Hello...

I have an '06 LR3 HSE with all the bells and whistles. It's my wife's vehicle and I rarely drive it.

Recently I began to notice clunking sounds, first when climbing a small lip on a driveway and later if I tap the brakes sharply. My guess is the bushings are shot...by the description, LR suggests 1) pressing new bushings (about $720 in labor and undisclosed part costs, say $800 total, or 2) replace the control arms, labor is reduced to $360 and parts are about $500...cost is in the $8-900 range total.

I had heard this is common with these trucks, but I didn't stumble across any information in a quick search of this forum. Has anyone else run into this?

Miles are about 58,000.

Is there anything else that could cause this? Thanks.

john

 

I have done both. In the early year models, they didn't have as many of the replacement control arms, so they pressed out the old bushings and put in new ones. The problem was that so many times the control arms were so badly worn that new bushings would not stay in, and then the had to replace the control arm anyway. So it has become standard procedure at most dealers to replace the whole thing because of time. They do make more money on the replacement of the whole component. There have been many postings on the poly bushings from the UK that can be installed and will last longer, but they need to be done by an independent shop with the equipment, or an experienced do-it-yourself person. My dealer will not do it, and they are accommodating to me about nearly everything else!

 

The symptoms definitely sound like bushings/ball joint wear. Pretty normal on the LR3 eventually.

I just had mine replaced at 113k miles. I had the dealer do the job - lower control arms + tie rods etc for my 2005 LR3 HSE. I had the bushings done independently at 60k but dealer recommended upgrading to newer design control arms plus less labor to install vs retro fit bushings. $1350 from Land Rover service including alignment.

 

oh and you have to drive the vehicle for ten miles to get the bushings to settle in or else the alignment will be off. plus get ready to cut them out anyway. But realistically have the vehicle diagnosed first. don't throw something not needed. it could be the sway bar bushings as well.

 

I just had my 52,500 service done and the dealer said I have this exact problem (hadn't really noticed it until I had my loaner LR4 and got back into my LR3)...dealer gave me an estimate of $1,400 ish but this would be for the newer design and for both sides. Would love to have an estimate in the $8-900 range (-;

 

Just replaced the lower control arm bushings on my '05 LR3 with 66,000 miles. Didn't realize there was a problem until replacing brakes and doing a post installation brake test (definite "thunk" under hard braking). Dealer ended up installing new control arms as old bushings were frozen (I do mean frozen). Also replaced a tie rod link. Entire job was around $1,100 including front end alignment (covered under extended CARMAX warranty).

 

Hi,

I am a new member to this forum, and a new LR 3 owner, however, I've searched this site from back to front trying to find a definite fix for this.

Slow or fast, if I brake hard, there's a knock/clunk sound in the front end, sounds like it's coming from the passenger side. If I roll over uneven pavement without braking, I dont hear it. But if I go over that same section of uneven pavement with the brakes applied, the knock is there. It is also there when pulling into my driveway. I have to turn left into the driveway, and as soon as the right wheel hits that small lip, knock.

It is a 2005 LR3, 66k miles. I recently put all new brake pads on, flushed the brake system, and bled them. I'm not sure if I just never noticed it prior to the brake job because they were so soft, or something has happened since then. I have checked and re-checked the calipers for tightness, good to go. I even took the pads off and back on again in the front to make sure they didnt have any play in them inside the clips, which they didn't. I've taken it off the ground on the lift, moved around every single moving part I could get my hands on, and still could not reproduce the knock. Ive done the same on the ground as well. No visible broken bolts either. All the boots on the joints look good. Bounced it up and down making sure it wasn't a shock knocking or the mount/bearings. Nothing.

The two common items I keep coming across are lower ball joints, and sway bar end links. I grabbed ahold of the sway bar links and tugged, nothing. The way I understand it, I wouldn't be able to reproduce the knock if it were the ball joint? I really hate to take vehicles to shops in fear of getting ripped off. I can do things myself on most cars, but this is my first LR and I cannot figure out where it's coming from.

I did notice a little up-n-down play in the tie rods (no front-to-back play) but that is on both sides of the vehicle. And though they are slightly loose, it doesn't make the same sound that I'm hearing. It almost sounds like u flipped a 5 gallon bucket upside down and hit the bottom of it, like a "hollow" clunk.

Anyway, sorry to drag it out, but wanted to get as much info out there to see if someone had the fix.

Thanks and look forward to spending more time on here!

 

I grabbed my control arm and just BARELY got it to move. I can only put so much pressure on them compared to the weight of the truck. Should I be able to move them significantly with just brute force?

Did they say which one it was, control arm or tie rod end?(Meaning if it were just one and the other just got replaced as a preventative measure)

 

hello guys, let me just explain real quick how these bushings work , well only the rear bushing on the front control arm are liquid filled . so when they leak all the fluid out you will get a clunk noise when braking or most commenly going into a drive way. now there are updated ARMS not updated bushings only reason they call it updated arms is because of the actual lower control arm ball joint it has a slight taper to it. most of the time when i have done these bushings its just the rears that need to be replaced not the front so be aware of what you are actually getting done to your vehicle. And may i add the times for the job have dropped so just make sure they are charging you the right labor and not a made up number . the amount warranty pays to do those bushings is less than 3hrs then add another hour for alignment.

 

The control arm bushings were the culprit. Both lower control arms were replaced as well as both front and rear bushings (this based on my look at the old parts and a crawl under the vehicle). The tie rod end was an attempt at a "quick" fix that didn't work out.