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How to Replace Bushings: A Step-by-Step Guide for Any Car

Author: Yehor Medunytsia · 30.04.2026

Quick answer: Replacing bushings is a 2–4 hour job in a garage or at a shop. You'll need a jack, jack stands, a puller or press, a drift (sleeve), and grease. The procedure is the same for most passenger cars: remove the control arm, drive out the old bushing, press in the new one, torque the bolts under load, then get an alignment.

What Is a Bushing? A Quick Refresher

A bushing is a rubber-and-metal or polyurethane-and-metal suspension joint that absorbs vibration and impacts from road bumps. It's made of two metal sleeves with an elastic insert between them.

Without healthy bushings, the suspension can't hold its geometry: the car "wanders" in corners, clunks over bumps, and the tires wear unevenly. Ride comfort and driving safety both depend directly on the condition of these parts. For more on how they're built and what they do, see What Is a Car Bushing?

Signs a Bushing Is Worn: When It's Time to Replace It

Don't wait for the part to fall apart. Replace your bushings if you notice at least two of these symptoms:

Knocking or squeaking over speed bumps or potholes
The car "wanders" to one side when you let go of the wheel on a flat road
Uneven tire wear — one edge of the tread wears faster than the rest
Vibration through the steering wheel at 50–62 mph
Reduced handling in corners, a vague or "spongy" feel in the suspension
A visible crack or tear when you check underneath the car

If you see a crack in the rubber insert, replace it right away. A failed bushing can lead to a total loss of control while driving.

What You'll Need for the Job

Tools

A jack and sturdy metal jack stands
A lug wrench or a 17–21 mm socket (depends on your car's make)
A bearing puller or a press for pressing the bushing in
A hammer and a set of metal drifts (sleeves) (pipe sections of the right diameter work too)
A drill with a sanding attachment, or sandpaper
A can of WD-40 — for seized bolts

Materials

New bushings — OEM or PolyPro polyurethane
Silicone grease or Lithol-24 (a lithium-based grease) for pressing in
Clean rags

Buy bushings for both sides of the axle at once. If one is worn, the one on the other side has covered the same mileage and is just as close to failing. Taking the suspension apart again three months later isn't worth the hassle.

Send Us Your VIN to Find the Right Parts

Step-by-Step Bushing Replacement Guide

Step 1. Prep the Car

Park the car on level ground and set the parking brake. Raise the side with the wheel you're working on and support it with a jack stand under the rocker panel or the subframe. Never get under a car that's held up only by a jack.

Remove the wheel — you now have full access to the suspension arms.

Step 2. Remove the Control Arm

Undo the bolts holding the control arm to the subframe — usually a front bolt and a rear bolt. On cars over 5 years old these bolts are often seized: soak them in WD-40 15–20 minutes before you start.

Disconnect the ball joint from the steering knuckle and lower the control arm. Remove it completely.

Step 3. Remove the Old Bushing

The bushing on the lower front control arm is pressed into a bore. There are two ways to remove it:

A press — the most reliable option. Push it out through a drift (sleeve) with even, steady force, without tilting it.

A hammer and a drift (sleeve) — a length of pipe that bears against the outer race without touching the center sleeve works well. Drive it out with even blows.

If the rubber has bonded to the metal, cut around it with a knife down to the outer race first, then push it out.

Step 4. Prep the Mounting Bore

After removal, clean up the inside surface — remove rust and burrs with sandpaper or a drill with a sanding attachment. Imperfections in the bore let the new bushing shift around and wear out fast.

Step 5. Press In the New Bushing

Apply a thin layer of grease to the outer race and to the bore in the control arm. Set the bushing in straight, with no tilt — pressing it in at an angle cuts its service life in half.

Press it in, or drive it in with hammer blows through a drift (sleeve), until it's fully seated. The part should sit flush with the face of the bore or at its built-in stop. For more on pressing technique and choosing the right drift (sleeve), see How to Install Bushings.

Step 6. Reassemble

Put the control arm back in place and start the bolts by hand — don't tighten them yet. Refit the wheel and lower the car to the ground.

Only now torque the control arm-to-subframe bolts to 80–100 Nm (about 59–74 ft-lb — check your car's manual for the exact spec). Torquing the bolts with the suspension hanging free is the most common DIY mistake: the bushing ends up pre-twisted and wears out twice as fast.

Step 7. Wheel Alignment

After replacing bushings, always get an alignment. The suspension geometry has shifted, and without adjusting it the tires will wear unevenly. Alignment typically costs 400–800 UAH depending on the city.

What's Different by Make and Model

The basic procedure is the same for most cars. But there are some nuances.

Lada 2110 / Lada 2112

The front bushings sit in the arms of the front suspension beam. It's easier to remove the whole beam rather than the arms one at a time — it's simpler than it sounds. The mounting bolts are often seized, so WD-40 is a must. Torque spec: 70 Nm (about 52 ft-lb).

Daewoo Lanos

Has a lower and an upper control arm, each with its own bushing. The replacement sequence is the same, but access to the upper arm is tighter. For the full model-specific walkthrough, see How to Replace Front Control Arm Bushings on a Daewoo Lanos.

Cars With a Subframe (Most Modern Models)

Sometimes it's easier to drop the subframe 4–6 in. (10–15 cm) without disconnecting the arms — this gives you better access to the mounting bolts and makes it easier to remove the control arm.

Cars Imported From the US and Europe

The OEM bushing part number can differ from what's listed in local catalogs. Send us your VIN, or bring in a sample — we'll make one to match a non-standard size.

Common DIY Mistakes

Torquing the bolts with the suspension hanging free — the bushing is pre-twisted from the start, and its service life is cut in half
Skipping grease on the mounting surfaces — makes pressing it in harder and invites corrosion
Pressing the bushing in at an angle — the part will fail before its time
Forgetting the wheel alignment — guaranteed uneven tire wear and vibration
Replacing only one side — the other one has the same mileage and you'll be back under the car in six months
Squeaking after installing polyurethane bushings — not a defect. Just apply silicone grease to the center sleeve

Also check out our channel: The Wrong Way to Install Bushings!

Where to Buy Bushings for Your Car

PolyPro polyurethane bushings for a wide range of makes and models are available in our kapot.in.ua catalog. They last 3–5 times longer than rubber equivalents, with a 12-month warranty and no mileage limit. Prices start from 80 UAH per part.

Can't find your part in the catalog? Call us: (050) 21-35-163, (067) 21-35-163 or message us on Viber. We also make parts to order by part number or by sample.

Not sure whether to replace just the bushings or the whole control arm? Read Control Arm Bushing Replacement vs Full Arm Replacement: Which Should You Choose? For a sway bar bushing specifically, see Welded vs. Replaceable Sway Bar Bushings: How Long Do They Last? — or if you'd rather restore a worn mount than replace it outright, see What Is Polyurethane Engine Mount and Strut Mount Reconstruction?

FAQ

Can you replace a bushing without removing the control arm?

No. The bushing is pressed into a bore in the control arm and can only be replaced after the arm is removed. Some mechanics try to do this “in place” with improvised tools, but the risk of pressing it in at an angle is much higher — the part wears out much faster.

How long does it take to replace bushings?

An experienced mechanic can replace the bushings on one control arm in 30–60 minutes. If you're doing it yourself for the first time, budget 2–4 hours per axle. Removing seized bolts and pressing the bushing in without a press take up the most time.

Do you need a press, or can you use a hammer?

A press applies even force and rules out tilting the bushing. A hammer and a drift (sleeve) also work, but you need to be careful. A bushing pressed in at an angle is the most common cause of early wear after a DIY replacement.

Should you replace both sides at once?

Yes. If one bushing is worn, the one on the other side has covered the same mileage and is in a similar state. Replacing both sides at once makes more economic sense: the bulk of the work is already done, so you're only paying extra for the part.

What's the difference between rubber and polyurethane bushings?

Rubber is softer and cheaper, with a service life of 50,000–100,000 km (30,000–62,000 mi). Polyurethane is stiffer (better handling), resistant to oils, acids, and road chemicals, and lasts 3–5 times longer. For spirited driving or a car with over 100,000 km (62,000 mi) on it, polyurethane pays for itself from the first replacement. For a detailed comparison, see our article “Durability and Comfort: Polyurethane or Rubber Bushings — Which Is Better for Your Car?”