Repl cing Lower ontrol Arm ushings on a 2007 Honda Accord 4CYL Disclaimer:
I have
enefited gr atly from
thers who have taken the time to post auto repair
videos/tutorials online. To try and try and r r eturn the fav the fav or, I have do umented a umented a f ew of ew of my my rec recent repairs. ent repairs. I try to try to perform the work conscientiously in accorda ce with th
Honda ser vice manual, but I am not a
professio al technician by any s retch so pl ase use thi s material t your own risk. I hop
this
informati on might ben might benefit others efit others w ho are prepa are preparing to do thi s job.
This writ e‐up describes how I re placed the three lower control ar
bushings. Usually the large
Compliance Bushing (shown below) is the first the first t t show wear, show wear, typically cra typically cracking in the ushing rubber. In extreme ases, the ru ber will ber will crac crac all the all the way through and the control rm will be will be “f loating” lead loating” lead ing to clunking noises and
drifting fee when steer ing. In the case shown
cracking (red arrow) and the bus ing really d es not nee
elow there s only very minor
to be repl ced yet (in act it just it just p passed
inspectio at a Honda dealership). However, si nce there ar e 250k miles on it, I figur d I would r place the bushi gs while I h d the d the time ( nd since nd since the bushings ar relatively in relatively inexpensive). I am sure there are different views on the subject, but I have heard some say th say th at the at the bearing should be eplaced whe eplaced when it is cracked h cracked half way alf way thro thro gh.
There are three Lower Control Lower Control Arm Arm Bushings: Compliance Bushing, Shock Absorber Bushing Absorber Bushing and Rear and Rear Bushing. Per the Per the Honda service manual, the following the following bolts and nuts and nuts should be should be replaced with replaced with new parts parts when re‐installing the lower arm lower arm (per the (per the service manual): 20, 21, 19, 18, 16.
Rear Bushing
Compliance Bushing
Shock Absorber Bushing
Lower Control Arm
#1 – Loosen the Rear Bushing bolt but leave it n place to h ld the Lower Control Ar Control Ar
in position when
the ball j ball j int is remov ed. This bol was not to bad to get out, but was much worse on the other side where I h d to d to use a t rch (MAPP) t o heat the heat the n t (red t (red arrow arrow ).
#2 – Loosen – Loosen the Compliance Bushing bolt. Sounds easy, but it but it wasn’t, wasn’t, at least at least in in my case my case (the bolt was bolt was in there for there for 250k 250k miles miles and through and through New England New England winters). winters). The bolt didn’t bolt didn’t budge budge with an impact wrench impact wrench (780 ft (780 ft ‐lb rating) or breaker or breaker bar bar with with 3’ cheater. 3’ cheater.
#3 – I – I heated the heated the top and bottom and bottom of the of the bolt using bolt using a MAPP torch. There is a metal power steering power steering line that runs that runs very close very close to the bolt. To protect To protect it, it, I wrapped it wrapped it in in a water ‐soaked rag. soaked rag.
#4 – Then – Then using a breaker bar breaker bar and and 3’ 3’ cheater cheater II was able to break the break the bolt free. bolt free. However, I was not out not out of of the woods yet!
#5 – Even – Even after the after the bolt was bolt was broken free broken free of the of the nut, the metal bushing metal bushing sleeve remained frozen frozen to the bolt. So as I twisted the bolt, the center of the bushing twisted with it. I pushed hard enough that I thought the bushing was twisted so twisted so far far that that it it could break. could break. I didn’t really didn’t really want want to to tear the bushing apart so apart so I put a pair of pair of Vise Vise Grips on the inner sleeve inner sleeve of the bushing and used and used a a crow ‐bar (yellow) bar (yellow) against the frame the frame to keep the Vise Grips from twisting. With a LOT of force of force on the end of the cheater, the bolt eventually broke free broke free (somewhat amazingly (somewhat amazingly the the Vise Grips held despite held despite all that all that torque). torque). Another possibility is possibility is to simply twist simply twist the the bolt and not and not worry worry if if the the inner part of part of the the bushing tears free. tears free. As the bolt is extracted it should force should force the inner sleeve off the bolt and the bushing is going to be replaced anyway. I just didn’t want to do that because I didn’t want to want to destroy the bushing in case I wasn’t able wasn’t able to get the get the bolt out. bolt out. Another possibility Another possibility would be to try and heat the inner bushing sleeve with a torch to get it to expand. I suspect this suspect this would work would work well well but but the the only problem problem with that approach that approach is that it that it will will likely likely set set the the bushing on fire on fire and make and make a lot of lot of stinky stinky smoke. smoke. I did also did also apply penetrating penetrating oil, and perhaps perhaps it helped it helped some. some. However, it certainly it certainly didn’t didn’t help help as much as the heat. I don’t think don’t think II could have could have gotten this bolt out bolt out without without using using heat.
#6 – Remove – Remove the bolt holding the fork the fork to to the lower control lower control arm. arm.
#7 – #7 – Remove Remove the stabilizer link stabilizer link from from the lower control lower control arm. arm. Use an Allen an Allen wrench in the end of end of the the bolt to hold the hold the stabilizer link stabilizer link bolt bolt from from turning while the nut is nut is removed.
#8 – Pull – Pull the the stabilizer link stabilizer link out out of of the the lower control lower control arm. arm.
#9 – Remove – Remove the cotter pin from pin from the lower ball lower ball joint joint nut. nut.
#10 – Loosen – Loosen the lower ball lower ball joint joint nut, nut, but don’t but don’t remove remove it completely it completely (to (to keep the knuckle and lower and lower arm arm from flying from flying around wildly around wildly when when the lower ball lower ball joint is joint is separated).
#11 – Use – Use a two‐ jaw puller to puller to separate the lower ball lower ball joint joint from from the control arm. control arm.
#12 – Remove – Remove the bolts from bolts from the Rear Bushing Rear Bushing and Compliance and Compliance Bushing.
#13 – And with And with a little struggling, out comes out comes the Lower Control Lower Control Arm! Arm!
#14 – The – The Compliance Bushing must be t be installed in the correc t orientation t orientation. Scratch so e marks in t he control a control a m (red arro (red arro s) lining up
ith the arro s on the Co pliance Bushing.
DOT goes to Outsid of Vehicl
#15 – I – I started by started by driving driving out the out the center of center of the the bushing just bushing just to to get it get it out out of of the the way. I pushed until pushed until the the bushing snapped and snapped and the the center portion portion of the of the bushing broke free. broke free.
#16 – With – With the inner portion portion of the of the bushing removed, I was able to use a flat disk flat disk (from a wheel bearing wheel bearing press kit) that fit over fit over the the outer busing outer busing sleeve to push to push the Compliance bushing out of out of the the lower control lower control arm.
#17 – #17 – To To ush out the out the hock Absor Absor er bushing er bushing I sed a sed a bearing separator ized to ized to be just be just larger larger tha tha the bearing s eeve and a and a s cket that cket that fit fit on the outer sleeve of the of the bearing.
#18 – The – The rear bushing rear bushing is perhaps is perhaps the trickiest because trickiest because it has it has a collar on collar on the sleeve that leaves that leaves very little very little room to hold the hold the lower control lower control arm arm while pushing while pushing the bearing through.
Metal Collar
The metal collar leaves very little of of the the control arm exposed to support when pushing out the bushing
#19 – I – I used a used a cold chi cold chi el and el and h ham er to r to bend u bend u the metal collar metal collar of the of the bushing on two opposite sides.
#20 – Then – Then I was able to insert a insert a bearing separator under separator under the the collar and collar and push push out the out the bushing using a socket that socket that fit on fit on the outer sleeve outer sleeve of the of the bushing.
#21 – The – The new Shock new Shock Absorber bushing Absorber bushing can be pressed be pressed in in using a socket that socket that fits fits on the outer sleeve. outer sleeve.
#22 – The – The new Rear new Rear Bushing Bushing can be pressed be pressed in in using a socket that socket that fits fits on the outer sleeve. outer sleeve. (Yeh, I know it know it is crooked – crooked – but but it it straightened straightened out! out!
#23 – To – To push push in the new Compliance new Compliance Bushing you will need will need something something that lines that lines up with the outer metal outer metal sleeve of the of the bushing but gives but gives clearance for clearance for the the inner bushing inner bushing sleeve. I used a used a 2” steel 2” steel pipe pipe end cap end cap as shown below.
#24 – Make – Make sure that the that the orientation of the of the Compliance Bushing is correct and correct and push push it in. it in.
Arrows line up with your Dot to outside
orientation
of vehicle of vehicle
marks.
#25 – Push – Push the bushing in until there until there is an equal amount equal amount of of the the bushing sleeve exposed on exposed on either side. either side.
#26 – Now – Now the the Lower Control Lower Control Arm Arm with new bushings new bushings is ready to ready to be reinstalled!
I coated the coated the inside sleeves of the of the bushings with anti ‐seize.
#27 – #27 – Reinstall Reinstall the the Lower Control Lower Control Arm Arm and loosely and loosely install install all all fasteners fasteners (Compliance Bushing bolt, Rear Bushing bolt, Shock Absorber bolt, Absorber bolt, Stabilizer Link Stabilizer Link nut nut and and Lower Lower Ball Ball Joint Nut). Joint Nut). Then, before torquing down the fasteners, the fasteners, raise the lower control lower control arm arm so that it that it supports supports the vehicle’s weight.
#28 – Tighten – Tighten all the all the fasteners fasteners down to spec. Torque the Compliance Bushing bolt to 61 ft 61 ft ‐lbs.
Torque the Lower Ball Lower Ball Joint nut Joint nut to to 58 ft 58 ft ‐lbs.
Torque the fork the fork bolt bolt to to 47 ft ft ‐lbs.
Torque the Rear Bushing Rear Bushing bolt to bolt to 47 ft ft ‐lbs.
#29 – Install – Install a a new cotter new cotter pin pin on the Lower Ball Lower Ball Joint nut. Joint nut.
Hope you found you found this this helpful! John C.
