Bolt removal on control arm question....

[etajohn]

How the heck do you get the nut off that connects the control arm ball joint to the subframe next to the motor mount? There doesn't seem to be any room to get a good sized wrench in there or a power tool. Doesn't even seem to be enough room to slip the socket over the top of the nut with a wrench or ratchet attached. What am I missing here? I got everything else loose but I'm stumped by the location of that big bolt in the center of the control arm.
Thanks.

[drift]

Did an open-end wrench fail?
Its a tight spot to get it, almost no leverage.
I tried to 'connect' 2 wrenches together to gain some leverage, you know that simple trick.. box wrench on the bolt, and the other end is open..then you connect/hook it with another box wrench. With several different angle.

[BobombETA]

I think I resorted to dropping the subframe a bit. I supported the engine with a jack and a block of wood, and dropped it an inch or so. I remember one side being much easier than the other. I think for the other side a multitude of extensions and swivels worked out. A stubby wrench might work too. It was definetely a bitch though.

[StereoInstaller1]

I took a cheap Harbor Freight 22mm wrench, laid it on the curb and hit it with an 8LB sledge.

WARNING: if you do this, the motherfucker WILL go flying, quite some distance.

I sent this sumbitch about 25 feet in the air, flew a good 60 feet.

So, none of that will get that control arm off, but beating the hell out of a wrench feels really good.

Seriously, a slightly bent 22mm wrench is what I used, works like a charm. And yes, I really did whack it with an 8lb sledge, and yes, it really did fly that far and yes, it feels really good to beat the HELL out of a wrench.

No, I won't send it to you.

Luke

[Mossman]

open ended 22m or 7/8" wrench is your friend. Even really big unbent ones work. Go at it from the back of the car, and you have to flip the wrench between turns, so you're only getting 1/12th of a turn so it takes a while. Spray it down with PB blaster or the equivalent, and if it's really tight and you can't break it free use a pry bar to break it free the first time, then you shouldn't have any problems doing it by hand. You can also cut the wrench down to like 5 or 6" but then it's pretty much useless for breaking it free the first time.

[etajohn]

"Did an open-end wrench fail?"

Yeah, so far. I can't get enough oommph on it in the close quarters. I got the rest of the nuts loose so I'll keep at it. I just wanted to see if there was an easier way.
Are you guys leaning over the fender to do it or laying under the car?
Thanks.

[DCColegrove]

Use a pry bar against the wrench for leverage.

[Eric Giles]

I have always used the following:

22mm crows foot
Swivel/U-joint
Extenion(s) long enough so that a ratchet will clear the top of the motor

You still can only get about a 1/2 turn on the nut each time, but this way gives me much more leverage and isn't hard at all. I usually only use this on the passenger side, as the driver's side can be reached easier from the underside-but, this will work on the driver's side also.

[Massive Lee]

I prefer to use a 1/2" drive socket and a long extension. It is easy to remove the nut with a hand ratchet. But to reinstal it, I use an impact. If you don't have an impact, applying pressure on the control arm from below by using a floor jack will ensure the stud will not spin while you torque.

[Jean]

I don't remember it being this big of a problem when I replaced control arms on my 318i, it must be different on a m20 cars.... you can't get at them from the top of the engine bay with long extension / air tools?? Man, I am not looking forward to this now.

[StereoInstaller1]

It is not that hard. My magic taco wrench works well. I would imagine a crows foot would do fine too...but a stubby 22MM would be tits.

[Nick325is]

I prefer to use a 1/2" drive socket and a long extension. It is easy to remove the nut with a hand ratchet. But to reinstal it, I use an impact. If you don't have an impact, applying pressure on the control arm from below by using a floor jack will ensure the stud will not spin while you torque.

+1 on using a floor jack to keep the stud from spinning. I think I got another couple turns out of the nut when I used the floor jack.

[ron1999]

I have always used the following:

22mm crows foot
Swivel/U-joint
Extenion(s) long enough so that a ratchet will clear the top of the motor

Use a 1/2 drive tools, all of the above -
i just made this work last weekend.
to get high enough i had to connect about 3 adapters , than used a ratchet.



The REAL BS is to get the bushings on and off....



Ron.

[etajohn]

"The REAL BS is to get the bushings on and off...."

I'm avoiding that problem with new control arms and already installed new bushings ready to go.

Thanks everyone for your advice.

[Schniddy]

is a crows foot absolutely necessary, or can you just use a regular 22mm socket?