Hello, I'm new here. Got a question. I have a 93 civic EX, auto trans, 145K. It's out of alignment and needs a suspension bushing replaced. Shop says there will be no labor charge if all they have to do is unbolt it and put a press on it. My question is will there be extensive labor (such as more bolts to remove etc) to replace the suspension bushing circled in red below? Thanks in advance.

 

Anyone?

 

Get a better pic. If I'm not mistaken, once unbolted from the body mount that arm should swing down and the old bushing can be pressed out.

 

unbolt the shock fork, steering knuckle, and sway bar. take out the two bolts at the rear and the entire control arm swings out and is free. From there you can press out the old and in with the new.

 

Do you HAVE to do that to change the bushing.

 

You have to remove the arm. Its really not that hard. PB blaster and a breaker bar maybe an impact. And you could actually replace it yourself with a correct size socket, some washers and a torch.

 

Could you please elaborate on this method?

 

after you pull the arm, you can find a socket that is close to the outer diameter of the bushing(the metal sleeve), a bolt to go through it, and some washers on the other side. then turn the bolt and hope the bushing gets pulled out.
-torch to burn out and leftover rubber.

 

I've got advice that says you don't have to remove the arm and advice that says you do have to. I'm not sure.... Has anyone attempted to do it just removing the one bolt?

 

Bump

 

Bump

 

You will have to remove the whole arm....

 

i don't see how you could do it and not remove the whole arm. even if you tried to leave the arm on there and keep the shock fork and steering knuckle attached i don't see how it would be worth it. it only takes another 5-10 min. to get the knuckle and fork off the LCA.

 

Yeah, but it can be a real PITA getting the nut back on the ball joint.

 

yes this can be true sometimes if your ball joint release tool crushes the end of the joint or smashes it to one side by slipping off the side. Regardless i don't see how he really has a choice seeing that he has to replace a bushing.

 

I wouldn't even attempt replacing the bushing without the whole arm being off of the car. Just take the control arm off yourself and take it in to a shop that has a press. It takes just a few minutes to replace the bushing if you have the right tools.
I did all the LCA bushings on both sides in about 3 hours (start to finish)

 

The shop was able to change the bushing by just unbolting and swinging the arm down. The hard part was finding the right size bushing.