How To (2010-14): Install Front Lower Control Arm Bushings

Just like with the 4th Gen's, 5th have the horrible lower control arm rearward bushings, that tend to go bad as soon as the car rolls off the dealer's lot.

 

Here is my 2012's Outback's bushing with 100k miles.

http://legacygt.com/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=260604&d=1515647623

 

 

To install new bushings you will have to remove the lower control arm. With mid-Atlantic rust, pulling the ball joint out of knuckle is out of question, thus it's best to remove the castle nut and then pop the arm off.

 

This can be a little tricky if you don't want to ruin the ball joint boots with a ball joint puller. Remove the swaybar end link, raise the knuckle by the rotor, stick a breaker bar handle or socket right under the knuckle and control arm. Then quickly lower the jack, doing so should pop the LCA off the ball joint, though this might take a few tries (be careful not to bend or damage the lower control arm!)

http://legacygt.com/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=260606&d=1515647623

 

With knuckle raised up and ball joint separated from the control arm, you should be able to undo the Control Arm's Front Bolt (17mm) and rear bolt (19mm).

 

LCA removed, here is the spot that the LCA sits in, notice that 5th gen's LCA's sit above the subframe, which makes the whole process more painful then on 4th gen's (which have easy access)

http://legacygt.com/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=260607&d=1515647623

 

Here is another picture of my bushing with some force applied, it was starting to rip too.

http://legacygt.com/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=260605&stc=1&d=1515648373

 

With the arm removed you'll now need to remove the old bushing. If you have a press you can push it out. I've also been able to use a hammer and screw driver to bend the bushings metal sleeve in, then punch it out. I think even with pushing it out, I still had to use the hammer + screw driver method to get the sleeve out.

http://legacygt.com/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=260608&stc=1&d=1515648549

 

Here are the SuperPro SPF4863K LCA bushing that was just released. Notice that the top and bottom is slant cut to make pressing easier. Make sure to grease the control arm opening wit the supplied grease.

http://legacygt.com/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=260609&stc=1&d=1515648549

http://legacygt.com/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=260610&stc=1&d=1515648549

 

Since these bushings are meant to sit flat against the control arm, this makes pressing them in a breeze by just sandwiching the bushing/arm against two steel plates (unlike mechanical bushings like ES or Prothanes, or even Whiteline's non Caster bushings for 4th gen.)

http://legacygt.com/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=260611&stc=1&d=1515648549

 

Pressed in:

http://legacygt.com/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=260612&stc=1&d=1515648549

 

Notice that the SuperPro bushing is a little shorter then the control arm. This means one side will sit flat, and other side will have a slight recess. Just make sure the recess is pointing in the same direction on both arms and you'll be fine.

http://legacygt.com/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=260613&stc=1&d=1515648549

 

Greased the inside of the bushing and the crush tube, installed the top and bottom urethane spacers

http://legacygt.com/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=260615&stc=1&d=1515648549

 

Now we are ready to reinstall the arm. Since the subframe is not flat, SuperPro supplied a washer that needs to be installed on the bottom.

http://legacygt.com/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=260614&stc=1&d=1515648549

 

Installing the arm gets a little tricky on 5th gens. Since we need to install the arm above the subframe, you have to fight with the knuckle (which is still being pushed down by the strut & spring). I found that raising the knuckle with the jack again worked best, this allowed the LCA to sit at a right angle, making it easier to align the rearward bushing and getting the bolt inserted. After that I installed the front bolt.

http://legacygt.com/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=260616&stc=1&d=1515648549

 

With both of the control arm bolts inserted and slightly threaded, I found it easiest to lower the knuckle to full droop, then push the control arm down (which is real easy with these bushing!) and then insert the ball joint into the lower control arm. The Ball Joint castle nut should be torqued to 28.8 ft-lbs, remember to properly use cotter pins.

http://legacygt.com/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=260617&stc=1&d=1515648549

 

Finally drove the car onto drive on ramps to tighten the control arm bolts. Now this is only required for front bolts (if your using rubber bushings), but rear is easier to deal with the arm being at a right angle.

http://legacygt.com/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=260618&stc=1&d=1515648549

 

Rears are easy to access and torque to 103.3ft-lbs, fronts should be torqued to 70.1 ft-lbs, but are difficult to reach with a normal torque wrench. This is due to the front bushing and bolts being above the subframe, thus you can't reach the bolts from the bottom. In this case I did the best I could with a socket and combination wrench.

http://legacygt.com/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=260619&stc=1&d=1515648549

 

Don't forget to reattach the swaybar end links (44.3 ft-lbs)!

 

After that you are all set, enjoy one of the best/cheapest suspension mods for these cars!

Edited June 13, 2019 by covertrussian

Thank you for this excellent walk-through write-up. I'm looking at 2013-2014 Outbacks and if I do pick up one, it's likely I'll have to change-out these bushes at some point.

 

I've PDF'd it and attached it below. LMK if I need to change or add anything.

 

Thank you again.

Covertrussian’s Front Lower Control Arm Rear Bushing Replacement (2010-2014) Legacy-Outback.pdf

Edited June 11, 2019 by SBT
Updated PDF with additional info.

Thanks! I appreciate you fixing my Runglish too, I went ahead and reworded a few things myself :-).

 

One downside of PDF is, picture quality does seem suffer a good bit.

I actually limit pixel density when I PDF. It can make doc to big to host.

 

 

 

One of the reasons i put the link in the PDF.

Hi, i just changed one of my control arms using the guide given. It is very detailed. I think just the torque spec of the knuckle bolt was missing.

 

Aside from that I do have one question: do you recommend to perform an alignment after changing LCAs? I have not touched the tie rod or the struts. I also changed my sway bar links.

 

Thanks in advance.

Hi, i just changed one of my control arms using the guide given. It is very detailed. I think just the torque spec of the knuckle bolt was missing.

 

Aside from that I do have one question: do you recommend to perform an alignment after changing LCAs? I have not touched the tie rod or the struts. I also changed my sway bar links.

 

Thanks in advance.

 

Clarified and bolted the ball joint castle nut torque specs.

 

If you are coming from stock bushings, you probably don't need to. But if your bushings were pretty damaged and you've had it aligned like that, putting new straight bushings will reset the toe/camber back to normal so you'll want to get it realigned.

Updated the PDF and reattached it.

Clarified and bolted the ball joint castle nut torque specs.

 

If you are coming from stock bushings, you probably don't need to. But if your bushings were pretty damaged and you've had it aligned like that, putting new straight bushings will reset the toe/camber back to normal so you'll want to get it realigned.

 

Hi,

 

Yea I have not done any mods. Just replaced the whole LCA since it was a cheaper option OEM equivalent arm. I had the alignment done about a year ago after I hit a pothole that apparently threw of the steering rod alignment off. I had it done at my local Subaru dealer. They are quite respectable. They didn't mentions any thing else wrong at time. So I assume the the bushings were in good order. from that I assume the alignment should be good too. I'll check it out once I finish the passenger side this weekend. I had a little booboo while removing the balljoint. I disconnected my inner cv joint so I gotta re install that too before installing the LCA.

 

About the torque spec. I believe the castle nut spec is incorrect, but the spec for the knuckle bolt that would pinch the balljoint in the knuckle was missing. I found a service manual yesterday that had the spec listed as 36.9 ft.lb for knuckle and 28.8 ft.lb for the castle nut. I have attached the pdf for it.

5. Front Ball Joint.pdf

Hi,

 

Yea I have not done any mods. Just replaced the whole LCA since it was a cheaper option OEM equivalent arm. I had the alignment done about a year ago after I hit a pothole that apparently threw of the steering rod alignment off. I had it done at my local Subaru dealer. They are quite respectable. They didn't mentions any thing else wrong at time. So I assume the the bushings were in good order. from that I assume the alignment should be good too. I'll check it out once I finish the passenger side this weekend. I had a little booboo while removing the balljoint. I disconnected my inner cv joint so I gotta re install that too before installing the LCA.

 

If you have newer tires I would get an alignment just in case, if they are more then half gone, then just drive it as is and see if you get odd wear (bald inside or outside).

 

 

About the torque spec. I believe the castle nut spec is incorrect, but the spec for the knuckle bolt that would pinch the balljoint in the knuckle was missing. I found a service manual yesterday that had the spec listed as 36.9 ft.lb for knuckle and 28.8 ft.lb for the castle nut. I have attached the pdf for it.

 

Yup you are correct, I got those two mixed up, just updated it, good eye

Thank you for the detailed description on how to remove control arm bushings. I only have 79k on my 2012 Legacy but feel like that something like the bushings are needed to be replaced because when I am driving on a smooth roads everything is fine but once its uneven or bad road it feels like the front and rear suspension is shot. I don't have have a press like you show in your pictures is is hard to insert the bushing into the control arms?

Friend of mine works at Subaru and he said one of the techs built a handheld bushing press to do these on car. Should be no different then the way most Poly bushings tell you to remove/install bushings, just much bigger heh.

Would a regular C-clamp be sufficient enough to push the bushings into the control arm or something like this.

Would a regular C-clamp be sufficient enough to push the bushings into the control arm or something like this.

 

Hi there, i would take of the wheels on both sides off first then inspect the bushings to see if they are actually bad or another part of the suspension is gone bad or heading there.

 

Mine had the driver side bushing gone almost completely and the passenger side was headed there. So i just replaced the whole control arm for both sides as it was cheaper. New LCA was like $100 for both sides while if i got new bushings and balljoints it would well over $200 and then all the labour to remove amd install the bushings. My driver side bushing inner metal piece had separated from the rubber part giving me whole of grief removing it.

 

I will upload pictures this weekend for you to see.

 

If you still want to remove bushings, you have got few options already lying in your garage. Hydraulic jack, you car jack, and bottle jack to name a few. All you need to make press type setup and let jacks do work for you. You can use a socket on one side the size of the bushings, slightly smaller than the LCA hole and a piece of wood with hole larger than the bushing but just about the size of the LCA hole. Use a whole of WD40, liquid wrench or whatever penetrant you like.

 

Hope this helps.

Would a regular C-clamp be sufficient enough to push the bushings into the control arm or something like this.

 

The BM arm, where the bushing sits, is 34mm tall plus add probably another 10-15mm for the bushing center. Then to install the new bushings, if you go with the flat SuperPro's you'll need about 68mm clearance. If the C-Clamp can fit that tall it might just work .

 

@Mohammad, I agree, a lot of times it's better to replace the whole part (if you don't have the tools or have to pay someone), especially since you can get a whole OEM arm for little over $100 (this really surprised me, I was expecting double that).

 

With that said, original design bushings absolutely ruin the handling dynamics of these cars (even the previous body style too). But, if OEM handling is sufficient, OEM bushings are about $10-20 per bushing too.

The BM arm, where the bushing sits, is 34mm tall plus add probably another 10-15mm for the bushing center. Then to install the new bushings, if you go with the flat SuperPro's you'll need about 68mm clearance. If the C-Clamp can fit that tall it might just work .

 

@Mohammad, I agree, a lot of times it's better to replace the whole part (if you don't have the tools or have to pay someone), especially since you can get a whole OEM arm for little over $100 (this really surprised me, I was expecting double that).

 

With that said, original design bushings absolutely ruin the handling dynamics of these cars (even the previous body style too). But, if OEM handling is sufficient, OEM bushings are about $10-20 per bushing too.

 

Hi there,

 

I actually got my arms from rockauto for less than $50 each. They ar oem equivalent aftermarkets. With shipping to Canada i paid just a little pver $100 for both arms.

 

Local autoparts were charging a little over $100 for oem equivalent arms. Bushings were about $20 each rears and $15 for the fronts. Crap quality ball joints were $35. So for me it was a way better deal to for the full arm instead of components.

I would definitely pay the 2x price for OEM in this case, especially since it's only $50 more, OEM ones seem to come with ball joints too. OEM metal is generally better, ball joints are far superior, and same goes for OEM style bushings.

 

Also I got my OEM ball joints for $30ish each online. But now seeing that arms are only $70 more maybe I should have just replaced it all (I still have whiteline bushings in my BM arms).

Great write up! I do have an issue I am trying to resolve and was hoping I could get some feedback.

 

I replaced the entire control arm on my passenger side and had an issue getting the long bolt pulled out on the "hockey puck" style bushing. In our save myself some time, I just cut the bolt out. As I started to pull the entire arm out, what seemed to be a half piece of washer can out with it. Any ideas for the best way to repair it?

 

I am about to get an alignment but started hearing a clunking noise again from the passenger side. After looking at your photos again, I am concerned that where the bottom of the busing sits is not level (where you installed the washer) because part of the surface popped off right where there seems to be a slice down the center. I have to look at it again but I believe this is the cause of my noise. Any thoughts on a repair?

 

http://legacygt.com/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=260614&stc=1&d=1515648549

Edited September 24, 2019 by bmorgan1215
image issue

I'm not sure I'm following on how the damage actually looks. But perhaps adding a couple washers will be required for your repair?

After months of having new arms and bushings sitting in the garage and chasing down shops with a hydraulic press, I finally installed mines. Thank goodness for the socket trick to separate the ballpoint from the knuckle.

CR - Where did you source your SP Bushes? Decent prices, v-a-v the OEM versions? Getting ready to add Bilsteins, and springs, so figured as long as I'm in there, I'd just replace what I know are aging, compromised bushes.

CR - Where did you source your SP Bushes? Decent prices, v-a-v the OEM versions? Getting ready to add Bilsteins, and springs, so figured as long as I'm in there, I'd just replace what I know are aging, compromised bushes.

 

I got mine by reaching to Geoff at Cygnus Performance directly, here's my forum post with that details from 2018.

 

At the time the bushings were too new to be on his website, but now they are posted, for the same $110/set price:

 

Stock Caster: SPF4863K

Caster adding: SPF4865K

 

 

OEM bushings are ~$20/each so twice the cost of the BL/BP ones, and would fail again in no time, for that reason I went with the Superpro's.

I'm currently in the process of doing my lower control arm. I was wondering if you have any insight on how to remove the rear bolt(19mm) from it's housing? The bolt appears either bent slightly or seized in the bushing.

Heat bp blaster and a Breaker bar plus pipe. I'd advise to hold out until you get a replacement factory/ oem bolt