Control Arm Subframe Nut

[Dave]

Agreed, just jack it a little higher. My little 20 dollar pep boys jack does this job well. I've done it a couple of times with a large box end wrench, and then a 22mm crows foot to remove it after it's been loosened.

-Charlie

I'll try that again as the vice grips keep slipping.

[Bimmerfanatik]

Good luck Dave - Fielding and I just finished his car and it is a shit job, in every sense. We ended up lowering the subframe, sticking something between the subframe and the unibody, then jacking up on the ball joint. That way, you can put pressure on the ball joint from the jack, but still keep a window of clearance to get to the nut easier :)

[Dave]

Good luck Dave - Fielding and I just finished his car and it is a shit job, in every sense. We ended up lowering the subframe, sticking something between the subframe and the unibody, then jacking up on the ball joint. That way, you can put pressure on the ball joint from the jack, but still keep a window of clearance to get to the nut easier :)

clearance really is not so bad - the problem is this fucking ball joint spinning!!!!

[Bimmerfanatik]

clearance really is not so bad - the problem is this fucking ball joint spinning!!!!

That we didn't run into - everything else imaginable we did though ;)

Just jack higher - try repositioning the jack on the ball joint a bit maybe?

[Tom944]

Had the same problem before, this is how I did mine.
Try to put a jack under the uniball and use a nonlocking nut to pull the control arm to the subframe (or use your old nut and pry out the rubber). Then, jack up even more, take of the nonlocking nut and put on the new (selflocking) one. That's how I did mine, worked good.

[Intense]

I just underwent this same ordeal over the last two days. Most of the above-mentioned methods were exploited:

-Jacking the car under the ball joint to the point where the car was no longer on the jackstands
-liberal amounts of PB Blaster
-Impact gun
-Vice grip on the top of the ball joint to keep it from rotating

Didn't drop the subframe, but I have an iX. So, I think that's quite a bit more involved for me.

In the end, I ended up getting a $10 high speed air cutter from Harbor Freight tools and just cutting the damn ball joint just below where the nut had frozen.

Oddly enough, the drivers side only required the vice grip trick. Which is good, since the cutter would never fit in the area on the drivers side.

[bmwsmurf]

I got this out before with a crow foot 22mm and extensions. For some reason the ball joint didn't turn with the nut.

Can't you use a nut splitter on the nut and crack it?

You would think an impact gun would work good. Oh well.

[redhatpat]

Its funny how different this job can be. I was expecting the worst when I did this a couple months ago, so I bought a 22m crowsfoot, and cut down a 22mm wrench to stubby length as recommended. But didn't use the crowsfoot and probably could have gone without the stubby as well. I found a regular 22mm wrench could get in there from the top, and from below once I removed the heatshield from around the CAB.

[Dave]

After I get back from Florida, I am cutting the fucker off. I gave up on it last weekend.

[AdironRider]

It really does make it alot easier to drop the subframe. I dont think Id be done yet on my car if we didnt do that. Plus its only like 4 bolts.

[Intense]

It really does make it alot easier to drop the subframe. I dont think Id be done yet on my car if we didnt do that. Plus its only like 4 bolts.

Not on an iX...lol

Regardless, one high speed air cutter and I was done 5 minutes later. Good thing I had new CA ready to go....

[91Saleen#15]

My solution to any thread that even looks like it might be a problem is to heat it red hot first with an acetylene torch. Don't wait till after it's stripped.