Quote on thrust rod bushings replacement

alpac · #1 06-10-2009, 11:39 AM

My thrust rod bushings (#7 on the pic) are cracked. I found out when I replaced my front brakes and I can also hear a light clunk sometime. If there was no need of a press to get the bushings out I would have done it myself. I stopped by a near by indy and asked them to give me an estimate. They quoted me $600 plus tax for changing the 2 bushings or $860 plus tax for replacing the 2 control arms!!! They said they would spend 4h of labor to replace the bushings. I said no way of course. This is ridiculous. If
I had a press I could do both within an hour or so. I wish I had a press. Is the press absolutely necessary? I am wondering if I there is anyway I could get the bushings out with a puller and then a clamp to put the new ones in. Another option is to bring the control arms to a shop for them to press the bushings out and in.

flyingmachine · #2 06-10-2009, 12:57 PM

find a machine shop to have them press out old ones and press in the new ones. should cost no more than $30 a side. or you can just get aftermarket one(febi) with bushing already pressed in for $100 something.

alpac · #3 06-10-2009, 02:16 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by flyingmachine

find a machine shop to have them press out old ones and press in the new ones. should cost no more than $30 a side. or you can just get aftermarket one(febi) with bushing already pressed in for $100 something.

Any suggestion of good after market place for this? on the online OEM catalog I get 3 different prices for the same control arm part. Not sure what the difference is beside the price.
Home Page > Search > 31126769718 - ECS Tuning Inc
The ball joints are ok and only have 40k so I will keep them. They were changed under my extended warranty 2 years ago. Do I need a puller to get them out of the control arm?

flyingmachine · #4 06-10-2009, 03:38 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by alpac

Any suggestion of good after market place for this? on the online OEM catalog I get 3 different prices for the same control arm part. Not sure what the difference is beside the price.
Home Page > Search > 31126769718 - ECS Tuning Inc
The ball joints are ok and only have 40k so I will keep them. They were changed under my extended warranty 2 years ago. Do I need a puller to get them out of the control arm?

Lemforder brand has pretty good quality. If you want cheaper one (OCAP), you can get it from autohausaz at cheaper price with free shipping(should save you more than $40 each). partsgeek.com has Lemforder one for a lot less too.

you can rent or buy pitman arm puller from local autozone for separating arm from ball joint.

01 BMW_X5 · #5 06-10-2009, 02:33 PM

Buy a press from your local HF and if you so wish sell on CL thereafter.

vinuneuro · #6 06-10-2009, 05:18 PM

Alain, like flyingmachine says, take it to a machine shop and they'll press in/out for very very cheap. It's usually $15-20.

Don't use aftermarket either. That's perhaps the most important bushing in the front suspension and deflection properties are very important in it. You won't know if the aftermarket rubber/construction will yield the same characteristics.