Can I replace front control arm "lollipops" without removing/replacing control arms?

[Sliderisk]

Perhaps this is a newb question but I am not sure how to approach my worn control arm bushings. My symptom is a slight vibration and on-center wobble in the steering wheel at speeds around 50-70 mph. I have checked the front control arms for play and it appears that all ball joints and end links are tight, the "lollipop" bushings are cracked and very loose however. I can see that the bushing is pressed on but it appears to be replaceable. From what I've seen on used control arms for sale the lollipops are occasionally included but not always. From the new parts side I see that you can order just the bushing but it seems like control arms usually come with them if you order them new.

So what's the deal r3v? Should I just do the whole control arm for about the same price and labor as replacing the lollipop? Or am I missing somthing?

[ThatOneEuroE30]

I'm in the same boat I need new control arm bushings but I don't get the point of the lollipops if you can just press in a new bushing.

[Mr. Tasty]

you can buy just the bushing, that is how most come.

[jalopi]

You're gonna need a press to get the old bushing out of the loli. Might need a press to get the arm out of the bushing, though I'm sure it can be done without with a little ingenuity.

[e30_302]

Might need a press to get the arm out of the bushing, though I'm sure it can be done without with a little ingenuity.

A sawzall works well, of course you'll need a new bushing housing after that.

[jalopi]

Lol. Git-r-done certified

[superleggera]

You're gonna need a press to get the old bushing out of the loli. Might need a press to get the arm out of the bushing, though I'm sure it can be done without with a little ingenuity.

I used a hacksaw to cut the bushing so i could separate the lollipop from the control arm. Also used the hacksaw and chisel to cut the metal bushing out of the lollipop (garagistic has a good writeup on this). Then used a 3 jaw puller from autozone to pull whatever was left of the bushing off of the arm. Wasn't too bad but then again the control arms were off the car in a vice.

[Northern]

I replaced mine with aftermarket poly offset bushings.

Cut the old bushing off, used a die grinder and cutoff wheel to cut the sleeve on the control arm in half and slid the new bushing/lolli on with dish soap.

Quick and dirty

[AndrewBird]

This video is for replacing the control arm, but it does show how to do the CABs without removing the control arm.

[Madhatter]

Just use a puller to remove them straight from the arm. Doesn't matter if it tears the bush out, you can use the puller again to remove the remains.

If you don't buy the complete control arm bush with bracket and just want to buy the bushes to fit yourself, If you get yourself some thick wall exhaust pipe larger than the bushing, you can use the new bush to drive the old bush out of the "lollipop" with a bench vice. Don't need a press for them as they usually only take a few tonnes of force to pop them out (something a good vice can achieve). Simple case of stacking the exhaust pipe behind the old bush, placing the new bush over the other side of the old one, then using a piece of timber or a bit of flat steel plate to avoid damaging the new bush, you can place the whole lot in a vice and tighten it up. The new bush will push the old bush clear out and into the exhaust pipe on the other side. Kind of a bit fiddly until you get it mounted in the vice, but it's a cheap way of replacing them if you don't have a press.

Fitting them on the control arm is easy as long as you use something like dish washing liquid, no permanent lubes and nothing that isn't rubber safe. Perfectly fine to give them a few taps with a rubber mallet to get them up and over the end of the control arm, but you can usually push them on if you are strong enough. Once you have the bush slid over the end, you can twist it side to side around the nose of the control arm to work it's way up into place.

[AwakenNoMore]

Threaded rod from Home deport and some nuts/washers, a socket and a cheap steering wheel puller=makeshift press for a few bucks. Bought new control arm bushings already mounted in lollipops. Easy as pie.

[McGyver]

once you press the bushings into the lolipops (i've broken a bench vice before...), then lube the shit outta the hole and the spindle on the control arm using sylglide or something similar that won't destroy the rubber.

...or, get poly bushings that last forever and are super easy to slide on/off. the choice is yours.

[Madhatter]

Dish washing liquid works perfectly fine. You can use a soft rubber mallet to give you a hand bashing them on. Once you have them lined up, as soon as you get them started they slide on pretty easily by hand.

Threaded rod from Home deport and some nuts/washers, a socket and a cheap steering wheel puller=makeshift press for a few bucks. Bought new control arm bushings already mounted in lollipops. Easy as pie.

A cheap 2 jaw puller is all you need. It's probably cheaper than buying a steering wheel puller and threaded rod. Certainly more compact when in place under the car.

[AndrewBird]

His tool was for installing the bushing onto the control arm, not taking it off. Also, using a 2-jaw like that will tear the bushing and leave you with the inner sleeve still on the control arm.

[Madhatter]

Not always. But if it does, you use the same tool again and pull the remaining bit off.