You should never tighten up the bolt through the control arm bushing without weight on the wheels. When the car is taken off the lift under the conditions you installed it, it will over rotate the center bushing in the control arm and tear the rubber, destroying the brand new control arm you just installed.
Only lightly snug down the control arm bushings when doing this job, then lower the car onto its full weight and do the final torque. Otherwise you’ll tear up the new bushings in short order.
I had to do that job on my daughter's GMC Envoy a few years ago. During hard braking, the steering wheel would go off-center. A "pop" could be heard when it happened. I could not locate the source of the slop using a pry bar - everything seemed tight. I paint dotted all the suspension points, took it for a drive and hit the brakes and the steering wheel moved. When I inspected it, I discovered the paint dots in the area of those bushings had moved. I purchased the OE bushings and pressed the old ones out and the new ones in.
@@Perryloc I put paint dots at each point of the suspension where relative movement could occur. The paint marks were in-line with each other. When I drove the vehicle and got it to pop and the steering wheel went off center, I put it on jack stands and inspected the paint marks. The ones that were not in line indicated the worn bushings.
@@kevineich5029 Thank you for the reply and I apologize for my ignorance with anything that is not 1s and 0s. So I would need dots where control arm attaches. Here comes the dumb part: do I need to put them somehow on sway bar points, tie rod ends, or ball joint post? Again thank you for your time.
Hey Kenny. I worked for Chevrolet when that recall came out - I still remember doing those control arm brackets. Never saw any that actually broke. Just did a set on my neighbor's 2007 Trailblazer the other day! Just like you, I haven't done them in years. Funny how stuff comes around again -
I am on my 2nd trailblazer. My first one I got t-boned at 60mph. Totaled it out with 396k on it. SMH, almost made it to 400k. Original motor and trans/transfer case. (2009) The one that I have now has 146k on it and it runs just as good as the other one, but I am going to have to tackle this job from my 58-year-old back as I have no lift. That 4200-atlas motor has given me ZERO ISSUES, I travel for work and drag a 6x10 enclosed trailer loaded with tools all around the country, including I-40 through Colorado at that steep grade @ 70mph. It ain't fast, but it aint slow, I have gotten busy and ran my oil changes over 3k and up before getting to it, I have had it in the air while off roading, basically i have been an abusive owner, Lol, but I can't kill em. Someone else has to.
Ya make what most folks would consider a hard job look easy. People don't understand why I do my own work. Most of the reason is I know how things went together and I save a ton of money. About 8 months ago I put essentially a whole new front end (everything but upper ball joints and inner tie rod ends) under my 2004 F150 4x4 for about $600 with factory parts. I don't know what it would have cost me to have some one else do it but I'm thinking it would have been at least double and probably closer to triple that and I likely wouldn't have gotten factory parts. Keep the good stuff coming buddy.
Turn the wheel all the way to one side to extend the tie rod and boot out of the way of the bolt and disconnect the sway bar and the wheel and arm will move out of the way. I've Done it twice for my trailblazer.
Hey Kenny, have you ever given us your thoughts on the Chrysler 2.7-liter V6 and the water pump failures where coolant gets into the crankcase? I would love to hear your opinion on this engine.
Having a lift makes all the difference? Noticed the one new bushing is a heavier duty white bushing, unlike the original bushings being regular black rubber? Almost like the premium High Molecular weight plastic wear material? I love those older Jimmies, Trailblazers, and Envoy's?
I just did my rear lower control arm bushings with only removing sway link and replaced them on the truck. I rented the c-clamp style bearing press to get then in and out. Both sides took about 2.5 hours, but i had to cut the end off the first one with a sawzall and get the outer race out with a screwdriver. Right after that is when I rented the press. lol. I think they were $30 each. They were cheap enough i don't remember exactly. The alignment was $145 and the front bushings were good. It goes right down the road now. I will probably get the thicker rear sway bar as i have heard they really tighten it up. Wider tires will as well.
Dude! Your awsome but that control arm bolt neer the rack, the boot is FLEXABLE squeeze the boot and pull the damn bolt out, it's tight but your a tech like me and time = money it's mechanics 101. I did that same job last week
Pretty bad lower control arm bushing, almost dangerously bad? That could break the bolt or break the ear off the subframe, right? Good find Kenny? I'd want to know if it was my vehicle?
And your roads are most likely just as safe as states that require them. Wanting more government oversite is a weird position that I never understood honestly
Does anyone viewing these actually click on the advertisements for prostate and low testosterone ? Are we all just only man enough to watch the video but not so to do actual work ? Curious.
You should never tighten up the bolt through the control arm bushing without weight on the wheels. When the car is taken off the lift under the conditions you installed it, it will over rotate the center bushing in the control arm and tear the rubber, destroying the brand new control arm you just installed.
I put in polymer.
Thank you for the advice
Only lightly snug down the control arm bushings when doing this job, then lower the car onto its full weight and do the final torque. Otherwise you’ll tear up the new bushings in short order.
Nice find. Good thing for the customer! That tire leaves and I'd think it would be apt to flip! Thanks Kenny really enjoy your channel!
most excellent useful video for this problem. It is an extraordinary time saver. Thank you so much for this gift.
I had to do that job on my daughter's GMC Envoy a few years ago. During hard braking, the steering wheel would go off-center. A "pop" could be heard when it happened. I could not locate the source of the slop using a pry bar - everything seemed tight. I paint dotted all the suspension points, took it for a drive and hit the brakes and the steering wheel moved. When I inspected it, I discovered the paint dots in the area of those bushings had moved.
I purchased the OE bushings and pressed the old ones out and the new ones in.
Forgive me for my lack of knowledge. When you put paint dots on all suspension points can you please help me with where those areas are? Thank you
@@Perryloc I put paint dots at each point of the suspension where relative movement could occur. The paint marks were in-line with each other. When I drove the vehicle and got it to pop and the steering wheel went off center, I put it on jack stands and inspected the paint marks. The ones that were not in line indicated the worn bushings.
@@kevineich5029 Thank you for the reply and I apologize for my ignorance with anything that is not 1s and 0s. So I would need dots where control arm attaches. Here comes the dumb part: do I need to put them somehow on sway bar points, tie rod ends, or ball joint post? Again thank you for your time.
Hey Kenny. I worked for Chevrolet when that recall came out - I still remember doing those control arm brackets. Never saw any that actually broke. Just did a set on my neighbor's 2007 Trailblazer the other day! Just like you, I haven't done them in years. Funny how stuff comes around again -
I am on my 2nd trailblazer.
My first one I got t-boned at 60mph. Totaled it out with 396k on it. SMH, almost made it to 400k.
Original motor and trans/transfer case. (2009)
The one that I have now has 146k on it and it runs just as good as the other one, but I am going to have to tackle this job from my 58-year-old back as I have no lift.
That 4200-atlas motor has given me ZERO ISSUES, I travel for work and drag a 6x10 enclosed trailer loaded with tools all around the country, including I-40 through Colorado at that steep grade @ 70mph.
It ain't fast, but it aint slow, I have gotten busy and ran my oil changes over 3k and up before getting to it, I have had it in the air while off roading, basically i have been an abusive owner, Lol, but I can't kill em.
Someone else has to.
That was definitely interesting. Great video.
Kenny you are killing me. Awesome another longer video
I was waiting for you to remove the axle nut especially to not pull the inner CV joint out
Excellent video. Very enjoyable.
Ya make what most folks would consider a hard job look easy. People don't understand why I do my own work. Most of the reason is I know how things went together and I save a ton of money. About 8 months ago I put essentially a whole new front end (everything but upper ball joints and inner tie rod ends) under my 2004 F150 4x4 for about $600 with factory parts. I don't know what it would have cost me to have some one else do it but I'm thinking it would have been at least double and probably closer to triple that and I likely wouldn't have gotten factory parts. Keep the good stuff coming buddy.
Enjoyed that. Your State Inspection must be "easy" ... over here in France, those torn CV boots would get it rejected. Bon chance Bro.
they fail in most states here too
So the part you're replacing is the lower control arm mounting bracket?
Nope. That is the arm itself.
Kenny what about those axles.... could have done both for the same labor overlap.
Excelente video, muchas gracias, saludos desde Maracaibo Venezuela.
13:25 if that had been me, it would have fallen out and tried to hit me in the head. For Kenny, it just pops perfectly into place.
LOLOL !!!
great video my man... top shelf !!!!!
Why didn't you replace the spilt CV boot?
Turn the wheel all the way to one side to extend the tie rod and boot out of the way of the bolt and disconnect the sway bar and the wheel and arm will move out of the way. I've Done it twice for my trailblazer.
Thank s!!
Would it be easier to just replace the bushings??
A torn cv boot is of no importance? Umm...
I did mine different, I jus replace everything and was much easier, I use Moog control arms
wow i did all of them at the dealer before they left memories!
Good call Kenny
What year was recall we have had trailblazer since 2007 never have had a recall to this day just checked again.????
02
Hey Kenny, have you ever given us your thoughts on the Chrysler 2.7-liter V6 and the water pump failures where coolant gets into the crankcase? I would love to hear your opinion on this engine.
Having a lift makes all the difference? Noticed the one new bushing is a heavier duty white bushing, unlike the original bushings being regular black rubber? Almost like the premium High Molecular weight plastic wear material? I love those older Jimmies, Trailblazers, and Envoy's?
“The cv joint boot is of no importance” huh? Dude, what are you saying lol.
Why not a replaceable bushing?
How much does that kind of job cost?
I just did my rear lower control arm bushings with only removing sway link and replaced them on the truck. I rented the c-clamp style bearing press to get then in and out. Both sides took about 2.5 hours, but i had to cut the end off the first one with a sawzall and get the outer race out with a screwdriver. Right after that is when I rented the press. lol. I think they were $30 each. They were cheap enough i don't remember exactly. The alignment was $145 and the front bushings were good. It goes right down the road now. I will probably get the thicker rear sway bar as i have heard they really tighten it up. Wider tires will as well.
Dude! Your awsome but that control arm bolt neer the rack, the boot is FLEXABLE squeeze the boot and pull the damn bolt out, it's tight but your a tech like me and time = money it's mechanics 101. I did that same job last week
The left hand side looked like it had a polyeurthane aftermarket bush in it I would prefer that to a complete arm.
Pretty bad lower control arm bushing, almost dangerously bad? That could break the bolt or break the ear off the subframe, right? Good find Kenny? I'd want to know if it was my vehicle?
That CV joint needed to go also. You can see how bad the boot is torn and the debris in it.
Just asking , what about the drive shaft gator
Was the 2006 gmc envoy xl also affected by this recall??
I have a 2007 trailblazer was this problem in that year or early
Where are you located I would love to have you do a full shake down of my Chrysler 300C
I wonder how the service data procedure would differ from the caveman procedure....
Trailblazer needs cv axles
Are the CV boots torn?
It was, you can see it in one of the views he had with the light in it. It looked to be filled with debris too. I'd have recommended replacement.
the cv boots need changing
Can I bring you my car. Please. Front end way too sloppy. It does need front end overhaul real bad.
I got two trailblazers!! You wanna come and replace mine?1 04 LS 5 P/ 1 04 LT 7 P
Whats your thought on the STP oil filters that your used i know you dont like Fram nor do i
Stp filters are made by fram so.....
@@SuckIT-2000 Are they really? Here I refused to buy another Fram and I started buying STP
I've always used fram and never had any motor problems but I also never bought the cheap fram filters either
I haven't used one since a 42k engine locked up 10 years ago for no real good reason. Coincidence? Not sure, but no more STP for me.
Mobil 1, K&N, Wix, napa gold
Why don't you just put bushings in it
There a thousands of vehicles like this on the roads in Wisconsin because Wisconsin refuses to pass a required yearly vehicle inspection.
And your roads are most likely just as safe as states that require them. Wanting more government oversite is a weird position that I never understood honestly
More then one way to skin a cat I guess 😅
Does anyone viewing these actually click on the advertisements for prostate and low testosterone ? Are we all just only man enough to watch the video but not so to do actual work ? Curious.
I think google does targeted advertising. I get the solar panel ad
@@Perryloc Humm, does Google know something I don't ?
I feel like all ads are scams