Diagnosis and Part Selection Advice:

I went to have an alignment done or my 1998 Pontiac Trans Sport, and was told that I needed a new control arm on the passenger side. I was shown that the rubber bushing was worn out. The fix was to replace the entire control arm. This part was only available from the dealer @ $300+ but they would give me a discount - $279.90. I said thank you but I would look for another solution. I went to the local Murray's and asked for the bushing, and they showed no listing for the part, so I searched the internet. Rock Auto came up with 2 different choices.

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Part Comments

A bushing with a rubber center and the nut and washer came shortly after my order - total cost $19.98 including shipping. Spicer, a name that I was familiar with built the part .

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Repair / Installation tips:

I place the front end up on stands and took off the wheel and removed the screws holding the splash guards for the wheelwell and pushed it aside. The bushing is pressed in at the front end of the control arm where it is nestled into a open sided box of the frame. I thought that I may have to remove the entire control arm to remove the bushing, because the front mount was on a vertical plane but the rear was on a horizontal. As it ended up there was enough flex in the rubber mounts that I was able to pry the control arm out sideways using a short crowbar. After getting the end of the control arm past the ends of the mounting bracket I wedged a piece of 2 x 4 behind it to keep it extended. I pried what was left of the rubber center of the bushing. The metal housing remained. I tried pounding the it out but was unsuccessful as there was no way to hold the arm steady enough to apply the necessary forces. Next I tried to cut it out from the inside using a hack saw, but found that to be inadequate. Using a cold chisel I opened a gap between the top of the control arm and the lip from the bushing housing. I thought that maybe I could pry the housing out, but the lip just bent and the housing was stuck. Brainstorm!! I had a "hammer drill" that I had bought to remove some ceramic tile in my house. I loaded it with a piercing type chisel bit and set to work on the area where I was prying the housing. It ripped a hole into the housing and then collapsed it inside of itself. Then it popped out easily. The new bushing went into place with a few taps from a hammer. Total time about 1 hour. I saved myself $350.