ISFFUN

iTrader: (4)

The grease that is applied to the polygraphite bushings in the control arms (and sways too I suppose) will dry out eventually and seize the arm after some period.

I believe the instructions say every 6-12months, but I can't recall and can't find them. I knew this in the back of my head but never did it and I imagine a lot of others probably haven't done it either since it's such a big job.

I installed my upper/lower LCA bushings in 2011 and never removed and regreased them. When I had the wheels off recently to check something else I noticed one wheel knuckle on one side of the car was much higher than the other. On further inspection I took the knuckle off and found that the upper arm was seized and could not be moved unless I used a ton of force. I believe this was also causing some bump steer as the shock could not freely do it's job.

So yesterday I took the uppers off one side and found that the inner sleeve had bound to the bushing and looked like it had melted (sort of). The sleeves had to be pressed out with a ball join contraption I made. Then getting the bushings out of the socket was another ordeal and had to use a giant pair of vice grips to twist them out. All this white dust flew everyone which was the grease that had hardened and failed.

I ordered new Prothane grease and cleaned all the parts on a wire wheel and wire drill brush set and used brake cleaner and a cloth before reapplying the grease and putting them back together.