Moog Front Lower Control Arm Bushings

[silverm]

Just completed a complete front suspension rebuild on my 2004 MM using all Moog. The Lower Control Arms from Moog (K80833/4) had a straight hole through all the same size. The original OEM part had about a large (about an 1") hole in front and then returns to the correct size in the back.

I've seen this part number on other posts,but I wondered if I got the correct box and wrong parts. Just about to go to alignment.



2004 MM Silver Birch stock
155k

[fastblackmerc]

First time poster......

The Moog site and Rock Auto have these P/N's:

RK80391 (Lower Right)
RK80392 (Lower Left)

[fastblackmerc]

Corrections... those P/N's are for the entire arm.

The bushings you used are the correct ones....

[silverm]

Heck, now I remember why I love this car...... it's been on retirement since it was burning up tires in 20k miles.

Thanks for the confirmation.

[silverm]

Just got off the phone with MOOG tech support on the difference on the stock Lower Control Arm Bushings hole size versus the MOOG replacements RK80391 (Lower Right) and RK80392 (Lower Left).

Supposedly, Ford produced a select run of Lower Control Arms where the arm going back to the bushing is tapered. Then they changed it to a straight arm. MOOG is for the straight arm only.

Kinda sucks as I spent $80 bucks a piece rebuilding the original lower control arms and now find there solution is to spend another 150 a piece to get the entire arm. Past Rock Auto return date and a bit used. :mad2: Just a cheap accountant.........

Anyone has any ideas of a better solution? Online OEM Ford online sites appears to sell complete units also.

[vegasmarauder]

Ok, Heres the deal on the lower arms. ALL 2003 (A & B) Marauders/CVs/MGMs have the tapered lower arm rear bushing shaft. The Moog replacement bushings will not fit those arms. The arms were redesigned in 2004. I have only see some very early 2004 CV/MGMs with the tapered lower bushing shaft. All 2004 Marauders have the new style which is the same diameter shaft all the way down. If the arms were replaced anytime after 2003, all the Ford service arms has the same size shaft, no more taper. In late 2006 and 2007 on all of the lower arms and the all the Ford service lower arms are now stamped steel, not cast aluminum. They fit the same as the cast ones.

I have been pulling sets of 2004-2005 lower arms from CVPI cars at pick a part yards to use as cores to rebuild for 2003 cars. I have a picture of the shaft size difference on my phone and will post to this thread in a bit to make it clearer.

The confusion comes in because over the years tapered arms were replaced with non-tapered arms, but from the factory all 2003 have the tapered and you can't use the Moog bushing. No one makes the odd size one year only bushing as far as I have been able to tell.

[vegasmarauder]

Control arm shaft pictures. First picture is actually a late 2003 arm where the thick part of the shaft only goes up about half way. Early 2003 has thick part all the way to threads.
Second picture is 2004 to 2005 style with same size shaft.
Third picture is difference between CVPI and standard lower bushings. PI and Taxi has more rubber for less deflection and firmer ride. That's why you should order the PI ones instead of standard. The overall dimensions are the same they look different in the picture because of the camera angle.

[fastblackmerc]

I'd assume the best thing to do is replace the entire are/bushing assembly.

[N34stryker]

Ebay has them. I bought them and they seemed to be better than the stock bushing. My stock mgm had holes in it to allow for more flex. Replacement has rubber all the way around. Forget who makes it, but I ordered from advance, rock, and amazon for different makes and models. They were all wrong. Above description is accurate and the only replacement bushing is on eaby.

[silverm]

vegasmarauder,

Sorry for the delay as I had to jump to the paying endeavors instead of fun. Thanks for the more precise info and confirmation. If I have no other choice, a whole arm will be it.

N34stryker, I just sent a question to a couple of the Ebay listed control arm bushings about the dimensions on their bushings. I will update accordingly.

Thanks all for your help and comments.