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Camber/caster adjustment bolts

5K views 3 replies 4 participants last post by  terryj5 
#1 ·
Hey all

Been a while since I posted but have a question about getting my truck lined up. I just got new sneakers and when the shop went to do the alignment it became apparent that the camber/caster adjustment bolts, where the lower A arms connect to the frame, are seized. I'm not sure that all of them are bad, or at least not salvageable, but just to be safe I got a quote from Toyota for four new bushings, four new adjustment plates and four new bolts ... Too the tune of about $350. This seems a little outrageous and I'm trying to think of another way to skin this cat. Has anyone run into this before? And are these parts that I might find aftermarket?

Being a Maine vehicle one expects the salt to takes its toll but I just dropped a bunch of cash on new rubber and am feeling the pinch, any suggestions?

Thanks!!
 
#4 ·
This is pretty common, even outside the rust belt and can be quite the can of worms.
As far as parts required, each lower control arm mount has 4 parts. 2 cam plates, the bolt and the bushing itself. The 2 cam plates are different and only the one with the sleeve gets destroyed in the removal. Most of the time the bolt can be loosened and removed without issue. It's easy to check, either you can loosen the bolt or not. It's the cam/bushing that rust together. The cams consist of well, 2 cams. One has a sleeve and the other serves as the nut for the bolt. When installed they interlock and rotate together as one piece. The problem occurs when the cam with the sleeve rusts and becomes one with the inner sleeve of the bushing.
The only way get things apart is to cut thru the bushing/sleeve between the control arm and the outer flange of the bushing. This destroys the bushing and the cam with sleeve and is no fun at all.

Bushings and the cam/sleeve (uncut). You cut at the visible rubber on each end of the bushing. The other cam just falls off if the bolt has been removed.





"Cam with sleeve" inside bushing.


Once apart is where you and your wallet must make some decisions. Aside from the cost of the new parts there is the issue of r&r of the new bushings. It takes a healthy press and requires a slightly more complex set up than the usual bushing press job.
http://www.ttora.com/forum/showthread.php?t=166651&highlight=Lower+control+bushings

The most cost effective way to go, depending on how it all comes apart could be to buy new/used arms and only the cam/s that get cut. New OEM control arms come with new bushings installed for about $60 more (?, been a while) than the 2 bushings alone. 1 used arm with good bushings should cost less than 1 new bushing.
 
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