anyone have any info on replacing contol arms?

[mark in pa]

last post wasnt really helpful. just need some ideas to get the inner nut thast all.

thanks,
-mark

[Jared at Pelican Parts]

Ah yes, this one can be a pain. What I did was take an 22mm socket and about every extension piece I had, with a swivel and was able to get the driver's side off with no real problems. The passenger side is the tricky one. You cant get a socket over it, so you'll have to remove it using a large 22mm open end wrench. There is enough room to do it, but it's SLOW going getting it off. Looking back in retrospect i think I would just take the exhaust manifolds off if I had to do it again.

[mark in pa]

what size drive did you use? 1/2 inch drive or will 3/8 be enough? also how would you torque them ?

thanks,
-mark

[dhaus]

Assuming you have new nuts to re-install, I was able to get my dremmel tool in position to slice a slot in the nut. Then a few blows with a chisel and the nut unscrewed easily.

[mark in pa]

of course I have new nuts, you are only supposed to use self locking nuts once.

[dhaus]

Not trying to insinuate otherwise. Just pointing out that once you realize that you are going to discard the parts you are removing, other creative (destructive) means of removal come to mind. Splitting a nut is necessary sometimes. The nut splitter I have won't fit in that location so I had to find another way to split it. I labored on that nut for a long time before it came to me to just break it.

Don

[mark in pa]

how did you get it back on? all the rest seems simple but that inner nut looks like a total PITA

[dhaus]

The nut is accessible with an combination wrench from under the car. A jack under the ball joint will keep the shaft from turning while you tighten it. I didn't try to reach a specific torque. Basically I just got it as tight as I could.

Don

[mark in pa]

do u tighten when the car is jacked or all the way when its in the air? or doesnt it matteR? i heard you have to tighten it when its on the suspension has a load on it.

also im replacing the bushings.

[Jared at Pelican Parts]

you'll want to tighten it with a load on the arm.

[mark in pa]

how do you ever do that though?

[Jared at Pelican Parts]

put the car on the ground and tighten the nut

[mark in pa]

ah the passenger side is easy to get to. i can actually touch it pretty easily. but how can you get to the drivers side one easier? it looks like i can reach in from under and try and get it with a wrench and remove the sway bar for enough clearance. I do have access to air tools BTW.

thanks,
-mark

[dhaus]

It's my understanding that you should put the car on the ground before the lubricant you used to install the bushings dries. I haven't seen any instructions that say to tighten the ball joint with the car on the ground.

[Jonh]

I found the pass. side easier by removing the engine mount

[jase007]

I haven't seen any instructions that say to tighten the ball joint with the car on the ground.

I have replaced control arms 2X on my '90 iX and I have tightened the inner ball joint when car was in the air. I too have not found instructions saying otherwise. Perhaps one solution could be to drive it up on ramps to give some clearance (mine is lowered).

Jason

[randini74]

I did it while on jacks as well. I'm too fat to get that far under the old grey ghost when she's not on jacks.

One solution for those who prefer to load their suspensions before tightening the nut is too take yet another jack and lift the wheel on the side being tightened.