My car really needs lower bushings for the lower front control arms but everything else is fine. I'd like to have all four replaced and then get an alignment since that's all I can afford right now. My tires wear like crazy on the outer edges so I need it to be done soon. The upper bushings were replaced around 10 years ago along with the tie rods and ball joints so they'll last a while longer. What I'd like to do is just get the lower bushings replaced, get an alignment and camber adjustment (or whatever will stop the tire wear)just to fix that for now and later get the rest done. I've got an annoying pull to the left too when braking so that would remedy that. I know one bushing is completely gone. Getting new tires all the time is more expensive than a partial rebuild I'd think.

No reason why you can't do it that way, just be careful not to damage/ruin the lower ball joint when you remove it...

Myself, I would alsoreplace the lower balljoint at the same time since the arm will be removed, and the bushings have to be pressed in and out anyway... You could strip and repaint the arm (looking for cracks forming around the lower balljoint) and that way the complete lower arm is done... Especially if you have a shop do everything...

I would also inspect the upper bushings/ upper ball joints closely, since now would be the time to replace those too, if needed...

Did you only replace the ball-joints/ upper bushings 10 years ago, and not the lower bushings? Just seemed odd that they would go out completely, yet the rest still be good...

I wouldnt think the control arm bushings are causing the tires to wear unless they are really falling apart. When I was younger I did plenty of partial front end rebuilds which was everything except the control arm bushings and upper ball joints (no weight on them so they wear very little). What I would do is take the car to the shop for an alignment and front end check, they would tell me what was shot, I would then replace the parts and then get the alignment. Normally it was lower ball joints, tie rod ends, and the idler arm. Have you tried getting the car aligned before replacing things?

Shawn,
This is an area where if you do it 1/2 way, it's like twice the work to the other half later (i.e. disassembly time). No biggie if you are ok with that.

If you provide some elbow grease, you can take the lower arms to a shop to have the bushings & ball joint pressed in for something around $5 per.

If you use OEM rubber bushings, you can save some $$. In most street cars, poly is un-needed.

If you can round up a junk-yard set you can try to work on those, and just swap out the lower arm making the down time shorter.

This is some thing you can do, don't pay someone to remove the arms.

I bet your idler arm is probably worn out too. Very common wear out part. :D

Well I assume that it was aligned and square before the bottoms started falling apart. Like I said I know one is gone almost completely, the rear lower one on the lh side. I bought it this way, but I can tell what's been replaced and what hasn't. I never considered having it checked out before I went and had things replaced, that's an idea. There's no point in aligning it though with that one bushing that bad so I'm just replacing what I think needs it. There is no real play in the tie rods going down the road, it's very responsive which leads me to think the tie rods and idler arm still have some life in them. Thanks for the tips.