Lower arm #2 bushing??? help!

[italianjeremy]

ok, so i replaced the sway bar bushing and still had the noise that sounds like knocking from the rear.

i jacked the 1994 camry up and i grabbed the rear left wheel and notcied there was play in it from side to side.

i then took off the wheel and grabbed the drum and noticed the nut at the far right of the control arm # 2 has some play where the rubber bushing is(see pics) . now this isnt the control arm, thats in the shape of a L or J . this is where the lower arm #2 comes from the middle of the gas tank and shoots out towards behind the drum and is in plae by a HUGE bolt that runs parallel with the length of the car and also goes through the lower arm # 1 first.

anyways, this 3/4" nut is a bear to get off. but ill use air tools soon.
i was curious if they sell the rubber bushing stuff that goes on each side of the lower arm #2 on the bolt that connects it?

i saw that bushing repair kit ( http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/87-91...spagenameZWD1V )
but i dont think thatll work right?

again, if i grab the wheel drum and move it side to side, i can see there is play to the left and to the right of where the lower arm # 2 attaches to that huge bolt(by rubber bushing) . i know this is whats making the noise.

thanks guys!!!


REAR LEFT drivers side photos

[italianjeremy]

Check Out The Pic Links Above. Just Took Them.

[Mike Gerber]

I had the same problem on my 94. I had to replace that whole unit. Toyota calls it the "rear lateral control rod." It ran about $140 at the dealership. I don't know of anyone that makes this part in the aftermarket. You will also have to realign the car when you are done. The bushing repair kit you show is for a generation 2 Camry. I don't think it will fit a generation 3 and even if it did you will need a hydraulic press to press out the old bushing and press the new one in. It's probably easier to just bite the bullet and get the new part from Toyota.

PS:use lots of a good penetrating oil on that nut. You don't want to break that bolt and/or nut. I'm sure that would be a special order part from Toyota that would have your car out of service for a while.

Mike

[JOET/CAMRY]

The bushing repair kit you show is for a generation 2 Camry. I don't think it will fit a generation 3 and even if it did you will need a hydraulic press to press out the old bushing and press the new one in.

This bushing repair kit is for a 2nd generation Camry. (it might even fit a 1st. generation Camry too. I think the lower control arms are similar)

This bushing rebuild kit is meant for a lower control arm rebuild only!

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/87-91...spagenameZWD1V

I rebuilt the lower control arms of my 1989 Camry awile back. I did not have to have the old bushings pressed out or new ones pressed in. again, that was for the lower control arms.

this is a post of mine describing the lower control arm rebuild ..................

http://www.automotiveforums.com/vbul...t=JOET%2FCAMRY

Regards,
JOET/CAMRY

[italianjeremy]

so rear lateral control rod eh? hmmmmm . one would think i can just replace the bushings and not the entire rod which is fine itself. ill do some more research and see what happens. i hope i dont have to replace the entire rod .

[italianjeremy]

also, im assuming that when you can grab the drum and just turn it about a 1/4" each way from play that this would be the reason, right? i looked the part up on the gen 3 parts list pdf file in the knowledgbase here, and on page 20 it says its number 16 , inner rear control rod. its says with or without abs. i think mine has it, its a 1994 le. anyways, 48740-33020 part # and for 106$ . can someone verify this is the part on the left side of the car(driver side rear tire) .

finally, in the service manual, it seems that these can be adjusted? the rods i mean. maybe i can make the arm longer to make it more tight. according to manual, it can be done to adjust TOE-IN...whatever the heck that is .

[italianjeremy]

theres the old theory, K.I.S.S. (keep it simple stupid) , so just to cover all bases......

the guy i got the car from just had his buddy replace the rear struts.... IF you need to remove the lower arm that inm talking about to replace the struts, is it possible that maybe he screwed up and adjusted them?

[Mike Gerber]

That is the correct part number. It is the one I replaced on the rear driver's side of my 94, although I paid considerably more for it. The description on the invoice was "ARM ASSY, RR SUSP".

No, you can not adjust the toe to compenstate for the problem. The problem is that the rubber bushing inside this rod is worn out. Adjusting the toe will throw the rear wheels out of alignment and the problem will still be there. The wheel assembly will still move side to side since the bushing is still bad and will still allow the free movement you are getting now.

These parts are not touched when replacing the struts.

The easiest way to describe "toe" would be to look at the tire while standing in front of the car. If the front center of the tire is slanted inward, then that is considered toed in. If the front center of the tire is slanted outward, than that is toed out.

Remember, after replacing this part you will still need to have the car aligned as the new rod will be in a slightly different position than the old one. If you line the old part and the new part side by side you can adjust the sleeve for the toe on the new part to get it close enough to the old part to drive to an alignment shop. Only an alignment machine can get it accurately adjusted.

Mike

[italianjeremy]

thanks mike!
i just wanted to make sure that while he did replace the struts, he didnt screw anything else up in the process that might be aiding the problem.

[italianjeremy]

found one for 35$ at a junk yard... but i think i should just buy a new one eh?

[Mike Gerber]

Originally Posted by italianjeremy

found one for 35$ at a junk yard... but i think i should just buy a new one eh?

I would (and did). If it is off the car there is no way you can tell if the bushing is any better than the one on your car's. If it's on the car, the car would have to be up in the air to tell if there is any play in it. Plus you might end up out the $35 and will have to do the job twice. I would just buy the new one and get it over with.

Mike