Removing Lower Control Arms

[ancullen]

Okay, so today I finally tried to start removing my front suspension so as to install my Pedders low springs and rose-jointed lower control arms. I've had a fair bit of success (the spring on one side's in), however I can't remove the LCA.

 

 

As you can see in the bottom left of the image above (excuse the grainyness), the lower control arm is still attached to the steering arm, which in turn is attached to a tie-rod end. The threaded shaft sticks through the appropriate hole in the centre of the steering arm, and I figured a couple of taps (or belts) with the hammer would knock it out, but it's stuck in there pretty well. Am I missing something?

 

I've now got the strut reattached to the strut tower, and am considering reattaching the steering arm to the base of the strut only without putting in the nut that holds the lower control arm on. I figure that will hold the assembly in place so I can belt the shit out of the lower control arm to pop it off. The arm will rotate around the shaft pivot area, but won't move up or down. It's almost like there's a circlip or something in there. There's not is there?

[Raven]

It may be handy to coat it in RP7/CRC/WD40 and let it soak overnight or attack it with a ball joint seperator.

 

Let me know how you go :jamie:

[ancullen]

Ball joint seperator? I might have to look into it. And I had been considering the RP7 etc option too. Thanks Mick.

[Medicine_Man]

Ball joint separator? Just use a bigger hammer..

[Ruts]

a well positioned G clamp will put pressure on the bolt end and force it back through the apperature.

[anastasios]

use a big hammer, will work eventually

[Raven]

I was working on my mates 180sx once and for the life of us, we couldnt get the tie rod end off the steering arm. Few squirts of RP7 and waited 10 mins and te next time we took a hammer to it, it just fell out.

 

Ball joint seperator looks almost like a big arse tuning fork for tuning a piano with and has provisions to hit the handle with a mighty big hammer WITHOUT damaging anything.

 

Either way, let us all know how you go.

[casey]

there stuff called bolt off and it makes rp7 and crc look like water compared to it, unfortunatly all i can tell you is its blue, smells and will eat paint and plastic from previouse experiances

[styler]

if you are wanting to take the tie rod end out?... if so

 

then sometimes it taps out with a hammer, sometimes a bigger hammer

but generally it doesnt and is well stuck because its a tapered fit,

ie designed to jam and be stuck in there once tightened up.

 

even the biggest of hammers wont be of much use as you have to hold the

arm still whilst the force of the hammer acts on it. i once put bricks under to do

this which worked, a bit rough though.

 

you can get ball joint seperators as a fork end on an arm as mentioned or even better

as a small device which uses a small fork arm and another arm with a threaded bolt

system to apply the force. i got the latter for about $25 and have never looked back,

now its 30sec's rather than trying for hours to get them out like previously.

supercheap/repco usually stock them.

 

well hope you get it sorted out in the end if its the tie rod problem lol....

[ancullen]

We found we had one of those screw-type devices which would have worked really well had we had all the parts for it. In the end the hammer worked, and it was just the tapering that had caused it to jam (as it should). I will be looking into buying myself one of the screw thingamajiggies though.

[towe001]

Use an oxy torch to heat up the steering arm then knock the ball joint out if all else fails.