DIY - Lower Control Arm Bushing Replacement - Translink
Thread Starter
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 11,204
Likes: 32
From: San Antonio/I miss DFW, TX
Just changed mine out. Bought totally new arms. I got a smoking deal on them so thats why I did it. The other bushing that mounts to the strut was beat down pretty hard also. I also changed all my shocks at the same time too. The car feels stable on the road again, no more scary wobbling at high speeds. Just as stable as a rock like when it was new!!
share plz where you got the arms for others??
-J
Got them from a Semi-Local dealer. I actually had 2 sets! It was a back door special and I would rather not expose the dealer.
The first set I got was for a G35 Sedan. I thought that the control arms were the same but there actually not. Where the ball joint goes into Control arm is smaller on the G35 Sedan. The nut will not go on far enough and you wont be able to get the cotter pin in. I'm not sure about G35 Coupes.
Got some Z arms and just bolted them right up. While I had the car in the air I dropped out the struts also and threw in some new ones. Mine have 98,500 on them lol!
The first set I got was for a G35 Sedan. I thought that the control arms were the same but there actually not. Where the ball joint goes into Control arm is smaller on the G35 Sedan. The nut will not go on far enough and you wont be able to get the cotter pin in. I'm not sure about G35 Coupes.
Got some Z arms and just bolted them right up. While I had the car in the air I dropped out the struts also and threw in some new ones. Mine have 98,500 on them lol!
Last edited by twitch579; Feb 8, 2010 at 03:29 AM.
Thread Starter
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 11,204
Likes: 32
From: San Antonio/I miss DFW, TX
^^ cool...........essentially the same thing will happen down the road again if you keep your z long enough........since you got the new arms and they are just oem bushings in it again.
at least now you have a spare set that you can prep with whiteline bushings with no down time next time it happens......
maybe you can sell them cheap to someone wanting to do the install too......???
-J
at least now you have a spare set that you can prep with whiteline bushings with no down time next time it happens......
maybe you can sell them cheap to someone wanting to do the install too......???
-J
Thread Starter
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 11,204
Likes: 32
From: San Antonio/I miss DFW, TX
it never ends huh.....
-J
Thread Starter
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 11,204
Likes: 32
From: San Antonio/I miss DFW, TX
well its up to you, you have to size the job and evaluate your capabilities...
You can save yourself a lot of money if you remove the translink yourself and simply take the translink and the new bushing to a shop and JUST have them remove the old and install the new bushing....
come back home and reinstall it?
I know many people dont OWN a press, nor are willing to buy one just to do "this" job...
-J
Last edited by JasonZ-YA; May 5, 2010 at 06:40 PM.
That being said, we have a tool that we have just made which will make it a total DIY for the home mechanic. It's not that cheap but it is less expensive, and a helluva lot more convenient than the labor will be at a shop to do this job. Plus you won't be at the mercy of a shop to do it for you on your day off or a weekend, when you should be out using the car. We'll be posting info on our blog in the next day or 2 and linking it in our Whiteline classified ad in the Vendor - Suspension section.
Last edited by Z1 Performance; May 6, 2010 at 03:33 AM.
Thread Starter
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 11,204
Likes: 32
From: San Antonio/I miss DFW, TX
There really is nothing complicated about it at all - it simply comes down to having a little bit of mechanical know-how and the right tools for the job.
That being said, we have a tool that we have just made which will make it a total DIY for the home mechanic. It's not that cheap but it is less expensive, and a helluva lot more convenient than the labor will be at a shop to do this job. Plus you won't be at the mercy of a shop to do it for you on your day off or a weekend, when you should be out using the car. We'll be posting info on our blog in the next day or 2 and linking it in our Whiteline classified ad in the Vendor - Suspension section.
That being said, we have a tool that we have just made which will make it a total DIY for the home mechanic. It's not that cheap but it is less expensive, and a helluva lot more convenient than the labor will be at a shop to do this job. Plus you won't be at the mercy of a shop to do it for you on your day off or a weekend, when you should be out using the car. We'll be posting info on our blog in the next day or 2 and linking it in our Whiteline classified ad in the Vendor - Suspension section.
-J
Thread Starter
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 11,204
Likes: 32
From: San Antonio/I miss DFW, TX
-J
k so once everything was finished i noticed that my steering wheel was angled to the left a bit. im guessing it means i def need that alignment? the car had an alignment done about 2500 miles ago so it was probably done with the bad bushing... thanks again for your help man
Thread Starter
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 11,204
Likes: 32
From: San Antonio/I miss DFW, TX
k so once everything was finished i noticed that my steering wheel was angled to the left a bit. im guessing it means i def need that alignment? the car had an alignment done about 2500 miles ago so it was probably done with the bad bushing... thanks again for your help man
I would recommend going to a chain store like NTB or Firestone and getting there 5 year alignment, etc............the Z needs it often...
-J
Registered User
Joined: Sep 2008
Posts: 11
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From: USA
Got them from a Semi-Local dealer. I actually had 2 sets! It was a back door special and I would rather not expose the dealer.
The first set I got was for a G35 Sedan. I thought that the control arm kit were the same but there actually not. Where the ball joint goes into Control arm is smaller on the G35 Sedan. The nut will not go on far enough and you wont be able to get the cotter pin in. I'm not sure about G35 Coupes.
Got some Z arms and just bolted them right up. While I had the car in the air I dropped out the struts also and threw in some new ones. Mine have 98,500 on them lol!
The first set I got was for a G35 Sedan. I thought that the control arm kit were the same but there actually not. Where the ball joint goes into Control arm is smaller on the G35 Sedan. The nut will not go on far enough and you wont be able to get the cotter pin in. I'm not sure about G35 Coupes.
Got some Z arms and just bolted them right up. While I had the car in the air I dropped out the struts also and threw in some new ones. Mine have 98,500 on them lol!
Last edited by kurtdaniel; Aug 16, 2010 at 10:42 AM.
There really is nothing complicated about it at all - it simply comes down to having a little bit of mechanical know-how and the right tools for the job.
That being said, we have a tool that we have just made which will make it a total DIY for the home mechanic. It's not that cheap but it is less expensive, and a helluva lot more convenient than the labor will be at a shop to do this job. Plus you won't be at the mercy of a shop to do it for you on your day off or a weekend, when you should be out using the car. We'll be posting info on our blog in the next day or 2 and linking it in our Whiteline classified ad in the Vendor - Suspension section.
That being said, we have a tool that we have just made which will make it a total DIY for the home mechanic. It's not that cheap but it is less expensive, and a helluva lot more convenient than the labor will be at a shop to do this job. Plus you won't be at the mercy of a shop to do it for you on your day off or a weekend, when you should be out using the car. We'll be posting info on our blog in the next day or 2 and linking it in our Whiteline classified ad in the Vendor - Suspension section.
thanks,
-C
Thread Starter
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 11,204
Likes: 32
From: San Antonio/I miss DFW, TX
^ I have one that i ship out.......you just gotta please be decently quick about shipping it back as others pm me for it here and there??
-J
-J
Last edited by JasonZ-YA; Oct 15, 2010 at 04:02 AM.
Does the ball joint slide out from the transverse link (aka lower control arm) easily on our cars???
In the past, removing the arm was a pita because the ball joint had to be hammered or pryed out which damages the ball joint and the boot.
My bushings are fine, but I don't want to risk damaging my ball joints yet just to swap out bushings.
In the past, removing the arm was a pita because the ball joint had to be hammered or pryed out which damages the ball joint and the boot.
My bushings are fine, but I don't want to risk damaging my ball joints yet just to swap out bushings.
Last edited by tyau; Jan 20, 2011 at 10:19 AM.
Thread Starter
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 11,204
Likes: 32
From: San Antonio/I miss DFW, TX
^ yep, easy, Ive never had one stuck...if anything a light tap with a rubber hammer and off it comes......with as many as i have done, i would be surprised if one was stuck..
-J
-J