Factory style control arm / bushing recommendations?

chili_pepper

chili_pepper

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I'm planning an overhaul/refresh of my '05 LJ's suspension and steering components this spring. More a preventative measure based on age and mileage, though I have recently developed a knocking noise from the left side of the front end (checked hardware, nothing is loose, bushings look a bit questionable).

My LJ is stock with no lift and I'm interested in keeping things in factory configuration so adjustable arms are not up for consideration. It's used as a daily driver/utility vehicle and sees nothing more than dirt roads and basic trails.

For the control arms, I was originally thinking bushings only but lately been leaning towards replacing the complete arms. Figured I'd check in here for any brand recommendations on good replacement control arms and hardware. Something that would have the potential to last as long as the factory parts, not necessarily the cheapest. Thoughts?
 
chili_pepper said:
Bookmarked and appreciated. Have you ever found the need to take advantage of their warranty?
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I had an ignition coil for my Scion go bad (last week) after 3 years and they sent me a new one. Another time, UPS crushed a box and I notified them immediately. They gave me an immediate refund and told me to keep the parts. They ended up being usable (CV axles).
 
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I used MOOG on mine, and am happy with them. They're about the same price as the AM-Autoparts stuff mentioned by Boog. I didn't know about the 10 year warranty — I'll keep that in mind for future purchases. Thanks, Boog.

I think the MOOG suspension parts get a 3 year warranty, but I was utterly unimpressed by their "limited lifetime warranty" on steering parts, which costs you good money to ship back for warranty.
 
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OldBuzzard said:
I used MOOG on mine, and am happy with them. They're about the same price as the AM-Autoparts stuff mentioned by Boog. I didn't know about the 10 year warranty — I'll keep that in mind for future purchases. Thanks, Boog.

I think the MOOG suspension parts get a 3 year warranty, but I was utterly unimpressed by their "limited lifetime warranty" on steering parts, which costs you good money to ship back for warranty.
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As long as everything is factory spec, I'm good on whatever the brand name is. The AM-A parts seems better priced than the Omix and Crown parts I've seen in my searches. I've got mixed feelings on those brands due to experience with other parts ordered previously.
 
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Any leads on replacement hardware? I'm not sure if anything is jacked up but figured while I'm ripping shit off for new, might as well do the nuts and bolts, too.

And speaking of hardware, anyone know the sizes of split pins used on the steering system?
 
chili_pepper said:
Any leads on replacement hardware? I'm not sure if anything is jacked up but figured while I'm ripping shit off for new, might as well do the nuts and bolts, too.

And speaking of hardware, anyone know the sizes of split pins used on the steering system?
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I would suggest trying your hardware removal now just to see what's coming apart. If you are in the rust belt it can be a nightmare to remove.
 
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chili_pepper said:
Any leads on replacement hardware? I'm not sure if anything is jacked up but figured while I'm ripping shit off for new, might as well do the nuts and bolts, too.

And speaking of hardware, anyone know the sizes of split pins used on the steering system?
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https://jeepbolts.com/products/tj-lj-jeep-wrangler-control-arm-bolts-complete-set

As @TJ4Jim mentioned above, start looking to see what comes apart now. On many Jeeps I've worked on I had to cut the bolts out as they seized to the inner sleeve of the control arm.
 
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Andy-WhiteTJ said:
https://jeepbolts.com/products/tj-lj-jeep-wrangler-control-arm-bolts-complete-set

As @TJ4Jim mentioned above, start looking to see what comes apart now. On many Jeeps I've worked on I had to cut the bolts out as they seized to the inner sleeve of the control arm.
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TJ4Jim said:
I would suggest trying your hardware removal now just to see what's coming apart. If you are in the rust belt it can be a nightmare to remove.
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While I'm fairly aware of the current state of the fasteners on Tessie (just checked many for proper torque), you've both illustrated why I'm asking about a good source for hardware. ;)

My intention is to have a new set at the ready, just in case. Anything that requires destruction to remove, I'm covered. Anything that comes off in good shape goes in the spares bin.

On the up side, I did spend ~1.5 years looking for this vehicle and aside from being an LJ with a manual gearbox, the "hat trick" requirement was no rust. She spent most of her life in Florida and ended up in Texas before coming to Maryland in May of '23. It's possible I could still run into issues anyway, but I'm not sure she could be much cleaner underneath given mileage on the clock. My hope is that this will pay off a little.

Appreciate the advice and the links. I'm trying to plan ahead so things go as smoothly as possible once I dig in. (y)
 
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Being new to the TJ/LJ, should I be looking to get the proper cam bolt and flag nut setup as per factory? Seems like many fastener packs available either don't address the cam bolts or offer static plates to eliminate them. I feel like I should replace with like kind in terms of configuration and that those cams serve a purpose. Thoughts?
 
chili_pepper said:
Being new to the TJ/LJ, should I be looking to get the proper cam bolt and flag nut setup as per factory? Seems like many fastener packs available either don't address the cam bolts or offer static plates to eliminate them. I feel like I should replace with like kind in terms of configuration and that those cams serve a purpose. Thoughts?
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Never mind. Did a bit of research over lunch, seems the cam bolt eliminator kits are used in conjunction with adjustable control arms. As I'm going stock I'll need to source a set of cam bolts for my project. (y)
 
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It is often overlooked but the bushings IN the front axle really matter as well. Always good to keep an eye on those
 
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