How to Replace a Control Arm Bushing on a Jeep Cherokee

The control arm bushings on Jeep vehicles can become mangled or break down over time and begin to actually squeeze out of the housing. If the Jeep sees any off-road duty, the frequent articulation of the front axle can speed up the process because of the extra stress on the control arms, particularly where they meet the frame. Replacing them will result in the Jeep riding and handling better. The change can be made in just a couple of hours in the driveway using common shop tools.

Things You'll Need

• Socket or wrench set
• Vise
• Hammer
• Drill and hole-saw attachment (optional)

Instructions

1. Remove the control arm bolts. These bolts are best removed with a socket and ratchet wrench, but they can be removed with a box-end wrench as well. The size can be either 13/16 inch (such as for spark plugs) or 21 millimeter if you are using metric sockets or wrenches. If there appears to be a lot of rust or grime on the threads or heads of the bolts, soaking them for a few hours with an industrial strength penetrating lubricant, such as PB Blaster, is a great way to loosen things up. It might be necessary to use another wrench on the other side of the bolt to keep the nut from spinning during removal.

2. Take out the old control arm bushing. Sometimes, if the bushing is worn enough, it will come out on its own with very little coaxing. It may be necessary to force it out, however. First, try putting the control arm into a vise and tapping the bushing out using a large socket and a hammer. If that does not work, you can use a hole-saw bit on the end of a drill to internally cut the control arm bushing while it is still in the housing. Once the hole saw cuts the bushing in two, the pieces will fall out easily. Either way, make sure the vise is tight to prevent the arm from shifting while you work.

3. Press in the new bushing. The bushing can simply be lined up with the hole in the control arm and pressed in slowly using a vise. If lined up just right, the bushing will go in fairly smoothly. You can very lightly coat the bushing with motor oil or a lubricant to help it slip into the housing if you need to. If you notice the bushing changing shape as it is going in, back out and try again to align it better in the hole. Once it is centered in the housing, reinstall the control arm onto the Jeep using the same hardware that was removed.

References

• "Jeep Cherokee 1984 through 2000 (Cherokee/Wagoneer/Comanche) Haynes Repair Manual (Haynes Automotive Repair Manual Series);" Bob Anderson; 2000