2001LC
SILVER Star
I just keep it simple. I've a small crow bar, I jamb in on bolt head. It really takes very little to hold (keep from spinning). Sometimes nothing is needed.
The Lower Control Arm Removal and Replacement
- Thread starter nissanh
- Start date
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- Thread starter
- #22
2001LC: Please update as you wish because this thread is to help others: I am done with the control arms and at the rate I drive it, the bushings will outlast 2 generations!
The two nuts on LCA have notches that will dig into the metal surface of the control arm and will not budge WITHOUT loosening the bolt first. This is a common practice Toyota do on control arms: My 3rd gen 4runner front LCA nuts also the same.
There is no way to set the proper torque on the bolt hidden inside the torque arm once the torsion bar is installed.
Initially I was bit hesitant to do this job due to two reasons (1) torsion bar and (2) the number-2 bushing. Two mud members assured me the #2 bushing is the easiest to remove in any bushing removal situation. Yes, they are correct. I would not worry about doing this again.
The two nuts on LCA have notches that will dig into the metal surface of the control arm and will not budge WITHOUT loosening the bolt first. This is a common practice Toyota do on control arms: My 3rd gen 4runner front LCA nuts also the same.
There is no way to set the proper torque on the bolt hidden inside the torque arm once the torsion bar is installed.
Initially I was bit hesitant to do this job due to two reasons (1) torsion bar and (2) the number-2 bushing. Two mud members assured me the #2 bushing is the easiest to remove in any bushing removal situation. Yes, they are correct. I would not worry about doing this again.
Sorry but this is not correct, as one member stated a small crowbar jammed into the space can hold the nut, and I've personally taken a standard open ended wrench, grinded away a small amount of material to make it thinner and it fit into the top space of the bracket and held the nut. There are also slim wrenches on the market that would do the same job if you don't have a bench or hand grinder handy. It can be done.
- Thread starter
- #24
Oh... yeah... crowfoot... Good point. I thought of this, but does the amount of degrees you get to turn allows to reinsert the crowfoot again on to the bolt to continue?
Thanks for the write up! I’ve tried the search function, but not so lucky finding it. But do we have any write up on how to remove Bushing No. 1 (front busing) of the LCA?
Or the method of removing Bushing No. 2 (attached on the frame) is pretty much the same as removing Bushing No. 1?
Or the method of removing Bushing No. 2 (attached on the frame) is pretty much the same as removing Bushing No. 1?
- Thread starter
- #26
There are few ways:
1) Grind off the metal collar (see pic) and then place the receiver cup and push the bushing inside- out (similar to the number-2 bushing removal)
2) Attach a bearing puller tool between the metal collar (see pic) and the frame and then place the receiver cup and push the bushing inside- out (similar to the number-2 bushing removal)
3) DON'T do: some place a bottle jack between the arms and press it out: THIS can deform/expand the gap of the opening of the arm SO DON'T DO THIS:
3-A)However, if you have a press, you can use the press to hold the both ends of the arm vertical and then use the bottle jack: the press will prevent the opening of the arm. Apply Heat to press it out easily. Use a torch that you can buy from Walmart, Home depot etc.,
1) Grind off the metal collar (see pic) and then place the receiver cup and push the bushing inside- out (similar to the number-2 bushing removal)
2) Attach a bearing puller tool between the metal collar (see pic) and the frame and then place the receiver cup and push the bushing inside- out (similar to the number-2 bushing removal)
3) DON'T do: some place a bottle jack between the arms and press it out: THIS can deform/expand the gap of the opening of the arm SO DON'T DO THIS:
3-A)However, if you have a press, you can use the press to hold the both ends of the arm vertical and then use the bottle jack: the press will prevent the opening of the arm. Apply Heat to press it out easily. Use a torch that you can buy from Walmart, Home depot etc.,
shtbrwn86
SILVER Star
This is what I did too, but if you do this it requires torquing the nut and not the bolt head. I think there has been lots of discussion about it, but I just ended up putting something in there to keep the bolt head from turning while I torqued the nut. Like I said in an earlier post I've put about 1,500 miles on mine including two light off-road/overlanding trips and none of the bolts or nuts have budged.
For the fronts I did torque the bolt and not the nut.
I have removed the castle nut on the LBJ, now to separate the LCA from the knuckle/spindle arm, what tool do you guys use? 
A hammer. My preference is a 5lb sledge. Strike the knuckle just above your red arrow. The knuckle will pop loose from the lower ball joint tapper. I recommend threading the castle nut on the stud a bit to prevent the knuckle from crashing down from its own weight when it pops loose.I have removed the castle nut on the LBJ, now to separate the LCA from the knuckle/spindle arm, what tool do you guys use?
If you are okay with marring up the ball joint boot, a ball joint separator works too. However even when using one of these, sometimes the knuckle still needs a hammer strike to pop loose.
The hammer strike works well
- Thread starter
- #32
Were you able to turn the nut? Aren't those have some notches that digs into the metal surface on the control arm to stop spinning? My 2000 LC's two nuts on lower arm had those notches so had to tighten the bolt. Same notches can be found on rear suspension as well. Also the shorter bolt on torque arm have these notches
See the arrow pointing at one of the notches on the nut.
Went out to OReilly’s and loaned a 3-jaw puller as suggested on the other thread by @nissanh -and it worked. I rethreaded the castle nut on the LBJ as suggested by @87warrior so it wouldn’t slide out.
No damage on the LBJ boot and popped it out in less than 5 minutes.
No damage on the LBJ boot and popped it out in less than 5 minutes.
Alternative Torquing Method
Feedback appreciated on following alternative I'm considering for LCA job on my 05 LC.
I like the @nissanh measurement method in concept, insofar as it avoids the painful, time-consuming torquing process while truck is fully laden on the ground, as emphasized by Paul @2001LC.
I rely on my home garage MaxJax lift, which I consider safe and effective for LC wrenching, especially for a job like this. However, noting that the LC vehicle weight is at ~90% of the MaxJax specified load limits, I'm not comfortable jacking up individual suspension corners while the truck is lifted (to re-achieve the laden measurements). I like the truck to stay square, set and stable. I do use two highpoint stands for extra stability. Still, just don't like jacking whole suspension corners while the LC is in the air.
Long way of getting to the suggestion:
1) set the truck on the ground after installation, with nuts/bolts at "just snug" tightness
2) use a heavy 1/2" socket wrench with a 16" handle, which I can use to achieve something north of 100 ft-lbs, without much difficulty due to it's ratchet.
3) now with all bolts/nuts and associated bushing orientations locked in with reasonably high torque, directly raise the truck via lift.
4) finish torquing to high-torque spec using heavy duty, fixed torque wrench, in the air.
What say the mudders?
Feedback appreciated on following alternative I'm considering for LCA job on my 05 LC.
I like the @nissanh measurement method in concept, insofar as it avoids the painful, time-consuming torquing process while truck is fully laden on the ground, as emphasized by Paul @2001LC.
I rely on my home garage MaxJax lift, which I consider safe and effective for LC wrenching, especially for a job like this. However, noting that the LC vehicle weight is at ~90% of the MaxJax specified load limits, I'm not comfortable jacking up individual suspension corners while the truck is lifted (to re-achieve the laden measurements). I like the truck to stay square, set and stable. I do use two highpoint stands for extra stability. Still, just don't like jacking whole suspension corners while the LC is in the air.
Long way of getting to the suggestion:
1) set the truck on the ground after installation, with nuts/bolts at "just snug" tightness
2) use a heavy 1/2" socket wrench with a 16" handle, which I can use to achieve something north of 100 ft-lbs, without much difficulty due to it's ratchet.
3) now with all bolts/nuts and associated bushing orientations locked in with reasonably high torque, directly raise the truck via lift.
4) finish torquing to high-torque spec using heavy duty, fixed torque wrench, in the air.
What say the mudders?
shtbrwn86
SILVER Star
I am not qualified to answer this but the technique is interesting to me. I mean if you can get it to like 90% of the required torque I wonder if that would be enough to hold the bushings in place???
- Thread starter
- #36
When I took mine off, the bolts were not super tight. Id say about the torque I felt at the shock lower bushing.
Exactly the concept. I suspect the answer is "no" if you include dynamic forces associated with road use. But I highly suspect the answer is "yes" if the truck goes directly up in the air and gets torqued right away.
shtbrwn86
SILVER Star
When I did mine I tightened them at resting height enough so that they wouldn’t fall off and then drove to the alignment shop and had them put the final torque on them when it was up on the rack. Was it the right way? I don’t know. But no issues so far
shtbrwn86
SILVER Star
How critical is this? I imagine not very, as long as you get the bushing cover aligned with the tabs it probably doesn't matter if the bushing is horizontal in the frame? When I did mine I did the driver side correctly, but not the passenger side... The FSM doesn't mention anything about the orientation of the bushing in the frame.
2001LC
SILVER Star
We do try to get back just as factory had them. But it's not likely very important, as many have missed that mark without any reported issue.
