Failed Lower Control Arm Bushings

[tjonesdfw]

Dealer says the lower control arm bushings are shot on both sides of our 1500 Denali, with visible play at approximately 65,000 miles.  Truck has rarely seen some VERY light dirt and or gravel road use, but is primarily highway driven.  No lift, level, and factory size/rated tires.  Thankfully the GMPP warranty is covering the $2,300 repair, but can't believe bushings are shot this soon.  Is this common on '19-'25 trucks?  

[davester]

I'm on 3 other GM truck forums besides this one, and yours is the first mention of those bushing needing to be replaced that I can recall reading about having a problem.

[tjonesdfw]

7 hours ago, davester said:

I'm on 3 other GM truck forums besides this one, and yours is the first mention of those bushing needing to be replaced that I can recall reading about having a problem.

I haven’t really seen it anywhere either other than one mention by a user here in an unrelated topic, saying he had front end bushings go out really early.   The dealer says it’s rare but they have seen it a few times.  I still can’t get a clear answer from the advisor whether it’s the lower ball joints or the actual bushings.  Either way, to have visible play in them at approximately 65,000 miles still seems unacceptable, especially for a 1/2 ton truck that’s not abused or worked hard. Not exactly confidence inspiring and adds to a very long list of warranty issues we’ve had.   

Edited September 3, 2025 by tjonesdfw
misspelled word

[BIGDOGx]

These things are washing machines today, they are designed to fail now. Been driving GM trucks for the better part of 3 decades now and never once have I had to change control arm bushings.

 

Crazy it cost over 2 grand to replace a lower control arm as the whole thing is sold as 1 assembly today. 166$ for a lower control arm W/bushings and ball joint, and that is for a AC-Delco replacement one.

 

Control Arm

 

 

Edited September 3, 2025 by BIGDOGx

[tjonesdfw]

1 hour ago, BIGDOGx said:

These things are washing machines today, they are designed to fail now. Been driving GM trucks for the better part of 3 decades now and never once have I had to change control arm bushings.

 

Crazy it cost over 2 grand to replace a lower control arm as the whole thing is sold as 1 assembly today. 166$ for a lower control arm W/bushings and ball joint, and that is for a AC-Delco replacement one.

 

Control Arm

 

 

Agreed... absolutely everything seems designed to fail and be disposable.  I'm not sure if they've manufactured the lower control arm to be unserviceable now, or if the book just tells the dealer its easier and faster to replace the arms instead of pressing bushings out and in.  

 

I was shocked at the $2,300 price to replace two control arms too.  Guess I just got my money's worth from my GMPP warranty.  Unfortunately the extended warranty won't pay for the other $4,000+ worth of repairs this pile of junk needs.  

[newdude]

Definitely not a common failure that I've seen.  Sounds like it might be the ball joints though and they worded it wrong?  

Edited September 3, 2025 by newdude

[tjonesdfw]

1 hour ago, newdude said:

Definitely not a common failure that I've seen.  Sounds like it might be the ball joints though and they worded it wrong?  

Thats what I wondered too, but can’t get very good info from the dealer.  Do these trucks eat lower ball joints this quickly? 

[newdude]

13 hours ago, tjonesdfw said:

Thats what I wondered too, but can’t get very good info from the dealer.  Do these trucks eat lower ball joints this quickly? 

 

 

Not really unless you've got bad roads or are lifted or leveled.  

[Z45]

Planned obsolescence is the practice of designing or programming a product with a shortened lifespan to deliberately increase consumption and profit by encouraging consumers to replace it sooner.

 

With the bean counters firmly in charge, carmakers, and much of American industry, lost their single-minded focus on product excellence and their competitive advantage.

Edited September 4, 2025 by Z45

[tjonesdfw]

On 9/3/2025 at 4:21 PM, newdude said:

Definitely not a common failure that I've seen.  Sounds like it might be the ball joints though and they worded it wrong?  

It was definitely the lower ball joints.  Still surprised those failed at 65,000 on a pavement driven Denali without a lift or level and stock tires.  When I picked it up, they said 2 of the alignment pins had "come apart from the frame and were loose."  They recommended having them re-welded to the frame.  Is that really necessary, or is there another way to repair?

[swathdiver]

14 hours ago, tjonesdfw said:

It was definitely the lower ball joints.  Still surprised those failed at 65,000 on a pavement driven Denali without a lift or level and stock tires.  When I picked it up, they said 2 of the alignment pins had "come apart from the frame and were loose."  They recommended having them re-welded to the frame.  Is that really necessary, or is there another way to repair?

Gotta Stop Doing This:

 

 

[Alan Fulwood]

On 9/6/2025 at 4:03 PM, tjonesdfw said:

It was definitely the lower ball joints.  Still surprised those failed at 65,000 on a pavement driven Denali without a lift or level and stock tires.  When I picked it up, they said 2 of the alignment pins had "come apart from the frame and were loose."  They recommended having them re-welded to the frame.  Is that really necessary, or is there another way to repair?

Got 46k miles on my Denali 1500 4wd Duramax and it is the same thing. Truck spent its first 22k miles in Canada before I purchased it. I baby it and do minimal gravel and trail for hunting only. 4 wheel alignment had camber of 5 degrees both sides and caster off as well. They adjusted lower control arms and such to adapt but it still wouldn’t get it in normal

tolerances. So having to replace arms. 

 

[tjonesdfw]

On 1/28/2026 at 12:41 PM, Alan Fulwood said:

Got 46k miles on my Denali 1500 4wd Duramax and it is the same thing. Truck spent its first 22k miles in Canada before I purchased it. I baby it and do minimal gravel and trail for hunting only. 4 wheel alignment had camber of 5 degrees both sides and caster off as well. They adjusted lower control arms and such to adapt but it still wouldn’t get it in normal

tolerances. So having to replace arms. 

 

Pretty pathetic durability for ball joints on a half ton truck if you ask me.  I spend most days on a smooth tollway or interstate, and spent very little time on gravel and chip and seal roads before mine failed.  Then to have to replace the arms because they didn't make the ball joint serviceable is just icing on the cake.  

Edited February 2 by tjonesdfw