My passenger side lower control arm bushing is toast, and Nissan will only sell me the whole setup. I checked w/ Energy Suspension, but they only have bushings listed for 95 and up maximas. Does anyone know if they use the same suspension parts up front as the 3rd gens do?

 

I am not sure if the 95 and up bushing will work. But, my passenger side lower control arm bushing is worn and damaged. How bad is your bushing? Can you tell any difference in the way it handles? Thanks.

 

it handles like ***, and I jacked it up, and theres pretty much no bushing in there, I need a replacement

 

I just checked the Couresy Nissan page and they list the same part # that Energy Suspension gives me for 95-99, but they list it as 89-99 so I guess they are the same.

 

Are you going to try to install it yourself? I have never done anything like that before. I wonder how hard it is with just basic tools.

 

Shouldn't be too hard. I've never messed with anything with IFS before. The hardest part looks like its going to be getting the old bushing out of the LCA. Its pressed in and has a metal sleeve thats gotta be taken out. I've done this on leaf springs before and it is a Major PITA!!! I plan on hitting it w/ the reciprocating saw, chisel and BFH to get it out of there.

Might do it this weekend and throw some old Jeep bushings (that I'll have to hack up to fit) in there that I have lying around to take up some slop till the stuff gets here.

 

Ok, have fun. That might be one of my near future jobs. Hope everything pops on and off smoothly.

 

the small bushing on the front end of the control arm is NOT fun to remove... Kaleb had his nissan mechanic help him replace his, and when they did it, the had to literally burn the old one out and press the new one in. NOT an easy job.
he's worked with Energy suspension in getting some bushings for us, but has basically come to the conclusion that the OEM ones are the only way to go, due to the design of the bushings.

 

Matt, what made you come to the conclusion that OEM is the only way to go? did you take the sleeve out or just leave it in and replace the rubber part? I'm hoping this is not a mistake on Courtesy's website with the range of years, cause I just ordered the bushing and really don't want to pay the 188 for a new LCA. The local dealership told me thats the only way to get a new bushing. I'd much rather have poly ones if I can due to the oil resistance they have. If I can get access to a lathe, I'm considering buying some really big bushing and turning it down to fit and boring it out for the bolt. I'll let you guys know what I end up doing and how it turns out.

 

Shouldn't you be able to freeze the pin and heat up the bushing to slip it on or off? It sounds a little extreme to have to "burn it off". I am going to try that today with some dry ice. It looks like there is a spot on the end of the bushing pin for a puller of some type as well. I am working slightly blind as my factory service manual is on my old hard drive which crashed, and I cannot find the CD that I had it on. . .

 

Good tip, but I would hope the OP figured it out over the past DECADE

Hell, he may be on his second lower control arm bushing job by now

 

I love seeing your front wheel w/the red caliper and the blue fender wrapped around.

 

I have done the lower control arm bushings last year on my 90 SE, I recall getting the bushings on line for a 4th gen, the rear bushing needs to be modified (cut into a wedge shape), the front bushing can be replaced without having to press the sleeve once you get the old one out, the new one (4gen) dosent have a sleeve, (I burned mine out and then cut the old sleeve out with a hack saw blade and chisle. Im sure there is a write up in this procedure cause thats how I learned about it. I will look for pictures that I took and get them posted if I can find them.

 

WOW just seen that myself..... little slow this Monday. hahaha

 

This may be a record for a necropost. I made a tutorial for changing the lower control arms and bushings for the 3rd gen Maxima which should help other members.

 

i just did mine on my 91. i bought the whole lower control arm because there is 2 bushings, one of them is not sold for replacement. The price wasnt bad, $80 per control arm... also came with the ball joints and took about 30 min each to swap out.I think you can get the control arms on ebay for $35 each new

 

I saw this tool in the FSM in FA-2. Ball joint/tie rod tool. Kent-Moore J25730-A or Nissan HT72520000. What's the size of it's opening (mm)? Or is there any alternative for this one? just replaced my ball joint and I have to replace the bearing.

 

The Energy Suspension bushing pack contains both bushings and is under $40. It has bushings for both of the front control arms.

 

You can use the front bushing from a 2nd gen Max and the rear bushing from the 3 gen. I have about 5 sets in a bag in the garage from back when I was doing core exchanges on control arms w/ new bushings. I'm no longer doing it, but I have the parts still... If anybody wants some OEM bushings, I'll be glad to sell a set or two.

 

some say the balljoints are not strong enough for lowered cars.
i just remember threads about it a few months ago.

I myself have mostly used oem parts car parts for this such
and i swapped in only 1 new pass side front sleeved arm bushing using a big bench vice but dont recommend a bench vice ,something could snap and fly at ones face

oh, and i just lift the suspension by the hub to operating range
when torquing this such,leaving the car on jackstands , obv.

 

I've installed that ES front bushing kit on (2) 4th gen Maximas and I would say to try this: buy the kit and 1 or 2 lower control arms from the junk yard. So you can still drive your car if it doesn't fit correctly! Use the used LCA as guinea pigs....It's easy, I burn them off and cut the inner sleeve bushing and peel it off....The (2) cars I did performed really well after the mod!