Whiteline Lower Control Arm Bushings

Discussion in 'Gen 3 Prius Care, Maintenance & Troubleshooting' started by The Critic, Nov 3, 2014.

  1. The Critic

    The Critic Resident Critic

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    My Gen III is currently at 95k miles, and the large rear bushing on the lower control arms have had small tears for some time.

    I have also been experiencing a rubber "crunch-like" noise from the right control arm. I have been able to silence the noise temporarily by spraying silicone lube on the bushing, but the noise returns after a month or so.

    While it is a bit subjective, the handling has noticeably degraded compared to when new.

    The Toyota-approved repair is to buy new lower control arms as the bushings are not sold separately. The cost is approx $175 per side.

    A friend of mine that services Nissan/Infiniti vehicles advised me to check with Whiteline Bushings, as he installs many of these with great success. And from a handling and durability standpoint, he finds them to be a signifiant improvement over the OE bushings.

    Sure enough, Whiteline sells both the inner front and inner rear bushings for our lower control arms. The part numbers are W53301 and W53302. I paid $35 for the W53301 and $105 for the W53302.

    I just ordered the parts and will be installing them later this week or early next. I will keep this thread updated with my results and with pictures of the old bushings.
     
    #1 The Critic, Nov 3, 2014
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  2. Spooled

    Spooled Member

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    if i get some free time id like to come check this out you doing this in your driveway?
     
    #2 Spooled, Nov 5, 2014
  3. The Critic

    The Critic Resident Critic

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    I will be doing them at a friend's garage. I have already received the bushings and am just looking for a way to press the old bushings out. I have access to a hydraulic press, but I need to find the right adapters. If it becomes too much trouble, I will take the arms out and take them to a shop to have the new bushings pressed back in.
     
    #3 The Critic, Nov 6, 2014
  4. graham hendren

    graham hendren Geeman .. taximan

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    You can also buy the bushes on eBay the rear is about £20 the front you can pick up for£7.54 If you search the part number 29SB602


    Just a question was it the right or left side ? Did you have to drop subframe or find another way round it?
    I would get the sway bar bushes changed if you still have issues
     
    #4 graham hendren, Dec 12, 2017
  5. Vman455

    Vman455 Senior Member

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    In a pinch, and if you aren't concerned with the environmental ramifications, you can always burn out the old bushings (did this once in my younger days).
     
    #5 Vman455, Dec 15, 2017
  6. ilovegirls

    ilovegirls Member

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    Did you ever install this? Any changes in performance?
     
    #6 ilovegirls, Mar 27, 2019
  7. The Critic

    The Critic Resident Critic

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    No, the bushings were the wrong size. I purchased new control arms (with bushings pre-installed) from the Toyota dealer.
     
    #7 The Critic, Mar 27, 2019
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  8. ilovegirls

    ilovegirls Member

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    Thanks for the reply.
     
    #8 ilovegirls, Mar 27, 2019
  9. Mendel Leisk

    Mendel Leisk Senior Member

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    Is this a front suspension component, the highlighted one:

    upload_2019-3-27_14-11-24.png

    And the circled bushing is the problem?
     
    #9 Mendel Leisk, Mar 27, 2019
  10. The Critic

    The Critic Resident Critic

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    No, the other one.
     
    #10 The Critic, Mar 27, 2019
  11. Mendel Leisk

    Mendel Leisk Senior Member

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    Ah, this?

    upload_2019-3-27_14-16-24.png

    Moot point if you buy replacment arm. But something to check.
     
    #11 Mendel Leisk, Mar 27, 2019
  12. The Critic

    The Critic Resident Critic

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    Yep. Aftermarket suspension parts are pretty much garbage these days. If you want anything to last more than a few years, you have to buy it from the dealer.
     
    #12 The Critic, Mar 27, 2019
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  13. ilovegirls

    ilovegirls Member

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    I thought whiteline was a performance company that offered stiffer bushings.
     
    #13 ilovegirls, Mar 27, 2019
  14. The Critic

    The Critic Resident Critic

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    The Whiteline stuff works great. My comment was directed towards the Mevotech and Moog r-line products on the market today.
     
    #14 The Critic, Mar 27, 2019
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  15. ASRDogman

    ASRDogman Senior Member

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    I remember seeing Harbor Freight had a bushing kit for under $50.
    You could search e bay also for a kit.
     
    #15 ASRDogman, Mar 27, 2019
  16. Athos

    Athos Junior Member

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    I put the whiteline bushings in my 2005 a few weeks ago. The car is very tight now. I'm very pleased.

    It wasn't hard but took time. The glue holding the old bushings had dissolved so I just knocked out the rubber. Then I cut a slot in the old bushing ring which allowed that ring to collapse into itself, shrinking its diameter. Then it was easily knocked out with a couple of hammer raps. The new ones had to be pressed in with my press but I had the right size in a monster socket and it pushed in easily.

    I probably saved $50 but I was more interested in getting quality bushings and reducing the carbon content of the repair. I figured, two hours extra work on the one side of the ledger and three nice benefits on the other- reduced carbon (shipping and manufacture), better bushings and a savings of $50.

    There was one other intangible. As a Canadian I am pissed that the Chinese are holding two Canadians hostage over the Huawei fiasco. They are also waging a trade war over this cutting their Canadian imports of Canola. Why should I support that? I think the Whiteline bushings are Australian. I'm pleased to do business with them.

    By the way, see my post #22 in the following thread.

    Changing Control Arms = Headache, Am Stuck! Need help | Page 2 | PriusChat
     
    #16 Athos, Apr 4, 2019
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