Hi all. Went to get the car aligned a while ago and discovered one of the bolts for the LCA is seized (common issue). Instead of replacing the bushings while the control arm is out I was wondering if it would make more sense to just replace the control arm entirely.

I ask because Centric Parts seems to sell them for $130 each. New bushings from HardRace are going for $230 alone, then I'd have to press the bushings in which is work I'd rather not do. Going used OEM is another option but just curious if anyone has real experience with these parts.

 

I recently installed beck/arnley front lower control arm, looked pretty much identical to the OEM piece, I measured a bunch of different dimensions with some large calipers and all the dimensions were pretty much a negligible amount off. While I have the OEM pieces out I might do work to them like replace the bushings with poly while also installing zerk fittings. This may take me some time so now the car won't be down and out while that's going on.

 

Issue with most aftermarket arms is that the bushings are generally nowhere near as good as stock Honda bushings.

I'd buy known good OEM arms, or just replace bushings in your current arms with ones from Mugen.

 

That is what I'm skeptical about. I have a hard time believing that aftermarket bushings won't be anywhere near as good as OEM since there doesn't seem to be much intellectual property in a rubber bushing. I've personally never had a bad experience with aftermarket bushings. 30k miles on aftermarket diff bushings still going strong and had good luck with a motor mount in the girlfriend's accord for 20k miles now.

People seem quick to suggest OEM (rightfully so) but few people have first hand experiences with the latter. I'm tempted to give it a shot and provide feedback.

 

Not on this car, but ive tried many aftermarket bushings and ball joints most fail within a few years as compared to Honda oem which last like 15 years or so

 

Hey Soviet, did you end up purchasing the aftermarket LCA's? Did you like them? Which brand did you get? Looking at some Beck/Arnley's now.

 

No. I ended up buying some hard rubber compliance bushings and pressing them into my control arm. Main reason being that the control arms as going into a CR track car and I didn't want to risk anything but I might still put some into my daily for science.

 

There is a LOT of engineering that goes into those stupidassed rubber bushings, actually.

Look at your OEM LCA bushings. They're not just rubber donuts.

The first clue that they're engineered is that that the aftermarket attempts to copy the physical shape and overall construction. If they weren't engineered, then why copy the construction?

But chemistry, design details, testing specs, etc don't get copied over because its cost prohibitive in the aftermarket.

OEM bushings are also different effective durometers for each position. Honda engineers EACH bushing to control deflection in a way that only the actual original designer can.

They're all also different sizes and different construction because they all do different things. Each one is position dependent.

Aftermarket rubber bushings are getting slightly better than the past when they'd fail in literally 2 weeks...but still aren't anywhere near the quality and design of what a Honda OEM bushing is.

For a car like the S2000, it all adds up.

If it didn't, Honda would have just stuck the same shape/size rubber donuts in all positions.

A control arm bushing is also different than a motor mount or diff bushing, which is more static than dynamic. But aftermarket "OE replacement" motor mounts won't last like OEM or be as smooth as OEM.

Idk where you saw hardrace for $200+. I bought their spherical compliance bearings for $165 shipped from an authorized dealer.

 

Responses inline..

There are aftermarket brands that copy the original construction and some that don't even bother. Aftermarket companies like HardRace and Mugen (basically Honda) don't even bother copying the original construction. Other aftermarket companies like Dorman and Moog that are creating replacement control arms to OEM specifications absolutely copy the construction likely because they want to create a product as close to OEM as possible.

I was referring to the complete lower control bushing set for $200+, I was able to pick up just the front compliance bushings for 75.

 

Mugen copies the OEM construction very closely...and...I wouldn't lump them in to "aftermarket" since they have such a direct relationship to the Honda factory.

I knew you were referring to aftermarket LCA's from like...Rockauto or something. The bushing quality is not absolute shit on Beck Arnley or Moog or Centric or similar. But...its nowhere as good as OEM for sure.

Here are Moogs (not on my S2000) after 45-50K miles of daily use.




They're inexpensive...and 45K miles isn't bad....BUT its nowhere near OEM quality. OEM parts don't fail in that way...or usually that soon.

Not saying they're not worth buying at all. But...they're definitely not the same quality as OEM. And bushings are not just simple parts.

By "construction", I didn't mean dimensions or anything that affects fit. I'm talking about function. The OEM bushings are designed to function in a certain way. Look at all the OEM LCA bushings. They're quite complicated.

Anyway, Hardrace seems to be a good brand. I think their complaince bushing is just solid with no cutouts...which I'm not a huge fan of. But, as long as their bushings are properly clocked on install, they seem to last pretty well for a performance part. I've used their rubber bushings on a few cars and prefer it over polyurethane by 100X