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I recently bought a 97 SC300 with quite a few known problems, the lower control arm bushings was one of those things. So I ordered the SuperPro's poly lower control arm bushing kit for late model SC thinking this would be a relatively easy Saturday morning project, boy was I wrong!
After having to cut the rear camber bolt that was seized in the sleeve I finally got the lower control arm out. Using the fire method I was able to burn out the old rubber and replace the front bushing pretty easy, it was the rear one that is giving me issues. After I used the torch on the rear I started trying to scrape the rubber and that is when I found what I am guessing is the top of the outer sleeve? I searched and none of the threads that I saw had this piece in the control arm.
My first thought was to try and press the outer sleeve out but that wouldn't work because it would make the inside diameter too big for the bushing to fit properly. Plus the other half of the bushing fits perfectly with the sleeve still in the arm.
In my research before starting this project I thought I remembered reading something about having to cut or modify the lca on the 97s but I don't know if I actually read that or if I am making it up. So my thought was to use a Dremel to cut the top part of the sleeve out and grind it down to the same diameter as the rest of the sleeve and the bushing will push in. Is this the best way to do this? I appreciate any advice or tips and tricks!
I've never seen anyone install the superpro bushings before. I know on the old prothane bushings you have to cut the part with the lip off in order to fit the bushings.
After removing the rest of the old rubber I was able to see that the top of the sleeve and the inner sleeve were actually two pieces which made me believe I would be able to cut off or remove the lip and the pop the top of the sleeve out of the control arm.
I used an angle grinder with a grinding wheel to grind down the lip so that it was flush with the cover/top of the bushing sleeve, then using a cut-off wheel I made a cut and was able to pry the top of the sleeve out of the control arm.
After removing the top of the sleeve I went back to the grinding wheel to remove the rest of the lip so that the width with the new poly bushings would be the same as stock. This is when the grinder skipped off the control arm and into my knuckle so I had to stop for the day.
While I wait for my finger to heal I did some more measuring of the inner diameter of the control arm and the bushing and thankfully the bushing is going to fit perfectly! I also took this time to start cleaning the control arm to prep it for paint. I plan on doing a full how-to write up when I do the other side to hopefully help someone else tackling this job in the future
09-24-20, 10:49 PM
Another Front LCA Bushing Question - 97 SC300
