Lower control arms...replace? Bushings?

I have some cracking in the lower control arm bushings in my 2003 Access Cab. I think it may be contributing to some minor clucking while going over speed bumps. Is it better to replace the whole lower a arm or just the bushings cost wise and time wise? I'm having my mechanic look at my CV joints and inner and outer tie rods as well. Truck has 175K

Thanks

 

Most will say just replace the whole arm; that's what I did. @JakeJake is in the process of doing his bushings as we speak, and I believe someone else has done it. You basically have to cook the bushing out of there. How are your cam bolts? If they're frozen it's gonna be even more fun getting them out.

 

Thanks...at this point in my life I have more money than time or patience. My mechanic will be doing this. Are OEM recommended or aftermarket good enough. Thanks again.

 

Someone, maybe @Jack McCarthy or @KNABORES has the mevotechs, and they're wearing out in short order. I have Moogs, and they're decent. I'd recommend OEM though.

 

It probably needs more than just the LCA bushings - once I started looking carefully at my '01 Runner I ended up replacing 62 bushings and or parts with bushings (only bought a part if Toyota did not sell the bushings alone) before it was all done - rides like a dream now.

 

I'm running Moog LCAs (that's the only Moog part on my truck, btw) and after 1 yr there are still fine

 

If you need to pay to have it installed go with the longest lasting arms, the OEM. Moogs are okay but time will tell if they’ll last. OEM can easily go 100k.


Stay away from Mevotech at all costs.

 

Go OEM on the lowers. They'll last as long as your current ones did. It's been proven time and time and time and time and time and time and time again: The rubber aftermarkets use DOES NOT hold up as long as OEM does, at least for boots and bushings. Expect the bushings to blow out within 5 years if you go aftermarket. OEM aren't that much more expensive if you score them during a deal, and July 4th is around the corner, I'm sure a sale will be happening at the national parts sites.

That said, I'll ask because I don't track everyone's status, but ... lower ball joints? They tend to clunk also. Check all 4 bolts are still intact and tight, and do push/pull test on each wheel while elevated. And also know: Sloppy/blown out rack bushings will cause clunks too. As will blown out lower shock bushings (on your front struts).

 

Look closely, if you are hearing a "thud" when you hit bumps it might not be the control arms, check the sway bar and bushings closely. The sway bar not being greased, eventually can hour glass the sway bar inside the bushing creating a ton of up and down slack. Eventually when the bushing blows out you can see down in it and see the sway bar is 2/3rds its original diameter. This makes a "thunk" noise when you hit bumps as the sway bar bottoms out up and down inside the blown out bushing.

 

Lower ball joints done with OEM about 2 years ago or 5,000 mi ago. Steering rack bushings replaced with TC urethane bushings around the same time. King coilovers were rebuilt about the same time with all new bearings and bushings as well. Sway bar drop links are aftermarket and extended. All this was done about the same time 2 maybe 2 1/2 years ago or 5000 mi.

Thanks for the input shifty.