Front Lower Control Arm Front Bushes - would you use these?

[Scotty D Case]

Found that my Pursuit ute was making a clunking noise while going down the road. Fearing the worst of a failing ball joint and given the vehicles age I decided it was time to rebuild the front suspension. While stripping it I found what I suspect to be the culprit - the front swaybar link pin.

 

Striped the car and found that the two bushes from the chassis to the Front Lower Control Arm Front were beyond my workshop presses capabilities. So off to the local suspension specialist I go with the arms for some no bull advice...

 

Picked up the arms today to find this when I arrived home:

 

 

It would seem that an air chisel was used to remove the old bush. The result is a large portion of metal has also been taken away from where the collar of the bush shell would normally meet the arm - approximately only 30% of the metal is actually left there to meet the collar on the bushes shell!

 

Given that it's a shelled replacement bush, maybe this is ok? But to be honest I'm disappointed with the quality of the workmanship and the damage done to the arms. It feels that I paid $121.00 in labour to have someone else wreck them! Given that the arm was fitted with a new ball joint just prior and that they continued to fit the new bushes (which I had supplied) there is a lot of waste and expense now if this arm is no longer suitable to be used... I have been quoted for two Whiteline/Nolathane brand replacement arms fitted with new bushes and ball joints will cost $530.00.

 

On top of this they didn't remove the rear bush for the arm to chassis, which when I questioned them on this the initial answer was that the counter man didn't tell him to, then that it a more difficult bush to remove and didn't need doing as it doesn't actually do any work and wasn't worth it and would be fine for another 10 years - which to me seemed like every reason not to and more like couldn't be bothered - having seem there workmanship I'm perhaps glad that they didn't...

[Ralph Wiggum]

Nope. They are not safe to reinstall.

[arronm]

We're they like that when you dropped them off   If not they screwed them.  They need to replace then

[Scotty D Case]

They most certainly were not. They were original and untouched. The bushes were not even flogged out and it is from a low km Pursuit ute. It was just while replacing other components I thought it to be a good idea to do these too (due to age) while the arms were out. Also apparently the original bushes are hydraulic and the fluid leaks out relatively quickly.

[discostig]

Jeez that sucks the big one.  Get them to pay for new genuine ones!  As you've seen even aftermarket arms aren't cheap.

 

I'm picking up a pair of lower front control arms Monday that I've ordered from Pedders, even with normal bushes in them they are like $500 a pair.

 

There are cheaper ones on ebay but I'm unsure of their quality under the duress that I am likely to place them in.

Edited 25/11/16 06:06 AM by -Stever-

[Ralph Wiggum]

I'm assuming by the no bull advice comment you're referring to a well know suspension franchise. Personally, I would send the photo's of the arms and a copy of the receipt through this -

http://www.pedders.com.au/feedback

and follow it up with a phone call. If I was in charge of the parent company running the no bull name i'd sure as hell like to know about quality of work like that coming out of a franchisee's workshop.

[ROB83R]

Probably the work of an unsupervised apprentice. Then let it go hoping you wouldn't notice what's going on. 

Follow Ralphy's advice it's solid 

[Scotty D Case]

First thing my old man suggest when he saw it was that it looked like an apprentice who didn't know what they were doing had a go! Not sure why they would think I wouldn't notice given that I had removed them myself and change the ball joints etc. which showed I clearly had some idea what I was doing. When I took them in I said it was only because my little shop press wasn't big enough for the job.

 

2 hours ago, Ralph Wiggum said:

I'm assuming by the no bull advice comment you're referring to a well know suspension franchise. Personally, I would send the photo's of the arms and a copy of the receipt through this -

http://www.pedders.com.au/feedback

and follow it up with a phone call. If I was in charge of the parent company running the no bull name I'd sure as hell like to know about quality of work like that coming out of a franchisee's workshop.

Thanks Ralph.

 

I'm unsure on this forums policies in regards to naming companies so I will refrain from confirming or denying at this stage.

 

This afternoon on my way home I picked up replacement Nolathane arms from Repco for $600.00 for the pair (according to the invoice they retail at $431.00 each but I have noted that there is a seller on eBay offering them for $260.00ish). I was intending to fit them over the weekend so that I can have my ute back up and running, but I've since decided that the company who did the damage will require an opportunity to rectify it and they may wish to do so (or it might be easier) through supplying replacement arms through their internal part supply store rather than paying for replacements from elsewhere.

 

My only issue with this is that I specifically wanted to change to urethane bushes and if the company in question sources their parts through Pedders, it looks like they use rubber:

picture_pbj426rarm.jpg

< http://shop.pedders.com.au/pedders-arm-ball-joint-pbj426rarm.html >. 

 

If that fails I will follow the above advice.

 

I have also found out that they are a member of the TACC (Tasmanian Automobile Chamber of Commerce) who offer some assistance in complaint resolution of member companies < http://www.tacc.net.au/About-us/TACCs-role >.

[ROB83R]

That sucks. I hope these guys come to the table with a positive outcome for you. 

Where abouts in Tassie are you? 

[Ralph Wiggum]

He's right down in the bushy part.