Rear Control Arm Help

[gcwh02]

I am putting on new uppers and lowers and I am having problems lining up the lower control arm bolt hole with the rear. Is there a technique to do this?? When I try and jack up the control arm(with the spring on it) with a jack on the bottom of the control arm, it just raises the rear away from it.. Any help would be great, thank you. I am thinking maybe the bushing on the control arm is such a tight fit that it moves the rear when it tries to fit in (if that makes any sense to anyone)

 

[samickguy15]

Wait...are you trying to install the control arm with the spring in place? Get some spring compressors and put the spring in after the control arms are in place.

 

[rd]

I have best luck with the car on jackstands located just forward of the lower arm front mount.

You will also need to support the rear axle separately to do this!


Then, with the upper arms in, and not tightened, you should be able to jack and pry the lower arm into the axle, and, or, lower the axle onto the lower arms. Do one side at a time.

I have not needed a spring compressor for the rear, but it might help.

I have also been able to connect both ends of the lower and then connect the upper rear. There is not much room to work up in that area though.

 

[gcwh02]

I have best luck with the car on jackstands located just forward of the lower arm front mount.

You will also need to support the rear axle separately to do this!


Then, with the upper arms in, and not tightened, you should be able to jack and pry the lower arm into the axle, and, or, lower the axle onto the lower arms. Do one side at a time.

I have not needed a spring compressor for the rear, but it might help.

I have also been able to connect both ends of the lower and then connect the upper rear. There is not much room to work up in that area though.

What do you mean by supporting the rear axle separately?? I have jackstands right on the frame in front of my lower c/a's. I tried lowering the axle onto the control arms but it seems like the c/a's are too short or something.. maybe I need to find the right sweet spot when lowering the axle. I have a jack right under the lower control arm to compress the spring and a jack on the rear to lower it onto the control arm. The bushings are a reallly tight fit into the axle.

 

[rd]

With the axle loose, you have to support the car with stands, and the axle with stands or jacks, when it is disconnected.

Then, you need another jack to lift the lower arm up, against the spring to position it on the axle.

Yes, the axle will get rotated, etc, and because it is not easily balanced, it will move back some most of the time. The pinion flange end is heavy, so it will try to rotate downward.

You will need to pry or pull the axle/brackets forward some, etc, to line up the holes. Note that since the bushings are a tight fit into the brackets, they also need to be aligned so the lca bushing goes in straight, in each direction. A drift or screwdriver in the holes helps when you are close.

You can try aligning the lowers with the uppers loose, and see if it is easier to put the last bolts in the upper rear. I have done that a couple times.

I use two sets of stands, a floor jack and a bottle jack.

It gets a bit easier w/ practice.

 

[Foxfan88]

the way i did mine.

jacked the car up, supported the body on the frame rails before the torque boxes.

supported the pumpkin and unbolted and replaced the upper control arms. these arent very hard. dont tighten them just snug a bit so it will move easily.

after that take a jack stand and support the opposite side that your going to change lower arms on, jack it up some and support it then go to the other side to change the arm, with your jack support the control arm, take the bolts loose and then jack up the arm a hair to take weight off of the rear bolts ( that hold the arm to the axle. with no weight on them the should come out without much trouble. then slowly let the jack down. the spring will unload and fall out and then unbolt the front part of the arm connected to the car. the rearend may move some but as long as the shock is still connected it wont move much.

then bolt the new arm to the car, swivel the rear part up and set the spring on the spring perch. and line it up with the seat on the car. start jacking the arm up and compress the spring, in my expierence the holes dont like the line up when putting the new arm. what i do is unbolt the shock the rearend will gain ALOT more movement to get the bolt in, the pumpkin may want to rotate foward some so a 2nd jack helps to support it. mess with it a little and try to get the bolt holes to line up it may or may not be hard. there isnt an easy way to do it, you have to be careful and massage the parts to line up. take your time and dont get frustrated. one you get the arms on an snugly tightend down.

jack up and support the rear of the car by the axle to load the suspension. then torque the bolts down.