Front Lower Air Shock to lower control arm bushing?

[1BadMoJoe]

Ok, the lower bolt of the front air shock goes through the lower control arm. My problem is the bushing, do these need to be pressed in or something?

I do not have my hands on this new part, the old ones are in peices. The inner metal sleave that is in contact with the bolt came out with both bolts.

Is there also a metal outer sleave that is in contact with the lower control arm hole?

Am i really going to have to take off the lower control arm to replace these bushings? Thanks for your input

 

[chris2523]

at that point, get a new control arm..
if that's not a financially viable option, yes, it is probably pressed in. but i've never messed with those bushings.

 

[thaywood]

+1

Get a new LCA. It's much less trouble than trying to press that bushing out. You'll probably have to remove the arm to do that anyway. Check your lower ball joints and strut rod bushings too. If they're worn out, just get LCA's and SRB's and be done with it. Kill 3 birds with 1 stone, so to speak.

 

[1BadMoJoe]

I see some LCA have the bushings allready in them. I am trying to avoid taking off the LCA. If the bushings have an outer sleave they both are at this point stuck in the LCA or they are pressed in?
I was thinking taking a hack saw blade to the outer sleave though the LCA bushing hole to create enough room free them up to beat them out, with less beating needed.

The bushings are about $30-50, I see new lower control arms are about twice the price of the bushings.


What are SRB's are they the forward and rear bushings for the lower control arm or this peice in picture?. I see many people having these new one fail from dayss to weeks if not ford oem?

 

[marked8]

If the bushings are bad you can bet the ball joint is or will be soon. Go ahead and replace the whole assembly. Remember that you can use Thunderbird lowers, they are cheaper and basically the same part. Try Rock auto for good prices.
As far as the SRB, I believe people are having problems with the strut rod to frame ones, not the ones for the LCA.

 

[1BadMoJoe]

If the bushings are bad you can bet the ball joint is or will be soon. Go ahead and replace the whole assembly. Remember that you can use Thunderbird lowers, they are cheaper and basically the same part. Try Rock auto for good prices.
As far as the SRB, I believe people are having problems with the strut rod to frame ones, not the ones for the LCA.

Just spent the last couple of hours removing both rear air stocks and the other two shocks in the back, easy to do, except the lower shock bolts needed so serious impact wrench convincing.

Thats what I was (past tense) trying to avoid removing the lower Control arms, every things metric on this car and my metric tools are few. I don't have the right size metric impact or any sockets to fit to remove the LCA nuts and lower ball joint nut. Yes that what I thought, the srb's are what I pictured on opposite end. Everything else is good, not new, upfront except the lower air shock bushings though the lower control arm. Thanks for the Rock Auto heads up their prices are low.

Anybody know if the LCA bushings for the front air shock lower bushings can be replaced without pressing them in or removing the LCA. I may think of rigging up a C-Clamp to press them in,anybody with an tried and true way that works while the LCA are still attached to the car?

 

[beerdog]

You would need a Shop press to remove and install that bushing. This would require removing the LCA. Much much easier to buy new arms. I cannot een remember anyone posting up that they have replaced it. There might be a special Ford tool to remove it on the car.

That strut rod bushing is a slight press fit. You just need to hammer it off. Spray it down and start hammering. You could burn off the rubber and then heat it up with a torch. It will probably slide off when hot enough.

 

[mespock]

Get the right impact socket and remover the LCA ...

 

[ford nut]

Is your time worth anything?

Buy the proper tools and remove the LCA.

 

[1BadMoJoe]

Back to the Lower Control Arms, Do the T-bird LCA only work if the Mark Viii has been lowered 1.5 inches? Are the T-Bird LCA an exact match do to the same frame body type.

I've searched up on them, no real information except some people have tried to use them suggesting them are "similar" "essentially the same."

 

[billcu]

The LCA bushing is slightly different between the T bird and Lincoln, probably just a different durometer. I use the T bird LCA's on all my Marks, and it dosen't matter if the car is lowered or not.

 

[1BadMoJoe]

LCA bushing

The LCA bushing is slightly different between the T bird and Lincoln, probably just a different durometer. I use the T bird LCA's on all my Marks, and it doesn't matter if the car is lowered or not.

My question pinpoints to which bushing is dissimilar?

LCA bushing is different that is useful information to know, The durometer is the though bolt used to connect though the bushing that attachés the coilover or air shock?
I need different bolts any way mine being very sightly wallowed out from my older lower air bag(arnout replacement shock that leaked) bushing through the LCA, my old bolts look like they have been recycled at least once.

Good to hear someone has success with the T-bird LCA's, they are half the price of Mark Viii's.
What about the other end that connects to the frame(the odd ball washers[that need to be marked prior to loosing-removal to ball park reassembly to get to place of wheel alignment] that adjust the toe in/out, at least some form of suspension adjustment) do the T-bird LCA use different bolts at this point T-birds or the same Mark Viii's I have?

What about the missing bushing that would be on the "new T-bird" LCA Pictured as referance

Are the strut rod bushing/LCA I use here a Mark Viii or a T-bird, I am a bit unclear at this moment what is different other than watch out there is something to be aware of, I just don't know yet. Please fill me in your your solution, I am unclear because the LCA have two different places of prepressed bushings{one at frame, another at shock and last but least; the missing SRBushing for the strut rod in the above picture}

I'll get the coil over conversion kit first soon "in the mail".
I won't have my hands on the T-bird LCA's for a while longer and I do not have anything to compare the TRW stampings from the car.

Thanks again for your input

 

[DLF]

This might help you understand the strut rod bushings, they are usually not included with the LCA's.

http://forums.tccoa.com/showthread.php?t=135491

I'd recommend using only the OEM parts.

The Thunderbird and Mark VIII front suspensions are virtually identical, except for the air shocks. No issues using Thunderbird LCA's on a Mark VIII.