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06 Ranger 4x4 - Replace Lower Control Arms or just the LCA bushings? Should the Upper Control Arms be replaced too?


WalkThisWhey

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Jul 22, 2019
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Location
Boston, MA
Vehicle Year
2006
Make / Model
Ford Ranger FX4
Transmission
Automatic
My 06 FX4 truck has 104K on what I think is the stock suspension (I only swapped the shocks and sway bar links). Recently in some mud, I felt the steering wheel "knock". I checked the ball joints and those are in need of replacement. There are more issues with the suspension too as the steering feels floaty, so I'm looking at inner/outer tie rod changes.

I figured I'd do a full front suspension rebuild with the MOOG Problem Solver kit. Everything looks pretty straightforward, maybe the inner tie rods will throw me off a bit when I have to reattach the boot. However, I'm concerned about the Lower Control Arms.

I'd read about how the torsion bars can get really seized in there and even saw a video of a technician cutting into the old LCA to get the torsion bar out. I'd prefer to not get into that, especially since I'll be on jackstands only.

Since the LCA ball joint can be pressed out, I'm considering just doing that, but I'm just not sure how much longer my LCA bushings have in them with 104K. I'd prefer to do a full rip and replace for longevity, peace of mind, and safety (and not having to go for multiple alignments if I do more suspension work.)

Is replacing the LCA overkill in this situation? With 104K I don't know how much longer I should get out of the stock bushings. I'm not sure how to check for the other LCA bushings to see if they're bad as they're sandwiched in the frame.

How long do most people get out of their LCA bushings? Is there a good way to remove stubborn torsion bars from the LCAs? Anything else to be aware of before taking on this project?
 


satya818

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Feb 9, 2019
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Location
Los Angeles, CA
Vehicle Year
2011
Transmission
Automatic
Watching this thread & hoping someone can answer as Google isn't helpful lol. I just replaced my UCAs at 151k miles & the bushings were trash. I'm wondering about the LCAs now, not sure if better ones are necessary if not going long travel.
 

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