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This mod is not for the weak. It took us two days to do it. Plus we were installing my suspension. Common snags were 1) bolts that were too tight, 2) stubborn bushings, 3) not having access to a vice, and 4) mistakes. I suggest dropping both control arms first then start in on the bushings. If you are replacing your entire suspension (i.e. coilovers/springs/camber kits), then do it now!! Air tools also would be helpful. Items you will need
- 1 jack
- 2 jack stands
- A whole socket set, all the way up to a 19 with small, medium and large socket wrenches
- Potentially a breaker bar
- 1 butane/propane torch, lighter fluid, volcano....anything that burns!
- 1 one foot long rod that you can screw a nut on
- 1 large washer that can fit over the long rod and is big enough to go over the bushing hole
- 1 smaller washer
- a few misc. nuts that can screw over the rod. I got one small one and one longer one
- an adjustable wrench or two
- C-Clamp
- Vice attached to a bench
- A flat head screwdriver
- Hammer
- Silicone grease, usually supplied
- The bushings
- LOTS OF TIME!
1) Loosen the lug nuts on the rear tires
2) Jack up both sides and put on jack stands
3) Remove the rear wheels
4) Detach the endlink from either the control arm or the sway bar (5mm allen in the inside and a socket for the outside)
5) If you are replacing the camber kit at the same time, now is the time to replace it!
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*Note: After these steps, loosen all bolts, but leave them attached!!!!!
6) There are 5 bolts for the control arm and loosen them in this order!
a. Loosen two bolts that hold the control arm to the brake hub. Make sure you have something to prop up the brake hub so the brake line does not rip/break.
b. Loosen the two bolts underneath the rear jack point
c. Finally, loosen the bolt that holds the control arm to the subframe (the one you can see in the back of the car)
d. Remove all bolts (Control arm, 2 near the jack point, the two near the brake hub and the one holding the shock on. REMEMBER – keep track of what bolts go where!!!!
7) Now you have the control arm out. There are 3 bushings – two attached to the brake hub and one that attached to the frame of the car.
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8) The one that is underneath the rear jack point with the handles in it, you have to “break” the glue holding those together. The best way to do it is to put one side in a vice grip and grab the other one with an adjustable wrench. You might need two (or three or a strong man) people to do this. This task is going to be the hardest part. You will have to wiggle it constantly until the both come out. WIGGLE, WIGGLE, WIGGLE!!
9) After you have those out, you will need a butane/propane torch and a lot of time. You must melt the glue and/or burn the rubber out enough until you can bang it out. Trust me, this part takes a lot of time. We had mine on the grill, on fire, we used lighter fluid…anything we could throw at it, we did…finally it came out. Once it starts to get loose, insert flat head screwdriver and hammer the bitch out!
10) Once you have the bushing out, clean the inside of the hole well with some water.
11) Now onto the other bushings.
12) This is where you will need the threaded rod, nuts and washers.
13) Insert the threaded rod through one bushing. Before you get through the other bushing, add the smaller washer and the small nut. Screw them to the bushing. Add the other longer nut to the other end.
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14) Screw the nut next to the washer to push the other bushing out.
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15) Repeat on the other side but use the larger washer to fit over the bushing hole
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16) Now it is time to insert the bushings. Let’s start with the brake hub ones. The bushings are the same but the inside middle piece is different because the screws are different. You have to match the right metal insert with the right screw or you will be forced to redo them.
17) Grease up the bushings and insert them. Insert the metal insert. You might need a c-clamp to get it all together but it isn’t that bad.
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18) Finally, success!!
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19) There are three pieces for the bushing that attaches to the near the jack point. Grease up the middle piece and stick that in. Grease up the outer ones and stick in the handles. Make sure to attach the handles in a way that will make it easy to screw to the car.
20) Put everything back together and don’t forget to torque everything down to spec!!! I had specs at one point, but I don’t currently. I think the two bolts near the jack point are 118lbs, but that is all I remember.
- 1 jack
- 2 jack stands
- A whole socket set, all the way up to a 19 with small, medium and large socket wrenches
- Potentially a breaker bar
- 1 butane/propane torch, lighter fluid, volcano....anything that burns!
- 1 one foot long rod that you can screw a nut on
- 1 large washer that can fit over the long rod and is big enough to go over the bushing hole
- 1 smaller washer
- a few misc. nuts that can screw over the rod. I got one small one and one longer one
- an adjustable wrench or two
- C-Clamp
- Vice attached to a bench
- A flat head screwdriver
- Hammer
- Silicone grease, usually supplied
- The bushings
- LOTS OF TIME!
1) Loosen the lug nuts on the rear tires
2) Jack up both sides and put on jack stands
3) Remove the rear wheels
4) Detach the endlink from either the control arm or the sway bar (5mm allen in the inside and a socket for the outside)
5) If you are replacing the camber kit at the same time, now is the time to replace it!
*Note: After these steps, loosen all bolts, but leave them attached!!!!!
6) There are 5 bolts for the control arm and loosen them in this order!
a. Loosen two bolts that hold the control arm to the brake hub. Make sure you have something to prop up the brake hub so the brake line does not rip/break.
b. Loosen the two bolts underneath the rear jack point
c. Finally, loosen the bolt that holds the control arm to the subframe (the one you can see in the back of the car)
d. Remove all bolts (Control arm, 2 near the jack point, the two near the brake hub and the one holding the shock on. REMEMBER – keep track of what bolts go where!!!!
7) Now you have the control arm out. There are 3 bushings – two attached to the brake hub and one that attached to the frame of the car.
8) The one that is underneath the rear jack point with the handles in it, you have to “break” the glue holding those together. The best way to do it is to put one side in a vice grip and grab the other one with an adjustable wrench. You might need two (or three or a strong man) people to do this. This task is going to be the hardest part. You will have to wiggle it constantly until the both come out. WIGGLE, WIGGLE, WIGGLE!!
9) After you have those out, you will need a butane/propane torch and a lot of time. You must melt the glue and/or burn the rubber out enough until you can bang it out. Trust me, this part takes a lot of time. We had mine on the grill, on fire, we used lighter fluid…anything we could throw at it, we did…finally it came out. Once it starts to get loose, insert flat head screwdriver and hammer the bitch out!
10) Once you have the bushing out, clean the inside of the hole well with some water.
11) Now onto the other bushings.
12) This is where you will need the threaded rod, nuts and washers.
13) Insert the threaded rod through one bushing. Before you get through the other bushing, add the smaller washer and the small nut. Screw them to the bushing. Add the other longer nut to the other end.
14) Screw the nut next to the washer to push the other bushing out.
15) Repeat on the other side but use the larger washer to fit over the bushing hole
16) Now it is time to insert the bushings. Let’s start with the brake hub ones. The bushings are the same but the inside middle piece is different because the screws are different. You have to match the right metal insert with the right screw or you will be forced to redo them.
17) Grease up the bushings and insert them. Insert the metal insert. You might need a c-clamp to get it all together but it isn’t that bad.
18) Finally, success!!
19) There are three pieces for the bushing that attaches to the near the jack point. Grease up the middle piece and stick that in. Grease up the outer ones and stick in the handles. Make sure to attach the handles in a way that will make it easy to screw to the car.
20) Put everything back together and don’t forget to torque everything down to spec!!! I had specs at one point, but I don’t currently. I think the two bolts near the jack point are 118lbs, but that is all I remember.
