Control Arm Replacement Question

[panthermike]

Hi all,

I'm starting to gather supplies to rebuild the front end on my Crown Vic. I came across a comment regarding control arms that I want to verify.

Someone on a Crown Vic forum mentioned to "have the car down on it's weight before tightening the control arms or the ride height will be too high. Give it a couple up/down pushes before tightening". Is this true? He mentions flipping the bolts so it's easier when the car is down but wanted to verify this is a thing. I have not done control arms before.

 

[emmett442]

You do torque bolts at ride-height. That is so that the bushings are in a relaxed state at ride height and it isn't perpetually stressed, or over-twisted on bumps.

Flipping the bolts might make it easier. Depends on the car.

 

[ARCOgraphite]

If the LCA bolt bushing are short, when you tighten it up, the rubber bushing face(s) could act as a torsion spring. You could smear a bit of silicon paste on the rubber faces to alleviate binding.

I usually put the ball joint in the knuckle using a tall under hoist screw jack, then run it together. This makes everything compressed near ride height - not on tippy-toes.

Doing the job on the ground has challenges. Be careful.

 

[The Critic]

You can also use a floor jack to load the suspension. Just raise the component until that corner of the vehicle clears the jack stand.

 

[eljefino]

You can also use a floor jack to load the suspension. Just raise the component until that corner of the vehicle clears the jack stand.

That's only partially accurate (though probably good enough.) Do this and you'll overshoot the ride height by a smidgeon.

 

[The Critic]

That's only partially accurate (though probably good enough.) Do this and you'll overshoot the ride height by a smidgeon.

It's a better than nothing option. Unless you have access to a drive-on lift, it is impossible to tighten suspension components on low-ride height vehicles under normal load.

 

[SHOZ]

I did mine on my Accent on a Thanksgiving day out in the driveway. Everything but the inner tie rods. Ball joints are easy bolt on types. I was just glad I could get to all the bolts to tighten. Some took a multi wobbly bit extensions to get to.

 

[D60]

Sometimes on trucks-- depending upon the component-- I'll even put a stand under that corner and gingerly drop the lift until that lift arm comes unweighted. This is of course a "do as I say, not as I do" scenario 'cause it really ain't that safe. And it's not true ride height, just better than nothing

 

[Nukeman7]

It's a better than nothing option. Unless you have access to a drive-on lift, it is impossible to tighten suspension components on low-ride height vehicles under normal load.

This is one situation where a set of ramps are more beneficial than jackstands.

 

[emmett442]

If roughing it in is enough, there are many options.

Another is to have the old control arm almost ready to take out. Before you undo the bushing bolts measure the distance between the end of the control arm and some other reference point (to the floor, or the fender). When you install the new one, set the control arm in the same location before tightening the bolts.

 

[D60]

This is one situation where a set of ramps are more beneficial than jackstands.

Unless it's really low slung like this Z that only has enough approach angle to drive up the baby ~2.5" ramps. That's not realistically enough to get your chest and arms under there and swing a ratchet long enough to achieve torque on many suspension fasteners (figure M12 and larger).

The obvious solution then is build REALLY long, gradual custom ramps. Or maybe pits should make a comeback? I think it'd be kinda cool to have a pit, except SWMBO would park a car over me and leave me there....

 

[Soft Cars]

Get yourself some ramps to have the car on for gaining access to the control arm bolts. As mentioned, you need to have the car down with all its weight on the tires before tightening the control arm bolts; that's so the control arm bushings aren't constantly being tortured.

 

[panthermike]

Thank you all very much, I'm pretty new to suspension work so this is great

 

[Nukeman7]

Unless it's really low slung like this Z that only has enough approach angle to drive up the baby ~2.5" ramps. That's not realistically enough to get your chest and arms under there and swing a ratchet long enough to achieve torque on many suspension fasteners (figure M12 and larger).

The obvious solution then is build REALLY long, gradual custom ramps. Or maybe pits should make a comeback? I think it'd be kinda cool to have a pit, except SWMBO would park a car over me and leave me there....View attachment 189786

On low sitting vehicles, I have lifted up the car with a low clearance floor jack and lowered the tires onto the ramps as if they were jackstands. With that said, I wouldn't mind having a pit in my garage except for the fact that I'm at sea level elevation!

 

[2strokeNorthstar]

You can also use a floor jack to load the suspension. Just raise the component until that corner of the vehicle clears the jack stand.

Exactly what I do and I sleep easy.

 

[D60]

Sometimes on trucks-- depending upon the component-- I'll even put a stand under that corner and gingerly drop the lift until that lift arm comes unweighted. This is of course a "do as I say, not as I do" scenario 'cause it really ain't that safe. And it's not true ride height, just better than nothing

Quoting myself, I just did this today to compress some OME "leveling struts" enough to reach the UCA and attach the upper BJ. I don't recommend this method as it's sketchy, so just don't do what I do