Bolt removal on control arm question....

[Schniddy]

What worked for me:

22mm crows foot and Extensions on the drivers side to break loose, then just a regular 22mm wrench from underneath. On the passenger side you need a swivel/U-joint along with the 22mm crows foot and extensions to clear the exhaust. After that a 22mm wrench from underneath got it off just fine.

[turboeta]

I used a open end 22mm then a stubby 22mm. It was a real PITA...but not as bad as getting the ball joints out.

[92 mtechnic cabrio]

you guys think that's bad?

try threading the pipe between the clutch slave and clutch master...

[Schniddy]

^that took some time

[clydesdale]

I just had to tackle this myself. I just don't get why everyone is saying a 22mm wrench. My car requires a 21mm and the replacement control arm nuts use 21mm as well. I too did not have a 21mm crows foot and could not get enough leverage onto my 21 mm wrench. So I used my 22mm (which was clearly too big) o2 sensor removal tool from bavarian auto. It is essentially a crows foot. So, I am not sure why everyone keeps saying a 22 mm when on my 87 it is clearly a 21mm nut. But either way, the crows foot concept worked perfectly on the passenger side. If that failed, I was going to bend a wrench.

[MIKe30]

I just had to tackle this myself. I just don't get why everyone is saying a 22mm wrench. My car requires a 21mm and the replacement control arm nuts use 21mm as well. I too did not have a 21mm crows foot and could not get enough leverage onto my 21 mm wrench. So I used my 22mm (which was clearly too big) o2 sensor removal tool from bavarian auto. It is essentially a crows foot. So, I am not sure why everyone keeps saying a 22 mm when on my 87 it is clearly a 21mm nut. But either way, the crows foot concept worked perfectly on the passenger side. If that failed, I was going to bend a wrench.

just took mine off with a 22, worked fine. (91 318is)

after you get the nut off, is there something else holding the stud in? CA doesnt want to come out still.... :?

[jlevie]

The ball joint stud is probably corrosion seized into the sub frame. Liberal application of PBlaster or Kroil and time for them to work (hours to days) followed by a heavy impact will usually release the stud. In extreme cases it may be necessary to drop the subframe and press out the stud.

[Red88]

you guys think that's bad?

try threading the pipe between the clutch slave and clutch master...

FUCK THAT. That took me waaaayy too long.

[StereoInstaller1]

I want an angled 22mm gearwrench

[e30s52]

I want an angled 22mm gearwrench

They are great! I have a snap-on one and not a day goes by that I dont use one of them. Best tool I have bought so far.

[zedfez]

I just pulled the passenger control arm on my iX and it was a bit of a pain, but with a 22mm combination wrench, it only took me 3hrs total to pull and replace it. I had a shop pop in my new inner ball joint for $10, and was good to go. It was one of the easiest things I have ever done on that car.
The only trouble I had was keeping the inner stud from spinning. Putting a jack under it didn't work, but the top of the stud was flat on two sides and unthreaded, so I just threw on a pair of vice grips to hold it still.

Maybe it was just karma from the week long leaky gas tank hell project in which every single bolt snapped when I tried to remove it.

[3bvert]

did not have a Metric crows foot, broke em loose wiht metric wrench, then used a sae crows foot and sae gear wrench, near enough same size
even had an old wintworth ( old british) stubby that fit in too