replacing control arms and bushings, here is what I learned

[clydesdale]

Buy the friggin crows foot for the passenger's side ball joint and make the damn puller tool to push the bushing onto the arm. No way in hell I could have used a stubby to remove the nut on the passenger side ball joint. It took me 4 hours to remove the one nut with a standard 21mm wrench. I had to put a ton of torque through it. A stubby would never have gotten the job done. I also could not push the bushings back on, I made the puller tool that you see in this link.

http://www.understeer.com/lcab.shtml

Buy the crow's foot and make the tool. YOU WILL SAVE HOURS!

[dashboardmonkey]

Sounds like you needed a "taco" wrench.

And you can use a jack to hold the ball joint up in there.

[Aptyp]

maybe... just maybe... because that bolt is supposed to be 22mm???


I know it takes forever, so I lift the motor and use 7/8 self wretcheting wrench I got from Sears. It's awesome and easy.

As far as getting lollipop of the control arm, I do it with both boll joints still in. Use two pry-bars (crowbars) to press them off in the car.

[guibo09]

why not drop the subframe? took me less than 1 hour to do so with a jack holding the engine up. then you have excellent access to the bolt and take it off with whatever you please *insert impact wrench*

[Liam]

It's nice to have all the right tools, I suppose I'm spoiled.

[txtorquemade]

Tools rulz... Im thinking

[clydesdale]

I remember reading on here about the 22 mm. But I will tell you it is 21mm on my car all day long. I have check with a socket head as well. The 21 fits like a glove, 22 is too loose. The new nuts, same deal, 21 mm socket. The crows foot was the deal. I had no problem once the one nut came off. Everything else pretty much fell out, with the slight help of air forks.

[Naplm00]

mine was 22mm as well,

i just used an offset O2 sensor socket to get it off/on


and i used my press to install everythign else

[kronus]

So I guess I'm the only one reduced to doing maintenance using branches and little bits of string as tools, eh?

[free]

So I guess I'm the only one reduced to doing maintenance using branches and little bits of string as tools, eh?

Kronus, I am with you. Took me a long time to change my control arms. I won't tell what tools I used in some places....

[Swart_Kar]

PB Blaster really came through for me in the end. I was using a breaker bar on the ball joint fork and it did not budge. I sprayed some of the blaster on there, let it sit for 15 min and a tap with the rubber mallet and it was free. Just beware that you can put the lollipop in upside down. What can I say, it was a late night. :)

[Adrian_Visser]

Has anybody pressed out the balljoints from the control arm and replaced just the balljoints?

I noticed that BMA sells the balljoints by themselves for alot less than a whole control arm, and I'm tryin to lowball some work lol (already $700 into my old '84 eta I'm fixin up for my little brother) I have access to a 20 ton press at work btw or i wouldn't have asked.

[Naplm00]

yes its doable

[Cobra Jet]

Yes, I've also priced out just the ball joints for the front LCA's - and depending on what brand/manufacturer and vendor you decide to purchase from, you can replace all (4) front LCA balljoints for under $80.... as opposed to spending in excess of $200-$300 for front LCA's...

I'm not really sure why one would "overspend" replacing both L&R entire front LCA's if the actual steel arm is not bent or damaged... It just seems like a waste of $$$ IMO when one can just R&R the ball joints from the LCA's. If you don't have the means or tools for R&Ring just the ball joints, any local garage or shop would be able to press out and press in new BJ's for a walk in customer, should'nt cost any more than $40 or so for them to do it...

[Adrian_Visser]

I just got the balljoints from BMV up here in Canada cost about $140, let's see how stubborn those bitches are when I press the old ones out.