20
do larger car suspensions last longer? haven't experi3enced any issues with the taurus. it'd make sense, as they'd have more space to absorb the bumps and stuff on the road, or does size of suspension not matter? does the taurus have a longer life expectanccy on suspension componenets than the smaller camry, or will an suv have a longer lasting susepnsion since it's bigger? Thanks.
It depends on the car, the road condition, the driver. You can have a large car with less load designed and it will not last longer than a small car, or you can have a premium small car that is design for a larger load and will out last the larger car.
In your case, if you do not mess around with your car's OEM suspension components, it should in theory last longer than if you mess around with it using low cost aftermarket components.
