Replacing lower control arms? I've read a couple places that you don't need a spring compressor. Anything else to look out for? 2000 F150 4.6L 2WD 288,000 miles....
View 3 RepliesI'm halfway through replacing the ball joints on my '03 F-150 4WD. When I pressed the new lower ball joint in, it's snap ring groove is ~1/8" above the top of the lower control arm surface. These are Moog 8695T joints. I've taken them in and compared with another new joint at the parts store and they seem to be correct. This implies that the control arms are not correct- they're too thin where the joint presses in. The old joints sat the way they should, with the snap ring flat against the arm. The old joints are definitely different than the 8695T's- they are shorter from the shoulder of the joint to the snap ring groove. I'm guessing that now I'll have to replace the lower control arms, as well.
View 11 RepliesI have been told by a couple of mechanics that the bushings on the lower control arms on my 95 Camry are worn. They recommend replacement of the lower control arms and ball joints.Is this a repair I can do myself? I have reasonable mechanical competency. I figure that I will have to rent a tool at the auto parts store for the ball joint, remove a few nuts and bolts, and bring the car in for an alignment once I get the parts installed.Now my wife is adamantly against me doing this myself. She thinks that I am going to mess this up, the parts will fail at high speeds, and I will die in a fiery crash. She apparently has more confidence in the repair shop grease monkey than her engineer husband. So is she right? Is this a repair which is best left to the shop?
View 7 RepliesMy daughter has a 1999 Passat 4cyl.... In the last year I've had 2 lower control arms at the front ball joints just break away. Lucky it has been when she was either stopping or at very slow speed.
On inspection this looks like a very unsafe design flaw. The aluminum control arm is strong except for the light metal around the ball joint it's self. If one of these let go at speed it could be fatal!!
What causes the break other than normal wear and is there any signs before one lets go?
I changed the Passenger side with no problem , the driver side bolt is hitting the transmission oil pan. I am thinking of loosening the mounts and try to jack the pan up to get that 1 clearance or worst case drain the transmission take the pan off remove the bolt and put in fluid in. If I drop the the transmission pan is there a filter in there? also how much transmission fluid does it hold.
[IMG] ....
Had after market front struts installed by a non-dealer shop on 2006 Toyota Sienna. Dealer service dept diagnosed two months later that the struts were one inch too long and caused damage to the lower control arms. A director for training for the other shop (one of 80 + shops) completely discredits the dealer shop's theory about the relationship between the size of the struts and the damage to the control arms, while admitting the error with the struts. Both sounded credible as I have very limited mechanical background.
View 19 RepliesLooking for a write up on replacing the control arm? Do they not make chilton manual for these cars?
I have the toyota service manual but it is not the most useful. Does the engine need to be lifted to remove the right hand control arm?
Car has a little over 100K. How to replace the bushings on the suspension arms. Took my car in for the brake switch recall and was told my bushings were cracked. Not sure which ones, but I assume all of them. Looked online for a DIY, but not for the RX330. From some of the DIY's I've seen so far, it looks like a bit$! to replace those rubber bushings.
View 14 RepliesI am trying to replace my control arm but I am having a few problems,
1. the front bolt on the frame side just spins but doesn't come out.
2. I cant get the bolt in the spindle to come out, I have been hammering away at it and even broke 2 sockets trying to spin it, still cant get it to move.
I have a 2003 F150 SuperCrew with 180k. Has been a great truck. Last fall the check engine light came on, and I took it to Advance Auto and they said to replace the lower O2 sensor. Did that and light stays on. Ever since then, and getting worse, is when I crank truck, it idles very rough, and if it sits too long it will just "choke itself out" and quit. Recently this has happened while driving on road too. I have to shift the gearshift to N to crank it. I get power but no crank if I try it in P.
View 3 Repliesmy problem is this: my lower control arm bushing, front but (rear bushing) unfastens alright but i cannot get the bolt out no matter what i do. it just keeps spinning and will not come out the control arm has snapped itself so needs to be replaced. now is there a secret way (lol) to get this out iam about to become on nerve pills because of this lol. it just keeps turning on me and will not come out the other nut/bolt came out without any problems.
and from the manufactures book the actual gm book 375.00 paid for this darn book
anyway it says that these bolts have got to be placed back in from the inside (both of them) meaning they aren't supposed to be placed back one one way the the other way. a guy has told me its okay to be doing it the way where i place it back in to wiggle it back and forth to get it back in but the gm manual says to put both bolts back in the exact same way from inside the control arm out and the both nuts to be facing outside. and even when i took them both off the one was bolt end from the outside in and the other from the inside out? i have a 1997 3.1 front wheel drive. and i have only 1 lower control arm on each side
I'm going to be replacing my lower radiator hose so figured might as well switch over to the extended life stuff going to probably go with the Delo ELC.. Supposedly it's good for 750k.
View 14 RepliesI am going to start on the control arms on my 04 V6 Solara this afternoon since the bushings are beyond gone.I have done control arms on my 98 corolla but i didnt have to deal with the stupid motor mounts being in the way.I have done a search and it seems(if i have this right)that i need to
1.Remove Dog Bone
2.Loosen right and left side motor mounts but dont remove the bolts.
3.Jack up the engine just enough to get a wrench on the hidden bolts on each side.
Am i missing anything?I already have the Mevotech control arms with new ball joints already attached.I plan on renting a ball joint removal tool from autozone.
I have recently replaced both tie rod ends and found out when I took my truck for an alignment the mechanic stated that I had bad driver side ball joints (upper & lower) I confirmed this with SEARS and they stated that it was all the ball joints upper & lowers! the Haynes repair manual (1999-2010) states "ball joints on 1999 through 2013 2WD models were not replaceable".
View 4 RepliesI have Bluewater adjustable control arms, they have been on the car for about 22 months, and for the last few weeks they have been squeaking and creaking like a bastard, over any imperfection in the road.
We had the car up on the lift, and twisted the control arms, and it's definitely coming from there. I'm not the best mechanic in the world, pretty far from it, so is there a way to remedy this without replacing them? It sounds like I'm fornicating in a 1986 Caprice every time I hit a bump.
I have an 02 f150 5.4 and since I got it it hasn't had cruse control. I went to a local ford dealership and they ran the vin and didn't find any recall on it. Under the hood on the master cylinder there is brake fluid coming out of the brake control switch. Would I have to do something with the harness too?
View 9 RepliesDealer told me needed new control arms as the bearings are wearing out. Was quoted a little over $3k. Doesn't really bother me bc it only makes a clicking noise when I apply brakes hard but concerned about safety issue. Surprised a car like this would need new control arms with only 70k miles on it.
View 14 RepliesI need to replace both the struts and the control arm but I don't have a socket to fit, what is the correct size socket I need ....
View 9 RepliesIs it difficult to replace the lower radiator hose on a 5.4L? I'm mainly thinking about access to the connection at the water pump.
View 13 RepliesI have an 03 Camry LE I4 with about just under 100k miles. Recently, under semi hard braking at highway speeds, the steering wheel will shake quite a bit to the point that I don't feel safe braking hard. I initially thought the brake rotors were warped, but those were replaced less than 2 years ago somewhere around 80k miles. I've taken it to many shops and here are the verdicts they've given me:
1. Rear drums are warped which is the problem (I don't think so...)
2. Control arm bushings need replacement (coming from shop who did brake work before)
3. Ball joints need to be replaced
4. All rotors should be resurfaced
What should I do?
Well, I decided to take on the dreaded task of replacing the lower manifold intake gaskets and put in new isolator bolts. It was a major undertaking, and when I finally finished the oil change and fired up the car, it sounded fine. Then I checked under the hood.
I saw coolant spurting out the side of one of the hose connections that I had to take off and put back on. I thought the gasket on it looked pretty worn, but wasn't expecting this!
Unfortunately I don't know the name of the hose connection to pick up a gasket at the store ... it's the larger lower hose that is bolted on to the lower intake, not the hose slightly above it that has the plastic clips.
What is the name of this hose connection so I can try and find one at the store? It's a 2003 Windstar model.