# Lower control arm bushing replacement versus lower control arm replacement **URL:** \ **Category:** Maintenance/Repairs\ **Tags:** suspension, nissan, altima\ **Created:** [May 11, 2023, 9:55pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/lower-control-arm-bushing-replacement-versus-lower-control-arm-replacement/190557 "2023-05-11T21:55:38Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![SpudMuffin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ce73a5/32.png) [@SpudMuffin](https://community.cartalk.com/u/SpudMuffin)\ **Post date:** [May 11, 2023, 9:55pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/lower-control-arm-bushing-replacement-versus-lower-control-arm-replacement/190557/1 "2023-05-11T21:55:38Z")
I have a 2008 Nissan Altima that needs a rear lower control arm bushing replaced. I see the lower control arms on that expensive so would it be easier to just get a lower control arm? Or is it simpler to just replace the bushing? ---
**Author:** ![Tester](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/tester/32/15976_2.png) [@Tester](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Tester)\ **Post date:** [May 11, 2023, 9:59pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/lower-control-arm-bushing-replacement-versus-lower-control-arm-replacement/190557/2 "2023-05-11T21:59:45Z")
The bushing may require a press to install into the control arm. Where the entire control arm can be installed. Tester ---
**Author:** ![Mustangman](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/mustangman/32/44130_2.png) [@Mustangman](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Mustangman)\ **Post date:** [May 11, 2023, 10:17pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/lower-control-arm-bushing-replacement-versus-lower-control-arm-replacement/190557/3 "2023-05-11T22:17:23Z")
Learn from my experiences… I have a 12 ton hydraulic press and other tools of destruction. Removing those bushings locked in there for 15 years would make me invent many new swear words… Just buy the control arms with bushings. ---
**Author:** ![George\_San\_Jose1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e5b9ba/32.png) [@George\_San\_Jose1](https://community.cartalk.com/u/George_San_Jose1)\ **Post date:** [May 11, 2023, 10:26pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/lower-control-arm-bushing-replacement-versus-lower-control-arm-replacement/190557/4 "2023-05-11T22:26:56Z")
If you decide to replace the arm, keep your old control arm. You can replace the bushing without feeling hurried, then you’ll have an oem spare on hand. I find I don’t swear nearly as much when I take a few months to do a repair job … lol … in fact I hold the Car Talk record here for taking longer than ever before to rebuild a carburetor 😉 ---
**Author:** ![davesmopar](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/davesmopar/32/41750_2.png) [@davesmopar](https://community.cartalk.com/u/davesmopar)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2023, 5:14am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/lower-control-arm-bushing-replacement-versus-lower-control-arm-replacement/190557/5 "2023-05-12T05:14:45Z")
Plus most of the time (as long as you don’t buy the cheap crap) you get a lifetime warranty on the control arm… Plus the new arm has both bushings and a new ball joint… win win win… ---
**Author:** ![jtsanders](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/c2a13f/32.png) [@jtsanders](https://community.cartalk.com/u/jtsanders)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2023, 2:59pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/lower-control-arm-bushing-replacement-versus-lower-control-arm-replacement/190557/6 "2023-05-12T14:59:44Z")
> [@George\_San\_Jose1](#): > > in fact I hold the Car Talk record here for taking longer than ever before to rebuild a carburetor And renew the registration for your daily driver. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Cavell](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/cavell/32/43396_2.png) [@Cavell](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Cavell)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2023, 3:12pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/lower-control-arm-bushing-replacement-versus-lower-control-arm-replacement/190557/7 "2023-05-12T15:12:37Z")
Keep old arm as spare? That’s how a hoarder starts. ---
**Author:** ![davesmopar](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/davesmopar/32/41750_2.png) [@davesmopar](https://community.cartalk.com/u/davesmopar)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2023, 5:54pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/lower-control-arm-bushing-replacement-versus-lower-control-arm-replacement/190557/8 "2023-05-12T17:54:49Z")
> [@Cavell](#): > > Keep old arm as spare? That’s how a hoarder starts. Very true, and as I stated, the new one should have a lifetime warranty on it… ---
**Author:** ![asemaster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/5f9b8f/32.png) [@asemaster](https://community.cartalk.com/u/asemaster)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2023, 6:49pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/lower-control-arm-bushing-replacement-versus-lower-control-arm-replacement/190557/9 "2023-05-12T18:49:36Z")
> [@George\_San\_Jose1](#): > > I hold the Car Talk record here for taking longer than ever before to rebuild a carburetor I think you might have worked for me once. I was sorry to have to let you go for routinely taking 3 hours to do a simple brake job! 😀 ---
**Author:** ![texases](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/texases/32/862_2.png) [@texases](https://community.cartalk.com/u/texases)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2023, 6:57pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/lower-control-arm-bushing-replacement-versus-lower-control-arm-replacement/190557/10 "2023-05-12T18:57:35Z")
Repair and hold on to that old control arm! You’ll have it 15 years from now when the replacement wears out! ---
**Author:** ![VDCdriver](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/vdcdriver/32/30_2.png) [@VDCdriver](https://community.cartalk.com/u/VDCdriver)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2023, 7:30pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/lower-control-arm-bushing-replacement-versus-lower-control-arm-replacement/190557/11 "2023-05-12T19:30:34Z")
> [@texases](#): > > Repair and hold on to that old control arm! You’ll have it 15 years from now when the replacement wears out! Absolutely! After all, this Altima would only be 30 years old at that point. 😏 ---
**Author:** ![George\_San\_Jose1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e5b9ba/32.png) [@George\_San\_Jose1](https://community.cartalk.com/u/George_San_Jose1)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2023, 10:02pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/lower-control-arm-bushing-replacement-versus-lower-control-arm-replacement/190557/12 "2023-05-12T22:02:46Z")
> [@VDCdriver](#): > > Altima would only be 30 years old at that point. That’s barely broken in … lol … Say a person didn’t want to do the repair and hold approach. Are there any other uses for an old control arm? Control arms are made of tough, flexible, vanadium steel May could be use it to weld to something that takes a bit of force, fix a broken garage door support, etc. Re-use in general saves energy and contributes to lower carbon emissions. ---
**Author:** ![TwinTurbo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/8baadc/32.png) [@TwinTurbo](https://community.cartalk.com/u/TwinTurbo)\ **Post date:** [May 13, 2023, 2:05pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/lower-control-arm-bushing-replacement-versus-lower-control-arm-replacement/190557/13 "2023-05-13T14:05:18Z")
Deleted…post… ---
**Author:** ![VDCdriver](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/vdcdriver/32/30_2.png) [@VDCdriver](https://community.cartalk.com/u/VDCdriver)\ **Post date:** [May 13, 2023, 3:25pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/lower-control-arm-bushing-replacement-versus-lower-control-arm-replacement/190557/14 "2023-05-13T15:25:17Z")
> [@George\_San\_Jose1](#): > > That’s barely broken in … and its CVT would be due for its 5th or 6th overhaul by that time. 🤔 ---
**Author:** ![George\_San\_Jose1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e5b9ba/32.png) [@George\_San\_Jose1](https://community.cartalk.com/u/George_San_Jose1)\ **Post date:** [May 13, 2023, 7:15pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/lower-control-arm-bushing-replacement-versus-lower-control-arm-replacement/190557/15 "2023-05-13T19:15:27Z")
New idea for the old control arm. OP replaces bushing, whatever else needs doing, and sells it on ebay, craigslist, etc. ---
**Author:** ![bcohen2010](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/779978/32.png) [@bcohen2010](https://community.cartalk.com/u/bcohen2010)\ **Post date:** [May 14, 2023, 12:05am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/lower-control-arm-bushing-replacement-versus-lower-control-arm-replacement/190557/16 "2023-05-14T00:05:27Z")
> [@George\_San\_Jose1](#): > > New idea for the old control arm. OP replaces bushing, whatever else needs doing, and sells it on ebay, craigslist, etc. Would you, honestly, buy a USED control arm which has been “refurbished” by some stranger, when a brand-name replacement is likely about the same cost? I would not, however if we are talking about a vehicle which is old enough that new aftermarket parts are unavailable, then, and only then, would I entertain buying used. ---
**Author:** ![TwinTurbo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/8baadc/32.png) [@TwinTurbo](https://community.cartalk.com/u/TwinTurbo)\ **Post date:** [May 14, 2023, 1:46pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/lower-control-arm-bushing-replacement-versus-lower-control-arm-replacement/190557/17 "2023-05-14T13:46:03Z")
> [@Mustangman](#): > > Learn from my experiences… I have a 12 ton hydraulic press and other tools of destruction. > > Removing those bushings locked in there for 15 years would make me invent many new swear words… > > Just buy the control arms with bushings. Sage advice! I took some precious old control arms to a professional shop so they could use their 40 ton press to R&R the bushings. I watched anxiously as the guy tried to figure out which dies would work best to support the arm during the pressing operation. The machine was nearly maxed out on one of them and he tweaked it enough it was no longer usable. Wasted time and effort. So I had one repaired arm and one damaged arm. I ended up buying two new arms… ---
**Author:** ![George\_San\_Jose1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e5b9ba/32.png) [@George\_San\_Jose1](https://community.cartalk.com/u/George_San_Jose1)\ **Post date:** [May 14, 2023, 9:53pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/lower-control-arm-bushing-replacement-versus-lower-control-arm-replacement/190557/18 "2023-05-14T21:53:10Z")
> [@bcohen2010](#): > > Would you, honestly, buy a USED control arm which has been “refurbished” by some stranger Probably not, unless like you say there was no other option. But if you’ve ever sold stuff a flea market, pretty much anything that’s offered, somebody will buy it. Among a large group of flea market browsers, even for the most bizarre item imaginable, there is almost always somebody who will buy it. It sounds from the above comment this particular item might be so difficult to refurbish by installing new bushings, it would have to be sold “as is”. Might could get a couple dollars. ---
**Author:** ![nofyfb\_180405](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/22d042/32.png) [@nofyfb\_180405](https://community.cartalk.com/u/nofyfb_180405)\ **Post date:** [May 18, 2023, 12:10am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/lower-control-arm-bushing-replacement-versus-lower-control-arm-replacement/190557/19 "2023-05-18T00:10:15Z")
It is easier to replace the control arm but they usually are very expensive so when I needed bushings, I replaced them separately. They can be pressed in in a vise, there are plenty of youtubes that show how to do it. And I would NEVER EVER install aftermarket control arms. They are cheap but junk. OEM is expensive. ---
**Author:** ![db4690](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/db4690/32/2583_2.png) [@db4690](https://community.cartalk.com/u/db4690)\ **Post date:** [May 18, 2023, 1:06am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/lower-control-arm-bushing-replacement-versus-lower-control-arm-replacement/190557/20 "2023-05-18T01:06:16Z")
> [@nofyfb\_180405](#): > > And I would NEVER EVER install aftermarket control arms. They are cheap but junk. I don’t quite agree with that SOME aftermarket arms are actually better than the factory part [Next page](https://community.cartalk.com/t/lower-control-arm-bushing-replacement-versus-lower-control-arm-replacement/190557.md?page=2)