Can I alighn my front end with bad control arm bushings? How can I definitively find out if the bushings are bad?

Steve

 

Where did you get the idea that your bushings were bad? Mechanic..or from yourself noticing? I know that if you have worn out parts in the front end more than likely they will tell you they need to replace them for some $$$ before they will even try to align it. This happened on my old beater car but it was in pretty bad shape. You would be probably be better off to just replace the bushings because even if they do align it and they are shot the alignment won't do ya much good.

 

Torn bushings are a typical indication that they are shot.

 

Well this is kind of long but here goes:

Lately I've noticed that both inside beads of my tires are wearing faster than the rest of the tire. (Negative toe right now.) A buddy a while back looked and from looking alone tells me all 4 ball joints are bad as are all 8 control arm bushings.

I think he's full of it concerning the control arm bushings...how do I tell? Will there be shards of it coming out?

Just today I jacked up the front end and tried to move the front tires in and out. The drivers side does not. The passengers side front does, but it's not the ball joints as I could watch the brake rotor tilt but the main housing (wrong name but it's what the ball joints both attach to and the axle goes through) does not. So Im left thinking bearings (?) are bad or loose in the right front. The tire will tilt but not move out, away from the vehicle.

btw - both lower ball joint's boots are ripped.

thoughts?

 

Sounds like your wheel bearings are just loose on that side. Might be an idler arm issue. I know my passenger side had alot of movement prior to replacing mine.

 

How am I supposed to see if they are torn? What does a torn one look like? I am a noob concerning my truck, though I am trying to learn...

 

Thanks for the quick reply. I just replaced the whole idler arm assembly about 5 months ago....

If my wheel bearings are loose, how hard of a job is that to retighten them? (Can one retighten them?)

 

to the top!

What do blown control arm bushings look like??

I will be tightening up my bearings, but guys this kind of wear can't be from just that....

 

jack the front end up under the A arm to load the spring grab the tire at 12:00 and 6:00 and try to move it in and out if it moves look at both ends of the A arm if the A arm is moving at the frame you have bad bushing if it moves at the wheel it loose or worn bearings. Grab the tire at 3:00 and 9:00 and move it left and right easy and look at all the steering parts for play replace whats loose

 

This is where you need the BIG SOCKET (2 1/8" or 54mm) to tighten the hub nut under your ADD plates.

 

I have a stupid question - What's an "a-arm?" Is it the lower control arm?

Sweeeeeeeeet!! I get to buy another tool!

 

the upper and lower control arms are "a-arms" (slangterm)

 

Thanks guys! This board rocks!