Front lower control arm bushes worn? Video

Did you replace the rear bushings as well? Was it done under warranty? If not, what was the cost?

jjvd21 said:

Did you replace the rear bushings as well? Was it done under warranty? If not, what was the cost?

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Mine was only the front. My rear ones are fine still so they would not do them yet.

It is labor intesive to just replace the bushings took about 5 hours for them to do the front. If you are paying for it just replace the entire control arm. It comes with the bushings in place and is cheaper from what I hear.

Under warranty they had to just do the bushings because they told me there was a TSB for it.

I just got my front re-worked too. Passenger side got new bushings and ball joints. Driver side got a new control arm because the old one was too shot to retain the bushing. This seemed to cure the knock and the steering feels tighter.

However I took it on the trail today and it was rocky. The knock has been significantly dampened, but you can still feel (but not hear) a similar sensation when taking the LR3 over rocks. ...but this is what I remember from when it was new, too.

I'm happy with the repair but hope that these bushings wear better. If I have to replace them again I hope it's within 100k (at 66.5k now) so that it will be covered under extended warranty like this repair was. ...and I hope when that happens the material the bushings are made of is a bit stronger!

Alright, as stated I have been given and '08 SE loaner with 4,500 miles on the odometer while mine is being worked on by the dealer. Below are comparison videos of the rear 2 bushings on the control arm, the top rear bush, and the top front bush. This loaner looks and drives like it's been through hell, I can only guess it's been off roaded in the dealer events. I'd also like to point out that the original reason of this whole thread was the front end knock which is caused by the rear bush on the front lower control arms. Well, this '08 with 4,500 miles has worn control arm bushes as well, albeit not as bad as mine. But if you shock stop you can hear and feel a slight clunk.

By watching the videos I was suprised to see that there is not that big of a difference in the rear bush movement between and '05 and an '08. I guess this video comparison shows that the rear bushes are designed to move and flex quite a bit from the factory. I wonder what the tolerance is for movement since in my opinion in both videos below they move quite a bit.

Rear control arms 2005:
YouTube - 2005 Right Rear top and bottom control arm bushes

Rear control arms 2008:
YouTube - 2008 Right Rear top and bottom control arm bushes

Rear control arm top bush 2005:
YouTube - 2005 Right Rear top control arm bush

Rear control arm top bush 2008:
YouTube - 2008 Right Rear top control arm bush

Front upper control arm bush 2005:
YouTube - 2005 Right Front upper control arm bush

Front upper control arm bush 2008:
YouTube - 2008 Right Front upper control arm bush

Final update: got the D3 back from the dealer this morning. New front lower control arms with bushings installed. Drives much tighter and less movement. Knock during quick braking has been reduced by 90% (from videos in first post in this thread). I'm pleased with the result.

3006 LR3 front end noise

I have been to several dealers in the area and both have told me that the noise i am hearing is attributed to the lower control are bushings are worn.

Not that I don't trust the dealers but - I don't. I just got my vehicle back after a full front and rear break job - during the same service they fixed a bushing in the steering column (TSB) - now I have a poping in my steering column when I turn and the dealer says that the TSB was performedc correctly and that it must be something else wearing out in my steering column. Are there not any good dealers out there anymore.

Getting back to the noise in the front end - everyone states that it is the control arm (lower) bushings, I guess I have no option but to replace them. By the way, both local dealers (service shops) have told me that the cost to replace the bushings is the same cost as replacing the control arm which comes with new bushings. Seems that the cost is labor and the dealer wants ~$1,200.00 to replace both front arms.

Has anyone else had any experience with this problem?

That sounds high to me. I believe my dealer quoted me $800, but I had them replaced under warranty. May be possible to buy the arms from an LR dealer and have them put on by an independant that would charge less. You would then have to get an alignment done by the dealer. Maybe that's a way to save a few bucks. I recommend installing the new arms vs. putting in new bushes, as the new arms have the uprated / upgraded ball joints attached.

Take it back to the dealer and ask to have either the shop foreman or service manager ride with you.

i've been reading through a bunch of the threads regarding LR3 suspension noises and crappy bushings. that sounds like my issue. has anyone tried "polybush"? i've seen several references to this on here and other forums. i am looking at forking over the $450 for the entire polybush kit and having an indy shop put them on. they were thinking 8 hours of labor at $90 to install all of the bushings, so i am looking at roughly $1200-$1300. any thoughts on these would be appreciated!

http://www.roverparts.com/Parts/9746.cfm

Jantiz (aka Luis) on the lrr forum got them put on and he is stoked about them. I'm planning on doing them too when mine wear out. You'll never have to think about bushings again after this!