Lower control arm bolts (1 Viewer)

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I've searched and haven't found what I'm looking for, but I'm sure many of you have done this in the past. I did an AHC lift awhile back, but want to crack the inner front lower control arm nuts/bolts while the truck is jacked up, then lower it and retighten them to remove any possible preload in the arms.

Think these are tightened to 230 ft-lbs and I can't seem to get an impact alight on them. Can anyone provide some input on how you have gotten these loose before? Do you loosen the outer bolts, or the nuts inside the control arm U? Any help is appreciated.
 
The nuts on the control arms have ridges that keep them locked in place. From what I've read if you turn the nut you'll need to replace it because it flattens the ridges and allows them to loosen over time. The rear control arms have the same type of nut on them. This link is from an 80s thread discussing the ridges.


IMHO, an AHC lift would not create a preload problem on those bushings.
 
I agree with @melepley - I doubt that you need to do this, as I cant imagine an AHC "lift" is beyond the normal range of motion for the suspension. However, if you want to do it anyways, you will need a socket (I don't remember what size) on the bolt head, because as melepley noted, the nuts are flanged and have ridges (see below). Consequently, you need to remove the torsion bar torque arm to access the bolt head at the rear mount of the control arm.

After you get the control arm bolts loose, put the torsion bar torque arm back on and torque it's nuts back to spec (166 ft-lbf). Then, with the weight of the vehicle on the ground, you can torque the control arm bolts back to spec (170 ft-lbf). The front control arm bolt will be easy to do, but because of the torsion bar torque arm, the rear control arm bolt will require you to put an open end or box end wrench on the bolt head inside the torque arm and a torque wrench on the nut. You'll have to wedge the torque wrench so that it doesn't turn the nut, then turn the open/box end wrench on the bolt head until the torque wrench clicks. Alternatively, you could get a crowsfoot with extended head on the bolt inside the torque arm and then apply the torque wrench to the crowsfoot, with a boxend wrench on the nut and wedged to prevent movement of the nut.

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The nuts on the control arms have ridges that keep them locked in place. From what I've read if you turn the nut you'll need to replace it because it flattens the ridges and allows them to loosen over time. The rear control arms have the same type of nut on them. This link is from an 80s thread discussing the ridges.

Would love some clarification on this as everything is all tightened down except the rear lower bolts.

See this post where it's stated that it doesn't matter if you turn the bolt or the nut.

See this post from the 80 forum also discussing this type of fastener and the need to turn the bolt and not the nut but that if properly torqued the nut won't come loose.

I just replaced everything and when I loosened the nuts (not the bolts) those four little tabs were still there? I get the point of those little locking tabs, but I seriously don't understand how Toyota expects you to tighten that rear bolt from the bolt side at ride-height. And even if those little tabs didn't wear off, it seems like once things started getting tight you're going to be working extra hard to overcome those tabs, resulting in not enough torque being applied since it's not turning on the washer?

You can't really remove the torque arm at ride height because there is too much pre-load on the torsion bars at ride height right?

Seems like the only proper way to do this is to set the vehicle at ride height, mark the LCA position, lift the rig and take off the wheel (for access) loosen the torsion bar, take the torque arm off, jack up the LCA to match the marks you set, torque it down and re-install everything. Seems like such a hassle and if that was how it was supposed to be done wouldn't it be called for in the FSM? Add to that the fact that my torque wrench is too big for those bolts that without a lift I can't even torque them.

Maybe (likely) I'm all wrong but that's why I am posting here.
 
Would love some clarification on this as everything is all tightened down except the rear lower bolts.

See this post where it's stated that it doesn't matter if you turn the bolt or the nut.

See this post from the 80 forum also discussing this type of fastener and the need to turn the bolt and not the nut but that if properly torqued the nut won't come loose.

I just replaced everything and when I loosened the nuts (not the bolts) those four little tabs were still there? I get the point of those little locking tabs, but I seriously don't understand how Toyota expects you to tighten that rear bolt from the bolt side at ride-height. And even if those little tabs didn't wear off, it seems like once things started getting tight you're going to be working extra hard to overcome those tabs, resulting in not enough torque being applied since it's not turning on the washer?

You can't really remove the torque arm at ride height because there is too much pre-load on the torsion bars at ride height right?

Seems like the only proper way to do this is to set the vehicle at ride height, mark the LCA position, lift the rig and take off the wheel (for access) loosen the torsion bar, take the torque arm off, jack up the LCA to match the marks you set, torque it down and re-install everything. Seems like such a hassle and if that was how it was supposed to be done wouldn't it be called for in the FSM? Add to that the fact that my torque wrench is too big for those bolts that without a lift I can't even torque them.

Maybe (likely) I'm all wrong but that's why I am posting here.
What was your solution here? I've run into the exact same issue with the back bolt on the lower control arm. My wrench only goes to 150 ft lbs, think 166-170 is called for? I got lucky with the nuts not spinning, but was not able to achieve even 150# on the PS due to clearance issues with the wrench and cheater bar.
 
What was your solution here? I've run into the exact same issue with the back bolt on the lower control arm. My wrench only goes to 150 ft lbs, think 166-170 is called for? I got lucky with the nuts not spinning, but was not able to achieve even 150# on the PS due to clearance issues with the wrench and cheater bar.

For me I just got it as tight as I could and then drove it down the road to the alignment shop and asked them to torque them to spec while it was on their lift. I have no way to verify their torque but I had match marks on it and they definitely tightened it. Took it off-roading and none of the bolts moved.
 

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