Worn front control arm bushes

[Blue C]

I have had annoying front end squeak (driver's side mainly) for over a year (now 49,000km). Stumped my usual 4x4. Local mechanic found cause recently- my front lower control arm bushes are cracked & worn (eccentric centre bolt hole through bushes now). The local Jeep dealer advised not warranty as 2 inch lifted suspension.
The OEM rubber bushes aren't replaceable as separate items as they are bonded to the control arms during manufacturing. Jeep dealer quoted replacement control arms at $1440 each!

A local engineering firm in SA is making up Nolathane bushes for original control arms (upper + lower). Fixing the new bushes to the steel sleeves in control arms has been a challenge but they seem to think they have it sorted out. Will know later this week if they have been successful. Hopefully will solve the problem.

[Bushtracker Bandicoot]

I've got a 2 inch lift and had the entire steering rack AND had bushes in the front end (almost all of them) replaced, twice, all under warranty!
The Jeep bushes definately are not up to towing a 3 tonne van on rough roads and bad corrugations over extended periods. This is despite running both van and Jeep at generally about 24 psi cold and staying no more than 80 kph at these pressures. On the bad corrugations generally dropping down to around 40 kph.

[Blue C]

You did well to get it under warranty Bushtracker. Perhaps I should have pushed abit harder. Anyway the Nolathane bushes will be ready by end of week and from what I heard today will be a vast improvement over the OEM version.

[08crd]

Hi Blue C it may be worth posting the name of the company so we can source the nolathane replacements.

[jammy jeep]

Yes, I'm in the market for some lower control arm bushes as well - so let us know.
Glad I got that extended warranty - apart from these bushes, also getting upper control arm replaced (due to split in rubber boot - but can't buy the boot separately) and now also need a new steering rack. Also drivers seat broke recently and have to replace whole base. Would hate to be paying for all that.

[08crd]

Hey Bushtracker Bandicoot, there is not many suspension bushes that would take the punishment you dished out on your trip. If I remember correctly you had a car full of people, roof rack full and van full, probably 6-7 ton all up. No wonder the bushes were hamered on the corrugations, the front wheels would have looked like an Irish dances feet. I had a Land rover Discovery series 1 Tdi never towed anything but did a lot of outback trips the corugations knocked the crap out of its bushes especially the panhard rod.

[Bushtracker Bandicoot]

Yeah. Overall I'm very happy with the Commander, but in standard form they really do sell themselves short due to the poor ground clearance, and even with the Billstein replacements and the small lift, just can't handle a heavy van on bad roads. I think the problem is actually the weight distribution hitch, because it transfers so much weight to the front axle. If you are towing the rated load of 3500 kg, and have a ball weight of 350 kg (recommended 10%), then a WDH will be putting around half that (175 kg) onto the front axle, over and above whatever else is normally there. That's a significant amount.
I remember trying to get a straight answer out of Jeep when I first bought the vehicle about the allowanble axle loadings...but NO-ONE at Jeep could give me an answer!