control arm bushings

[nvesprini]

Hi everyone. Ive seen a few posts regarding the control arm bushings wearing out...apparently sooner than anticipated. Much of the discussion is on whether this is a warranty issue and how to get them replaced for free from dealer, etc.

Just wondering if the bushings are wearing out due to dirt and rust getting into the bushing itself OR if its an issue of poor quality of the rubber. Interested to see whether using some silicone spray would help to lube and waterproof the bushing and possibly extend its life. Easily done as a preventative step when swapping tires...BUT if the quality of the bushing is poor this is pointless.

any thoughts to those who know more about the bushing issues some are having? TIA

 

[android04]

Hi everyone. Ive seen a few posts regarding the control arm bushings wearing out...apparently sooner than anticipated. Much of the discussion is on whether this is a warranty issue and how to get them replaced for free from dealer, etc.

Just wondering if the bushings are wearing out due to dirt and rust getting into the bushing itself OR if its an issue of poor quality of the rubber. Interested to see whether using some silicone spray would help to lube and waterproof the bushing and possibly extend its life. Easily done as a preventative step when swapping tires...BUT if the quality of the bushing is poor this is pointless.

any thoughts to those who know more about the bushing issues some are having? TIA

They are a warranty item and Tesla will replace the upper control arm if you are still within your basic vehicle warranty period. And the bushings are not wearing out - they are not sealed well enough on the top plastic shroud and water gets inside and washes the grease away from the joint. The easiest way to tell this has happened is if your car makes a creaking sound when driving over bumps (sounds like a rusty bedspring mattress). The joint itself is a metal ball and a hard plastic ball socket. You can (and some people have) inject more grease into the rubber seal around the ball joint to fix the noise. You can either use a greasing needle attachment to poke through the seal, remove the spring clip around the seal and pump grease inside, or drill into the to of the control arm where the ball joint socket is and install a grease zerk (this is what I did).

 

[Perscitus]

^ This ^ exactly right.

Poor design (allowing the water to pour, wash over the top of the FUCA, right onto and into the ball joint housing) and mediocre engineering (not enough multi system interaction or non-Cali weather pattern testing) coupled with a somewhat heavy car (heavy to severe duty and a under-spec'ed part) do these in.

There are also people who replace/press-in new bushings/ball joints but the cost is so low to just replace the FUCAs or add some zerk/alemite fittings, that it makes little sense to replace the joint itself.

Elsewhere on the car (front lower compression arms, control arms, etc.) there are plenty over-stressed bushings that are subject to tears and failure, and those are worth replacing until non-OEMs catch up with HD OEM+ non-racing parts.

 

[nvesprini]

^ This ^ exactly right.

Poor design (allowing the water to pour, wash over the top of the FUCA, right onto and into the ball joint housing) and mediocre engineering (not enough multi system interaction or non-Cali weather pattern testing) coupled with a somewhat heavy car (heavy to severe duty and a under-spec'ed part) do these in.

There are also people who replace/press-in new bushings/ball joints but the cost is so low to just replace the FUCAs or add some zerk/alemite fittings, that it makes little sense to replace the joint itself.

Elsewhere on the car (front lower compression arms, control arms, etc.) there are plenty over-stressed bushings that are subject to tears and failure, and those are worth replacing until non-OEMs catch up with HD OEM+ non-racing parts.

Can anything be done for the lower bushings?

For the ball joints zerk fittings require drilling a hole and then tapping correct? this can be done such that shavings dont get into the ball joint?

 

[Perscitus]

Yes, android04 can tell you all about it. Search his posts/threads on the topic (with photos).

 

[BruceHulkBanne]

Anyone having issues with Telsa control arm/bushings? I have around 70K miles and I might to replace at least the bushings. Wondering what the cost would be. This is for left rear.

 

[jjrandorin]

Anyone having issues with Telsa control arm/bushings? I have around 70K miles and I might to replace at least the bushings. Wondering what the cost would be. This is for left rear.

(moderator note)

I merged your new thread with this existing one as its on a very similar topic.

 

[Mine GO BOOM]

While making a three point turn, my front right control arm snapped. Tesla says this is not covered under extended warranty because they claim it is excluded under the "expendable maintenance" terms. I had the manager point to a specific word in the agreement that made it not covered. I asked if they had documentation on their side that control arms are "expendable maintenance", he went back to the techs and then told me that they have no documents that say that, but they still won't cover it.

Guess I get to learn how to do arbitration with Tesla...

 

[Zeeshan Javaid]

Is it ok to drive if bushings are worn or it is not safe ?

 

[MountainPass]

Is it ok to drive if bushings are worn or it is not safe ?

It depends on how worn they are and which specific one it is. If is a balljoint with play in it - don't drive at all. If it is a rubber bushing that is tearing, but even if it fully tore the arm would remain attached, that is less dangerous.

 

[Zeeshan Javaid]

Which bushing are there in 2016 model X? Rubber or ball joint?
I took it to Tesla and they asked me to change all front control arms etc but told me it’s not mandatory to do it right now and I can do it later when I hear squeaking sounds in future.

 

[Zeeshan Javaid]

Here is a list of parts they recommend to change. Seems they change everything even if one part is worn out.