Control arm brushings

[fushuman]

Well, the other day i took my car to check why it would jiggle from side to side everytime i went through a pothole. So he lifts up the car and checked the control arms at the rear and he tells me it needs new brushings. Good. the brushings are not expensive, but the labor is gonna kill me. Parts = $60, labor = $800
Why that much for labor you ask? He has to drop the whole rear end in order to change those stupid brushings. Isn't there some kind of temporary fix to it? Like sticking some rubber in there!! But i guess not, i just gotta stop and get it fix the painfull way.

OHHH wait now something more REALISTIC, do i have to recharge the Freon in my car? I mean does it use Freon? Its a 97' 318i and the AC doesn't feel that cool.
Thanks

[El Presidente]

Bushings can be changed easily if you have a little more than basic skill with your car. It takes time, but is not all together hard to do. If you screw up, you can always have the car towed to a garage.

[Autotechnica]

$800? I think you need a new mechanic.

The control arm bushings are in the front, if they are worn, there's no reason to drop the whole rear end. The control arm bushings just require you to remove the wheels. There is a bolt you remove and the control arm bushing comes out. They just use a press so press the bushing back into it's bracket and reinstall. Most shops charge 1.5-2 hours labour for both sides. So at most $140 for both sides.

If it's the rear trailing arm bushing it's basically the same thing. Nothing has to be dropped. Remove the bolts holding the trailing arm fork into the chassis. When it comes down, you need an impact gun to remove the bushing. Use an impact gun to reinstall and compress the new bushing, bolt the trailing arm fork back into place, at most another hour each side. I think there are control arm's in the rear. However, they never need to be changed as they usually last the life of the car. Someone correct me if I'm wrong.

I would go back to your mechanic and give him a nice smack in the face.

Bry

[007ben]

or dont go back to you mech. and go to a new one.

[Speedy-325is]

A/C can be refilled with recharging coolant cans called 134a available at car parts stores for @ $15 ea. usually takes 2 cans, if there is no leaks and thats all thats wrong.

btw , Autotechnica is right any shop trying to charge that much is full of $h!t! ho elsewhere. also if your car has high mileage it is sometimes worth it to change out your trailing arms while its all apart/ same w/control arms for the front. labor costs can add up to the cost of the arms W/the bushing installed.. if u know where to shop.

[tiremann34]

I hear ya i have to replace my from control arm bushing and the damn control arms as well. But i work for sears so i am going to just work the system and i think that i can get it done for 400. Has anyone had to replace those more than once

[thinair]

If it's the rear, its the rear trailing arm bushings that are worn. They should be replaced every 80,000 miles or so. Before I replaced mine with 96+ M3 parts my rear end felt loose, not fishtailing (unless I wanted it to) but like it had rear steering when cornering, like it wasn't tracking properly.


If you look under the car, just ahead of the rear wheel on the chassis, you'll see this bushing. That is the trailing arm bushing....