Note: The contents of this write-up may no longer reflect the currently offered configuration from Teraflex. Your control arms may or may not be of the design shown in this write-up.
As most of you know, the Teraflex control arm bushings wear out easily, and you have to replace them frequently. Here is the problem that I have, and have seen on other Jeepers rigs. The lip of the bushing starts to crack, thus letting the pin to slide out.
After paying $4.00 a piece for the bushings through Teraflex, and needing 16 bushings to do just the 4 lower control arms, someone suggested poly bushings. Well, Daystar makes poly everything right? A club member works for Daystar, so I contacted him and asked if he had anything similar. He asked me to mail him a Tera bushing and he would match it up to some of his bushings. I mailed him the package on Friday, and got a call from him on Monday, saying that he had 2 different bushings that could work. He sent me 4 of each different bushing to try out in each arm.
Here are the different bushings, the Teraflex bushing is in the middle.
As you can see, the lip of the smallest bushing is smaller than the Teraflex one. The biggest bushing has the same size lip.
To replace the bushings in the lower control arms, remove one control arm at a time. You will need a 21mm socket and a 21mm open end wrench for the bolts. You must take out the axle end first, then slide it out of the frame mount. After you have the arm set on the ground (or work bench), use a deep dish socket that is just smaller than the center pin (if the pin is not already falling out). After tapping it out, use a pair of pliers to remove the bushing.
After removing both bushings, set your new bushing in one side and tap it in with a mallet. Turn the arm over, insert the center pin tapping again with the mallet, then set the other bushing over the pin, and tap it in with the mallet. Very easy to do!
Here is the finished product.
The upper photo has the smaller bushings in it (and also the mount is a little bent), and the lower photo has the larger bushing it it. Since it has only been a few days since I put them in, I will report back in a month or so to let you know how they are holding up.
Here are the dimensions for the Daystar bushings:
Part number M02240-BK-01 Larger Bushing
0.995/ 1.210/ 1.510 /1.880
Part Number M03280-BK-01 Smaller Bushing
1.000/ 0.875 / 1.500
UPDATE:
It has been several months, and the Daystar bushings are working great! I dropped the arms to take a look, and they looked brand new! My last set of Teraflex bushings only lasted a few months, so I am very satisfied with the poly bushings. Dan at Daystar has made a kit for the bushings. The kit contains 8 M03280-BK’s, the smaller of the 2 bushings that I tested.
Kit part number is KJ02038, any of your local Daystar dealers should be able to order this kit from Daystar for you! Or contact Goferit Offroad and they can have the kit drop shipped to your door!