Anyone able to help with front control arm replacement near Cambridge?

[COLVERT]

To tourist.

If you are going to remove the arms it helps a lot to remove the track rod ball joint.---It is much easier to manoeuver the arm into place with it removed.

To help getting the rubber bush bolts into place I jacked up the vertical suspension leg slightly.--( With care. )--This slightly rotates the housing and will give better alignment of the two bolts into the frame threads.

Take care getting the bolts into the threaded holes. If possible by hand for the first couple of turns.


Best of luck with it.---

[patrolman pete]

Originally Posted by COLVERT

To tourist.

If you are going to remove the arms it helps a lot to remove the track rod ball joint.---It is much easier to manoeuver the arm into place with it removed.

To help getting the rubber bush bolts into place I jacked up the vertical suspension leg slightly.--( With care. )--This slightly rotates the housing and will give better alignment of the two bolts into the frame threads.

Take care getting the bolts into the threaded holes. If possible by hand for the first couple of turns.


Best of luck with it.---

I agree. I disconnected the track rod end then turned the hub and kept it pushed out of the way with a jack handle. this allowed me to lift up the arm so that the rear bush lay flat on the subframe and I was able to get one bolt started.

It wasn't a bad job in the end. I only had to stop to pick up a forked ball joint splitter.

[COLVERT]

Originally Posted by patrolman pete

I agree. I disconnected the track rod end then turned the hub and kept it pushed out of the way with a jack handle. this allowed me to lift up the arm so that the rear bush lay flat on the subframe and I was able to get one bolt started.

It wasn't a bad job in the end. I only had to stop to pick up a forked ball joint splitter.

Exactly as you say. Get one bolt started. If the first one is difficult then try the other one.--Once one bolt is in then the second one becomes very easy.---

[TourerSteve]

Originally Posted by COLVERT

Exactly as you say. Get one bolt started. If the first one is difficult then try the other one.--Once one bolt is in then the second one becomes very easy.---

An allen key can be useful to locate through the other hole in the bush and into the subframe to help line up the first bolt

[patrolman pete]

Originally Posted by TourerSteve

An allen key can be useful to locate through the other hole in the bush and into the subframe to help line up the first bolt

Brilliant top tip !

[SD1too]

Hi Simon,

You won't have any problem starting or with cross threading the rear bush bolts if you use the method I described earlier.

Originally Posted by SD1too

The best way to release the 150Nm rear bush housing bolts is to remove the anti-roll bar saddle clamp and the bar can then be moved forwards (with it disconnected from the link). You can then use a hexagon impact socket on the bolts ...

However you approach the job, one thing which is seldom mentioned is that the hub/driveshaft will need to be raised by several inches to provide enough clearance to withdraw the lower arm inner balljoint.

Simon

[macafee2]

I dropped the sub frame off the car to do the job, made getting the the bolts easy.
Seen posts about just lowering sub frame but I am not good at working in confined spaces.
I appreciate it is more work but is it any harder?

macafee2

[COLVERT]

Originally Posted by SD1too

Hi Simon,

You won't have any problem starting or with cross threading the rear bush bolts if you use the method I described earlier.

However you approach the job, one thing which is seldom mentioned is that the hub/driveshaft will need to be raised by several inches to provide enough clearance to withdraw the lower arm inner ball joint.

Simon

Simon.

The problem isn't access it's angle. The bolt and hole need to be co-axial.

This is what makes it easy to get the bolt cross threaded.

Your method does not do what's needed. The mating surfaces of the bush carrier and the car have to be flat against one another.

[SD1too]

Originally Posted by COLVERT

Your method does not do what's needed. The mating surfaces of the bush carrier and the car have to be flat against one another.

Hello Jon,

Tourist is replacing the whole lower arm, not just the rear bush on an existing arm in situ. The rear bush will therefore be in correct alignment as soon as he fits his new arm to the subframe so my method does "do what's needed".

Originally Posted by COLVERT

The problem isn't access it's angle.

Your angle problem is a direct result of poor access. The anti-roll bar runs above the bush housing front bolt. With the bar out of the way it's easy to fit both bolts and they can be tightened to the correct 150Nm which is possible only with the method I've described.

I have done exactly this myself in the last few weeks and without the inspection pit which you used.

Simon

[TourerSteve]

Originally Posted by SD1too

Hello Jon,

Tourist is replacing the whole lower arm, not just the rear bush on an existing arm in situ. The rear bush will therefore be in correct alignment as soon as he fits his new arm to the subframe so my method does "do what's needed".

Your angle problem is a direct result of poor access. The anti-roll bar runs above the bush housing front bolt. With the bar out of the way it's easy to fit both bolts and they can be tightened to the correct 150Nm which is possible only with the method I've described.

I have done exactly this myself in the last few weeks and without the inspection pit which you used.

Simon

It Doesn't matter if you are using a pit , ramp or working off the floor.
The angle problem has nothing to do with access on the subframe .
If the rear bush is fitted in the correct position on the arm , when fitting to the car, the arm should be lifted to the position it maintains for the approximate ride height position with the car on its wheels to mate the bush housing with the subframe .
This by design maintains a nearly neutral position of the bush when the car is stood on all four wheels reducing torsional loading thus prolonging life of the bush

That is the reason people have been able to change out the rear bushes without removing the wheels or jacking up the car while over a pit or on ramps , not a practice that I have tried out personally but know others have .