Can this bushing be replaced???

[Crazified]

Part 1 (Brief): As indicated in the picture below, can this bushing in-and-of-itself be replaced or does the whole piece have to be replaced (as the dealer indicates?) If it's the whole unit, should I buy new or try and find a used one? Apparently this whole thing has to do with the alignment of the car. When I drive, a substaintial "creaking" can be heard. It is coming from this bushing and the rubber is worn out.

Part 2 (detailed Ok... so I brought the car in for some service and showed the shop an interesting observation. The left front wheel sticks out further than the right front wheel by about 1/2 inch or so (never really measured it, but you can tell if you look.) No spacers are installed; it's just the way the car is. I found that very odd (I couldn't imagine that it would have been built that way) so I wondered if my car was ever in an accident and had been reparied. Everything looks fine underneath... there aren't any signs of any type of front-end accident (that I or the mechanics could see). I brought it to a frame shop and they measured it with some kind of computer measing device. They said everything was fine except for a 4mm devation somewhere, but hardly considered it to be a problem.

Now, the guy at Acura said to me, "oh... an alignment will fix that problem." I told him that I didn't think the car needed to be aligned because it tracked dead straight and the handling was fantastic. He said that it didn't matter and that an alignment should fix the "sticking out" problem. SO... I had it aligned. When I got the car back it was now pulling to the right. At the same time I did have some spacers installed (to get the more agressive look going) and now that left front wheel was out TOO far (ie- the alignment did NOTHING to fix the problem and the spacer exaggerated the effect.) I brought the car back and they said that it would not hold the alignment because the spacers were creating the problem. So I had the spacers removed. Still no good. After four tries they could not get the alignment correct (they said the alignment machine says it should be fine). As I drove away after the 4th attempt, I noticed the creaking. I thought it was just cold, but it didn't go away. I brought it back, but it was raining on the drive over to the dealership, so the creaking went away. BUT (without continuing too much with this story) this is where the creaking is coming from. It has gotten so bad that I don't even want to drive the car anymore because I'm afraid I'll do damage to something else. The car is also unsafe to drive; any type of turns I attempt result in a "lateral sliding back and forth" sensation; I assume this is a result of the bad bushing as well.

Is it possible that they could have damaged this bushing as a result of repeated alignment attempts (it started as soon as I drove away) or did it just wear out? Also, what about the difference in physical measurements? Any help would be very much appreciated!! Thanks.

 

[Larry Bastanza]

Hi Ben,

From you picture this looks like the left side. The part number is 50310-SL0-A01 BRACKET, L. FR. CROSS

It can only be purchased as a whole unit, and I do not know anywhere to replace this bushing. Both Comptech and SoS offer this same type bushing replacement for the rear beam, but not the front. You could ask them if it may be the same size, but I can tell you it will become a project. You will mostlikely have to remove it and send it to them, to see of they can /will replace it.

You can try ERZ in NYC for a used one, I am sure he has it.

Is this bushing loose?? Does the a-arm move in and out?

It would not be typical that adjusting it can ruin it. It is made to be adjusted. I will assume they did not do anything strange. This could have been the result of an incident were the front wheel hit a curb, maybe some other parts were replaced and the bushing missed when it came to replacement parts.

OR

I noticed in the picture the a-arm has a little discoloration, could they have heated it?? That would be extremely unwise and could have destroyed the bushing. I AM NOT saying this is what happened, just exploring, since I noticed the discoloration.

I have some additional questions:

You say the wheel is out by 1/2", what is your reference to determine this?

Pulling can be the result of imbalanced CASTER, I would ask if they set that EVEN.

HTH,
LarryB

 

[nsx24]

I have ran into the same thing but with the upper a-arm bushing. As Larry said contact ERZ. I spoke with them last week and they said $250 + shipping, not to bad compared to the $600 from the dealer.
Let me know how it goes.
thanks again Larry

 

[Crazified]

Question 1:
[From you picture this looks like the left side. The part number is 50310-SL0-A01 BRACKET, L. FR. CROSS]

Hey Larry,

Yes... it is the left side (that is, if you read from an orientation of being behind the car looking forward... is that right? Yea... what if you're standing in front facing back? What's the "proper" way?) Anyway, let's say the "driver's side."

Question 2:
[Is this bushing loose?? Does the a-arm move in and out?]

Hmmmm... don't know. All I know is that the rubber looks worn inside there and when the mechanic grabbed the front bumper when the car was on the lift and started lifting it up and down you could here the "creaking" coming from that part and (upon holding on to various parts of the car while he did that) that's the part that you could feel the vibration from the creaking in.

Question 3:
[You say the wheel is out by 1/2", what is your reference to determine this?]

Visually it's quite obvious if you look at each wheel and compare them. But the measurement system I used is quite scientific. I would take the top of my hand and place it up against the lip of the fender so that my palm and fingers are perpendicluar to the ground; parallel to the tire/rim. Next, I would take my wallet (average thinkness: 1 inch) and slide it in between my fingers and the sidewall of the tire/rim. Results: The passenger-side wheel allows for full clearance of Ben's wallet between his fingers and the tire with a bit of room to spare. The driver's side wheel doesn't even allow the wallet to slide between the fingers and the tire at all. How's that for research! Ay ideas?

Question 4:
[I noticed in the picture the a-arm has a little discoloration, could they have heated it??]

I think that's just dirt, but I'll check the next time it's up in the air.

Thanks for the heads up for ERZ. I'll contact them tomorrow!

-Ben

 

[sjs]

I wonder if the adjuster does not lock down properly an rotates under loads. If all is correct on both sides the eccentric adjuster on the other side should be in a relatively similar position.

The whole left-right thing is queer, like the entire front suspension is off-center. It might be worth taking some measurements underneath between key suspension and chassis points on each side.

 

[sjs]

I wonder if the adjuster does not lock down properly an rotates under loads. If all is correct on both sides the eccentric adjuster on the other side should be in a relatively similar position.

The whole left-right thing is queer, like the entire front suspension is off-center. It might be worth taking some measurements underneath between key suspension and chassis points on each side.

I see you are on the east coast. It might be worth taking the car to Larry for some careful scrutiny.