Removing front upper control arm (with pics)

[John Larkin]

This thread will document my saga of replacing the upper control arm bushings and ball joints. It may span several days so check back for updates.

Ordered and received my Moog bushings and upper ball joints today. I had been PB Blasting all the threads on the upper control arm since Thursday. So tonight I dug in.

Last night I raised the car and removed the front wheels.

1. Placed jackstands under the frame behind the wood blocks.
2. Placed wood 2x8s under each lower control arm. The weight of the car is on these, the jack stands above are for safety. The spindles turn on the ball joints so it is simply a matter of the wood supporting the control arm. If the wood looks like it is leaning it is distortion in the photo, not the placement of the wood.
3. Placed my jack under the crossmember just touching, again for safety. If the car falls it is God's will. I have done everything possible to make it safe to work around.

 

[John Larkin]

I removed the front calipers and hung them with coat hangers from the brake line bracket. This is a stable place to use and does not put the brake hose in a bind nor put pressure on the fittings.

 

[John Larkin]

I removed the cotter pin from the upper ball joint castle nut. A pain since it was 1987 original. The pin never broke but I had to work it out with an awl and then a screwdriver, finishing up with the needlenose pliers. I loosened the castle nut (22mm) until the threads were up in the solid part of the nut. I started rapping on the side of the spindle next to the cone of the ball joint with a 2 lb. sledge. So far it has not popped. I may have to use one of the clamp-type removal tools. We will see.

Not seen in this photo, I also loosened the nuts on the ends of the control arm cross shaft. This is to aid in swinging the arm upward when I finally remove it which could be another day.

 

[John Larkin]

This is a driver side view of the nuts/bolts that hold the cross shaft to the frame. They are 18mm and it is a fine thread. If the steering shaft were gone I would be done by now. However I hear it is no easy task to remove. So I am just 1/8 turning it with an open end wrench. You can get a mid-depth socket on the rear nut but the front one is shrouded by the steering shaft plastic cover. You have to use a wrench on those. If you have used lubricant ahead of time, breaking them loose is not terrible but be prepared to use quite a bit of muscle. Eat your wheaties. Did I mention it is a fine thread? This could take 30 minutes per nut. Not quick and easy.

 

[John Larkin]

This is the passenger side cross shaft attachment. It is easier to see but no easier to remove. Again, lube everything for a few days and crack them loose. A wrench is about the only way to go.

 

[charlief1]

You're working to hard John. The lube is a good idea but you should have jack stands under the control arms to make it safer. I hope you have an air chisel to help you get the bushings out. It really helps to get the sleves out of the arms and off the shafts.

 

[ryan319]

i agree with ^^^. those blocks of wood don't look very safe. if they're all nailed together...maybe.

another thought, you can buy tubular control arms with greasable bushings from speedway for less than $100. you'll save yourself a lot of aggrevation trying to mess with those old bushings and shafts. getting the bushings out and in can be a real pain.

i just did mine this winter and ended up just buying the speedway control arms. it was cleaner, easier, and they only weigh 3.5 lbs. order two right side arms if you go that route.

good luck.

 

[Red Regal T]

I removed the cotter pin from the upper ball joint castle nut. A pain since it was 1987 original. The pin never broke but I had to work it out with an awl and then a screwdriver, finishing up with the needlenose pliers. I loosened the castle nut (22mm) until the threads were up in the solid part of the nut. I started rapping on the side of the spindle next to the cone of the ball joint with a 2 lb. sledge. So far it has not popped. I may have to use one of the clamp-type removal tools. We will see.

Not seen in this photo, I also loosened the nuts on the ends of the control arm cross shaft. This is to aid in swinging the arm upward when I finally remove it which could be another day.

]

I just use a pickle fork with that sledge. Always works. By the way, your lower control arm isn't going anywhere when you break the upper loose. It's just going to sit there because the shock and the sway bar will not allow it to move.

 

[John Larkin]

Right on John. Progress update:

Spent the last 3 hours removing the four cross shaft nuts. Holy mackeral were they corroded on there. 1/8 turns all the way off. The heels of my palms are pretty sore. I had to use an 18mm open end wrench for all but the one directly under the turbo which I was able to get a ratchet on.

As John said, I found a large pickle fork in my tool chest and used it. Worked great to separate the ball joints. The left side was 3x easier than the right, likely due to the exhaust heat. Still it was not difficult overall. Soaking them in penetrating oil certainly helped.

And on a similar note, I was able to easily remove the left a-arm tonight. The cross shaft bolts came out with just a wiggle of a socket on a breaker bar. On a lesser note, the right side is being stubborn, again likely due to the exhaust heat damage and subsequent corrosion. I got the forward end of the shaft moving but the rear is stuck. So for tonight it will soak in PB Blaster and perhaps be more cooperative tomorrow evening.

No pics today. Also for those who were concerned about my safety, I did move the jackstands under the lower arms. All good for now.

 

[John Larkin]

Success. After a night of PB Blaster and alot of persuasion, the cross shaft bolts came loose. Take a look at the bolts. The corrosion buildup in the threads that were inside the cross shaft was Mother Nature's threadlocker. I ended up putting the nuts on the ends of the bolts, then placing the end of a pry bar on the nut and whacking them with a BFH to break the seal. Once everything got to where it could be wiggled, the end was suddenly in sight.

So now I am off to work early to get some time with the big air compressor and my air chisel to remove the bushings. Then I will hopeful be able to stop by the sandblaster and see if he'll treat me nice and get the arms blasted today.

 

[John Larkin]

More fun this afternoon. I tried to use an air chisel to push the bushings out. That was not happening. So after consulting with some folks, I decided to use an old method. I ran a drill bit into the rubber all around the bushing. Then I started wiggling the drill bit back and forth, cutting the rubber into shreds little by little. I dug most of the rest out with a screwdriver.

Once it was relatively removed, I grabbed the center sleeve of the bushing with vice grips and started twisting it out. It slid off the cross shaft fairly easily.

Then I took my sawzall with a metal blade, scored the inside of the remaining shell and then crushed the shell onto itself inside the control arm bushing hole. It fell out on the ground. Wonderful! However that is only one end - one end to go.

Same process on the other end except the vice grip part. Now I put the control arm in the bench vise and put a screwdriver through one of the mounting holes. Then I pulled upward and pulled the shaft and center sleeve out of the other bushing shell. Afterward I scored it as well and crushed it inward.

I ground the rivets off the ball joints and punched those out. I didn't take photos of absolutely everything so you will have to use your imagination a little here and there.

One down, one to go. Everything seems to take me forever.

 

[charlief1]

You could have used a torch and gotten them loose really fast John. I've had to do this on occasion myself.

 

[8UWITH6]

Whats your address, Ill send you some jackstands

 

[TURBOTWIN2]

Remind me some day and I'll give you guys a class on how to do both sides upper ball joints AND upper bushings AND a Thrust Alignment DONE RIGHT in 3 hours or less, including coffee break, done by a worn out, grey haired old man, rusted out Yankee cars included.

Yeah, I know, I could do it in 2 hours when I was younger too, maybe 3 1/2 hours cause i'm old.

Professionals only need apply.
It ain't bragging if you can do it.

Of course, I would need a real shop to do it in and I realize you guys are doing it under different circumstances, at home for the first time. I do applaud you for even ATTEMPTING this repair.

Car guys are car guys. And remember, air tools are your friends.

 

[novaderrik]

regarding taking the arms out, that sure seemed like a lot of steps just to undo 2 bolts and an upper balljoint on each side..
i've discovered that a ratcheting wrench is your best friend for removing upper control arm bolts, and the coil spring is your best friend for popping the balljoint loose. then a pry bar becomes your best frend when it's time to remove the arm from the car- with no need to pop the studs out of the frame.

 

[Red Regal T]

regarding taking the arms out, that sure seemed like a lot of steps just to undo 2 bolts and an upper balljoint on each side..
i've discovered that a ratcheting wrench is your best friend for removing upper control arm bolts, and the coil spring is your best friend for popping the balljoint loose. then a pry bar becomes your best frend when it's time to remove the arm from the car- with no need to pop the studs out of the frame.

Then you never had a A-arm that was frozen in place by decades of corrosion/rust. I had one like that and it took many hours of disbelief, soaking with penetrating oil, many shots with a 3 lb. sledge, and a really big ****en crowbar to dislodge it. :biggrin:

 

[The_Six]

I’m at the same point glad mine came out easy I just loosen the ball joint nut to the end of the ball joint and then hit it with a hammer no fork needed and never more then 2 or 3 hits before the ball joint is free. I also always wire brush the bolts before using wd40 or the likes it makes everything easy after you break it loose. I did have to smack the control arm once to break it loose before it slid off but I think I had both sides off in less than an hour. I’m just replacing the a-arms with tubular ones so I don’t have to go through the ball joint and bushing removal on the uppers on the lowers I just pressed them out with a shop press.

 

[John Larkin]

Finished stripping the other arm down and took them both to the sandblaster. Will pickup Monday night or Tuesday morning. Hope to have everything back together by Friday. Today I also wirewheeled all the hardware and gave it a coat of Ospho. Once that dries I will paint it all black. I am working at a good pace, not letting myself get sore and fitting it in between work. The car is a garage queen anyhow; not critical to have it back together. BTW, what airtool will fit the area of the cross shaft bolts? There are only two I see that you can get on with a mid-depth socket and I tried a couple ways with a regular ratchet. I do wish I had a ratcheting box wrench, that would be helpful.

 

[gteatr6]

Just did mine and way easy. I bought the Dorman replacement uppers from Rock Auto.com. I used a ratcheting wrench and was done in no time. It is a bolt in replacement and for 94.00 dollars per side and money well spent. They come compelte with ball joint rivited in. Now the lowers I should have bought replacements for but didn't. What a pain in the ass that is without the proper tools to replace the bushings and ball joint. A very well mounted vise is your best friend sometimes.

 

[The_Six]

Looks good . I used a wrench to take the cross brace nuts off no are but I did use a wire brush to clean them first then wd40 came off like a new nut and bolt used my hand only after a few turns of the wrench, Wow 94 a side for that I would have went tubular. It would be cheaper and no more ruber bushings to replace from the down pipe melting them.