Front Lower Control Arm Romoval/Replacement (3 Viewers)

[davisfj62]

It's time to tackle my worn out suspension, specifically the UCA and LCA bushings and ball joints on my 1998 LC. I'm trying to locate a "How to/step-by-step" thread with photos/illustrations on "Front Lower Control Arm Romoval/Replacement". I also plan on replacing CV axle assemblies and tie rod ends at the same time.

Though I have done plenty of suspension work on my FJ62 and 3-gen Taco, I've never attempted suspension work on torsion bar suspension.

Any and all help would be great.

Thank you.

 

[TheForger]

Not hard at all. Find the threads on reindexing torsion bars, except you will take it a step further and complete remove them. Jack the truck up. Remove wheel. Pull the lower ball joint. Support axle & UCA with something to prevent them from drooping too low and pulling the axle out of the diff. Undo lower control arm bolts. Replace with new LCA and hand-tighten the bolts. Replace torsion bars and torsion bar bracket on the LCA (I would recommend installing the reinforcement bracket at this time also) by following the steps in the thread I linked above to reindex them. Replace ball joint. Put the truck back on the ground so all the weight is on the 4 tires and tighten the LCA bolts to spec. I would also recommend replacing all the bolts & nuts with new.

 

[JunkCrzr89]

Find the threads on reindexing torsion bars, except you will take it a step further and complete remove them.

Don’t have to completely remove torsion bars to pull LCA. Just need to unbolt bracket from LCA and hammer bracket off of torsion bar splines onto arm of bar. Loosen the torsion bar adjustment bolt first, though, to take tension off the the bars and LCA.

Put the truck back on the ground so all the weight is on the 4 tires and tighten the LCA bolts to spec

That’s not possible, given the rearward LCA bolt’s head is located behind the torsion bar bracket, and the bracket must be installed before putting any weight on the suspension...


Replacing the control arm bushings is only crappy part about this job...they can be a bear to get out, which is why a lot of people just buy new control arms with new bushings already installed. However, I replaced all of mine. Torch, chisel, hammer, and hacksaw were all useful for getting the old ones out. New ones press in without issue. Also, the #2 LCA bushing is in the frame. In can be pressed in and out using a threaded rod, couple of big washers and nuts, and appropriately sized sockets.

 

[TheForger]

That’s not possible, given the rearward LCA bolt’s head is located behind the torsion bar bracket, and the bracket must be installed before putting any weight on the suspension...

Not quite sure what you mean by it not being possible, it worked fine for me. You never want to tighten the lower control arm bolts to spec without the arm being under full load.

 

[davisfj62]

Not hard at all. Find the threads on reindexing torsion bars, except you will take it a step further and complete remove them. Jack the truck up. Remove wheel. Pull the lower ball joint. Support axle & UCA with something to prevent them from drooping too low and pulling the axle out of the diff. Undo lower control arm bolts. Replace with new LCA and hand-tighten the bolts. Replace torsion bars and torsion bar bracket on the LCA (I would recommend installing the reinforcement bracket at this time also) by following the steps in the thread I linked above to reindex them. Replace ball joint. Put the truck back on the ground so all the weight is on the 4 tires and tighten the LCA bolts to spec. I would also recommend replacing all the bolts & nuts with new.

...
Much thanks man! I also appreciate the links.

 

[CruiseLanderAZ]

@Somebodyelse5 and I can confirm that the LCA bushings are a royal P.I.T.A to get out but you'll feel a great sense of accomplishment after.

 

[Somebodyelse5]

@Somebodyelse5 and I can confirm that the LCA bushings are a royal P.I.T.A to get out but you'll feel a great sense of accomplishment after.

Idk about you, but nothing about that job ever made me feel good

When we tackle @CruiseLanderAZ 's truck I am going to drink heavily during, before, and after.... just thinking about it makes me want to start drinking

 

[nissanh]

Is ths rear bushing is included with the oem LCA? I see this bushing is list3d separately from the lca arm. I am going to do all oem control arms all around except front upper arm, but will install oem bushings there.

 

[Somebodyelse5]

Is ths rear bushing is included with the oem LCA? I see this bushing is list3d separately from the lca arm. I am going to do all oem control arms all around except front upper arm, but will install oem bushings there.

I do not believe so. Only the front bushing (comes installed) in the arm.

 

[JunkCrzr89]

Is ths rear bushing is included with the oem LCA? I see this bushing is list3d separately from the lca arm. I am going to do all oem control arms all around except front upper arm, but will install oem bushings there.

Nope.

 

[Joe422]

Which bushings are you guys replacing with? OE? Moog, etc, ? or Poly?

 

[JunkCrzr89]

Which bushings are you guys replacing with? OE? Moog, etc, ? or Poly?

I replaced with Sankei 555 rubber bushings. They are *supposedly* of similar quality as OEM but at a much lower cost than OEM.

 

[lesgarten]

Don’t have to completely remove torsion bars to pull LCA. Just need to unbolt bracket from LCA and hammer bracket off of torsion bar splines onto arm of bar. Loosen the torsion bar adjustment bolt first, though, to take tension off the the bars and LCA.


That’s not possible, given the rearward LCA bolt’s head is located behind the torsion bar bracket, and the bracket must be installed before putting any weight on the suspension...


Replacing the control arm bushings is only crappy part about this job...they can be a bear to get out, which is why a lot of people just buy new control arms with new bushings already installed. However, I replaced all of mine. Torch, chisel, hammer, and hacksaw were all useful for getting the old ones out. New ones press in without issue. Also, the #2 LCA bushing is in the frame. In can be pressed in and out using a threaded rod, couple of big washers and nuts, and appropriately sized sockets.

Hey,
Just bought bushings to do upper and lower front control arms. The bushings I got have rubber pads on the flanged end. How do you press those in without screwing up the rubber?

Trying to find a really good how to thread for these LCA's if anyone knows of one.

 

[JunkCrzr89]

Hey,
Just bought bushings to do upper and lower front control arms. The bushings I got have rubber pads on the flanged end. How do you press those in without screwing up the rubber?

Trying to find a really good how to thread for these LCA's if anyone knows of one.

The rubber pads go on after you install the bushings.

 

[nissanh]

I replaced with Sankei 555 rubber bushings. They are *supposedly* of similar quality as OEM but at a much lower cost than OEM.

Not at all! Nothing can beat the toyota quality. I am speaking from my experience working with ONLY toyotas since 1990.

 

[JunkCrzr89]

Not at all! Nothing can beat the toyota quality. I am speaking from my experience working with ONLY toyotas since 1990.

I agree, which is why I wrote *supposedly*.

 

[lesgarten]

The rubber pads go on after you install the bushings.
View attachment 2260908

I wiggled both of them pretty good, but I'll look them over again, thanx!

Anybody know of a good thread on doing these?

 

[JunkCrzr89]

Anybody know of a good thread on doing these?

Doing what? Removing the old bushings or installing the new?

 

[lesgarten]

Doing what? Removing the old bushings or installing the new?

I am removing the old bushings and installing new. Or at least that's my plan...

 

[JunkCrzr89]

I am removing the old bushings and installing new. Or at least that's my plan...

I’m not aware of a how-to thread, but it may exist. The lower frame bushing is easy to do with a 1/2” threaded rod (>8” long), some big washers, couple of nuts, and a couple of sockets. The bushings in the control arms are a pain in the ass, though. Multiple methods to get them out. I heated them with a torch until the inner sleeve came out, then cut a slit lengthwise on the inside of the bushing with a hacksaw, and then used a hammer and chisel to beat them out. Others have drilled them out, pressed them out, etc. Getting them out is the hard part, but the new ones go in easy using the threaded rod, washers, and sockets. Pick your poison...