Front Lower Control Arm Romoval/Replacement (1 Viewer)

[lesgarten]

One of the things I noticed about the bushings. Maybe everybody else knows this, but they are tapered about 3/4 -1 mm from the flange end.

 

[Somebodyelse5]

A smaller "catch" socket will work. I think anything around the 45mm range (perhaps even down to 41mm) should work fine as long as you beat the bushing flange back first. I don't have a spare bushing laying around to measure, but if you do then it would be worth measuring the O.D. of the bushing sleeve to determine which two sockets will work best as the "push" and "catch".

someday, I will have a lathe, and our trouble will be over

 

[lesgarten]

@OwnerCS @lesgarten I apologize for not getting you some photos sooner. Admittedly, doing so completely slipped my mind until your posts this morning.

So without further ado, below are a few photos of the setup I used. I thought I had a spare control arm laying around to use as an example and double check the socket sizes I used, but if I do I can’t find the damn thing. You’ll have to use your imagination! But I’m 95-98% confident that I used a 1”-drive 54mm socket as the catch (bushing presses into) and a 3/4”-drive 32mm socket as the drive (“press”). These are leftovers from my days working on mining equipment years ago. Unless you also work on heavy machinery, I guess it’s unlikely that you’ll have a plethora of 1” and 3/4” drive sockets laying around to choose from. These larger drive sockets have thicker walls than 1/2” and 3/8” drive sockets, so the exact sizes that fit best on each end won’t be the same if you’re using 1/2” drive.

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I bought the threaded rod, washers, and nuts for like $10 from Home Depot. Rod is 1/2” x 12”; four washers are 1/2” with 1-3/4” O.D.

Hi,
When you pressed these bushes out, you pressed from inside the arm to the outside, correct?

 

[JunkCrzr89]

Hi,
When you pressed these bushes out, you pressed from inside the arm to the outside, correct?

Correct. However, prior to pressing them out, I bent the outer lip back so that I could get the big socket pressing against the control arm, and also used a torch to loosen up the bushing outer sleeve inside the control arm.

 

[lesgarten]

Correct. However, prior to pressing them out, I bent the outer lip back so that I could get the big socket pressing against the control arm, and also used a torch to loosen up the bushing outer sleeve inside the control arm.

Thanx!

 

[OwnerCS]

No luck on finding the 12" bolt at Fastenal. My son is out looking for one at local specialty hardware and Home Depot.

 

[JunkCrzr89]

No luck on finding the 12" bolt at Fastenal. My son is out looking for one at local specialty hardware and Home Depot.

Everbilt 1/2 in. x 12 in. Zinc Threaded Rod 802127 - The Home Depot

Perfect for anchor bolts, clamps, hangers and U-bolts and many more projects where a metal rod with continuous threading or no head or fashioned tip is required. Everbilt exclusively offers a variety of sizes, diameters and lengths to suit the individual needs of your job or project. These rods...

www.homedepot.com

 

[lesgarten]

No luck on finding the 12" bolt at Fastenal. My son is out looking for one at local specialty hardware and Home Depot.

I think Mcmaster Carr has someplace close to me. I ordered 12" M12 10.9 all thread and a box of hardened nuts and it came in one day. It was a very fine thread at 2.0 which is good for doing this. When you select the part, it will tell you whether it is in stock or not. I only chose in stock. Came superfast. I'm not sure you're gonna like the allthread at HD for this project.

 

[lesgarten]

This morning I pressed the old bushing out this morning. I learned a few things that will make the passenger side easier.

1) I really should have used a grade 8 rod. The grade 5 worked ok but it took two rods to get through the process. No grade 8 rods were available in my little town. I will need to buy two more rods and some nuts for the passenger side.

2) The 35mm socket worked to press out the old bushing. Though, it became stuck in the mount at the end. I will try a 34mm on the passenger side.

3) I heated the mount with an electric heat gun made removing the old bushing easier to remove. I didn't start using the heat gun until I could see the bushing was moving. I was afraid to use my torch since there was a lot of oily grime around the mount. I was afraid it would catch fire if I put too much heat on it.

4) I will heat the mount before I install the new bushing. I have the new mount in the freezer for installation.

5) I plan to use the 35mm to press in the new mount from the front side.

6) I took a wire wheel to the inside of the mount to clean it out. I will use some CRC Silaramic ceramic brake system grease on the surface area that I already have to lubricate the new bushing.

7) The receiver side of the press was borrowed from Advance Auto in their big 4x4 ball joint press kit.

Pictures

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Nice writeup and pix! Thanx!

No problem using the kit from Advance Auto to do the other bushing?

How long is your all thread piece?

 

[OwnerCS]

Nice writeup and pix! Thanx!

No problem using the kit from Advance Auto to do the other bushing?

How long is your all thread piece?

Thanks!

The threaded rod was a 24" that I cut into two 12" pieces. Anything more than 12" just gets in the way. I used a barrel 19mm with a long ratchet to tighten the rod nut. I had to take it slow during removal. I could feel the rod getting hot when I started applying torque. I didn't want to go too fast and break it.

I bought a new LCA so I didn't need to press out the old bushing on that one. I've used the Advance Auto press kit on other ball joint and suspension jobs without issue. I borrowed the kit that requires a $250 deposit.

 

[lesgarten]

Thanks!

The threaded rod was a 24" that I cut into two 12" pieces. Anything more than 12" just gets in the way. I used a barrel 19mm with a long ratchet to tighten the rod nut. I had to take it slow during removal. I could feel the rod getting hot when I started applying torque. I didn't want to go too fast and break it.

I bought a new LCA so I didn't need to press out the old bushing on that one. I've used the Advance Auto press kit on other ball joint and suspension jobs without issue. I borrowed the kit that requires a $250 deposit.

Thanx, the 8 bushings I have to do are what is keeping me from starting the reinstallation of the front suspension/Brakes/Bearings. Last hurdle... Uhhh and the ball joints of course. Ohhh and the rebooting of the CVs... Hmmm the list is still a bit long!

 

[OwnerCS]

Thanx, the 8 bushings I have to do are what is keeping me from starting the reinstallation of the front suspension/Brakes/Bearings. Last hurdle... Uhhh and the ball joints of course. Ohhh and the rebooting of the CVs... Hmmm the list is still a bit long!

The Advance kit really came in handy with pressing in the new bushing. The kit comes with a BIG socket that is just right for front side of the rear bushing. I used that with the receiver cup that I used on the front during removal.

 

[lesgarten]

This morning I pressed the old bushing out this morning. I learned a few things that will make the passenger side easier.

1) I really should have used a grade 8 rod. The grade 5 worked ok but it took two rods to get through the process. No grade 8 rods were available in my little town. I will need to buy two more rods and some nuts for the passenger side.

2) The 35mm socket worked to press out the old bushing. Though, it became stuck in the mount at the end. I will try a 34mm on the passenger side.

3) I heated the mount with an electric heat gun made removing the old bushing easier to remove. I didn't start using the heat gun until I could see the bushing was moving. I was afraid to use my torch since there was a lot of oily grime around the mount. I was afraid it would catch fire if I put too much heat on it.

4) I will heat the mount before I install the new bushing. I have the new mount in the freezer for installation.

5) I plan to use the 35mm to press in the new mount from the front side.

6) I took a wire wheel to the inside of the mount to clean it out. I will use some CRC Silaramic ceramic brake system grease on the surface area that I already have to lubricate the new bushing.

7) The receiver side of the press was borrowed from Advance Auto in their big 4x4 ball joint press kit.

Pictures








View attachment 2277211

Are those their axle nut sockets?

After doing the R/R, do you need only the 34 or 34 and 35?

 

[Beto Cruiser]

TL;DR
How do I remove the unusual "snap rings" on my ball joints (pics below)? And spend the extra money on LCAs/UCAs with new joints/bushings pre-installed to avoid this mess....


Day 4 of this project from hell. I figured that since my trunk was rust free my bushings wouldn't be so bad. False... Tried almost every method that people have described and nothing has worked. Broke a 12 ton jack, a 6 ton jack, and a 2 ton jack (6 and 12 were on an H frame press!). Bent three 1/2" and one 5/8" rods (using the bolt/rod method on the no 2 bushing, as described in this thread and others). Still no luck. Also broke 3 chisels.

Finally I took a drill to it. It's a slow process, but it does work. Just drill out rubber until the inner sleeve is free, then sawzall the outer sleeve and hammer or press it out. Takes about 15-30 minutes per bushing (15 for no 2 and 30 for LCAs). So far 5/8 bushings done and I've gone through 2 drill bits and 2 sawzall blades.

When I initially removed my control arms they looked great. I had bought paint for them, but thought I wouldn't need it after seeing what good condition they were in. But now, after removing most of the bushings, they look like trash and I need to repaint so they don't rust in all the new chips...


Okay and now to my question! I can't get my ball joints out... They have a different snap ring than I was expecting. Not even sure if it can be called a snap ring. It makes me wonder if the arms installed on my truck are not OEM (or at least the ball joints aren't). Any advice on how to remove them? The best advice I could find on google was to use two chisels, align them in a V shape poking each end of the ring, and hammer it off. Didn't work. Actually broke 2 chisels trying... Probably crappy chisels. Also tried the same idea but using needle nose pliers and vice grips, but neither worked.

Thanks

 

[TheForger]

TL;DR
How do I remove the unusual "snap rings" on my ball joints (pics below)? And spend the extra money on LCAs/UCAs with new joints/bushings pre-installed to avoid this mess....


Day 4 of this project from hell. I figured that since my trunk was rust free my bushings wouldn't be so bad. False... Tried almost every method that people have described and nothing has worked. Broke a 12 ton jack, a 6 ton jack, and a 2 ton jack (6 and 12 were on an H frame press!). Bent three 1/2" and one 5/8" rods (using the bolt/rod method on the no 2 bushing, as described in this thread and others). Still no luck. Also broke 3 chisels.

Finally I took a drill to it. It's a slow process, but it does work. Just drill out rubber until the inner sleeve is free, then sawzall the outer sleeve and hammer or press it out. Takes about 15-30 minutes per bushing (15 for no 2 and 30 for LCAs). So far 5/8 bushings done and I've gone through 2 drill bits and 2 sawzall blades.

When I initially removed my control arms they looked great. I had bought paint for them, but thought I wouldn't need it after seeing what good condition they were in. But now, after removing most of the bushings, they look like trash and I need to repaint so they don't rust in all the new chips...


Okay and now to my question! I can't get my ball joints out... They have a different snap ring than I was expecting. Not even sure if it can be called a snap ring. It makes me wonder if the arms installed on my truck are not OEM (or at least the ball joints aren't). Any advice on how to remove them? The best advice I could find on google was to use two chisels, align them in a V shape poking each end of the ring, and hammer it off. Didn't work. Actually broke 2 chisels trying... Probably crappy chisels. Also tried the same idea but using needle nose pliers and vice grips, but neither worked.
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Thanks

Get a c-clamp on there so that one side of the clip catches one of the jaws of the clamp. Then using a flathead or something similar hammer the other end of the clip to knock it off the ball joint

 

[JunkCrzr89]

Get a c-clamp on there so that one side of the clip catches one of the jaws of the clamp. Then using a flathead or something similar hammer the other end of the clip to knock it off the ball joint

This

 

[TheForger]

TL;DR
How do I remove the unusual "snap rings" on my ball joints (pics below)? And spend the extra money on LCAs/UCAs with new joints/bushings pre-installed to avoid this mess....


Day 4 of this project from hell. I figured that since my trunk was rust free my bushings wouldn't be so bad. False... Tried almost every method that people have described and nothing has worked. Broke a 12 ton jack, a 6 ton jack, and a 2 ton jack (6 and 12 were on an H frame press!). Bent three 1/2" and one 5/8" rods (using the bolt/rod method on the no 2 bushing, as described in this thread and others). Still no luck. Also broke 3 chisels.

Finally I took a drill to it. It's a slow process, but it does work. Just drill out rubber until the inner sleeve is free, then sawzall the outer sleeve and hammer or press it out. Takes about 15-30 minutes per bushing (15 for no 2 and 30 for LCAs). So far 5/8 bushings done and I've gone through 2 drill bits and 2 sawzall blades.

When I initially removed my control arms they looked great. I had bought paint for them, but thought I wouldn't need it after seeing what good condition they were in. But now, after removing most of the bushings, they look like trash and I need to repaint so they don't rust in all the new chips...


Okay and now to my question! I can't get my ball joints out... They have a different snap ring than I was expecting. Not even sure if it can be called a snap ring. It makes me wonder if the arms installed on my truck are not OEM (or at least the ball joints aren't). Any advice on how to remove them? The best advice I could find on google was to use two chisels, align them in a V shape poking each end of the ring, and hammer it off. Didn't work. Actually broke 2 chisels trying... Probably crappy chisels. Also tried the same idea but using needle nose pliers and vice grips, but neither worked.
View attachment 2422354
View attachment 2422356 View attachment 2422357


Thanks

Here’s a great picture taken by @2001LC demonstrating that method

 

[Beto Cruiser]

Here’s a great picture taken by @2001LC demonstrating that method

View attachment 2422563

Great idea. I'll try it out tomorrow or Wednesday. So I take it that this is the OEM style snap ring?

 

[JunkCrzr89]

So I take it that this is the OEM style snap ring?

Yep

 

[flintknapper]

Here’s a great picture taken by @2001LC demonstrating that method

View attachment 2422563

Used a leaf spring U-Bolt I had laying around on mine.

One little tap....and the clip was off.