Upper Control Arm Bushings

That, and the Vanilla Coke, are disgusting. It's too bad lounges don't have the Coca-Cola Freestyle setups; I'd get my drinkies with Lime Coke. Gives you the lime 'twist.'

 

Finished the drivers side this afternoon. Followed the shop manual and took 5.0's advice on the 5lb hammer. With just a few taps the upper control arm separated from the ball joint. Used a drill and screw driver to dig out the old bushings. Replaced with poly bushings. Hardest part of the job was getting the old rubber out of the casings on the control arm. Took me a couple of hours. Will do the right side tomorrow or Tuesday. Thanks to everyone here for the comments and advise.

 

I started to replace the coil spring today as well but got a little nervous so I decided to do it another day. Shop manual says remove the stabilizer and sway bar nuts from the lower control arm. Then use a jack to support the arm and remove the lower control bushing bolt and lower the jack very slowly until pressure on the coil is relieved and then remove the coil spring. Sounds simple enough but the manual isn't clear where to position the jack? I tried several places and couldn't find a spot that would relieve enough pressure on the bolt for it to come out relatively easy...was still a lot of pressure on the bolt. So I thought better of it. Has anyone done this using the jack to lower the arm per the manual and if so where's the sweet spot for the jack? Thanks.

 

I imagine that procedure really expects you to loosen the lower arm ball joint, and then lower the arm with a garage floor jack under the ball joint end == not the inner pivot bolt. Be sure you have the car high enough to clear the arm [and the jack]. Can't imagine doing that with the inner pivot, even worse imagine putting it back together that way. A spring compressor would remove most of the drama from this job.

 

Forgot to mention in my prior post that shock should be removed too. I went back and double checked the shop manual and it does recommend removal of the inner bushing bolt. Also a pic in the manual showing this with the jack placement very close to the end of the arm and close to the inner bolt. When I get ready to attempt this again I'll make sure I have a good spring compressor. Should make it a lot safer. Kinda surprised the manual doesn't recommend this.

 

Like the UCA, loosen the castle nut on the lower balljoint, place the jack under the outer end of the LCA (if the jack's pad is small, center it on the bottom of the lower balljoint; if it's large, say 4" diameter, set it with the end of the arm in the pad), then loosen, but not remove, the lower bushing hardware, and pop the balljoint out of the knuckle. Carefully remove the castle nut, then lower the LCA slowly to remove the spring pressure. However, if you have a proper spring compressor, the remaining pressure will be less and the spring will be shorter, making removal a bit easier.

 

Better to use a spring compressor. It can be a problem trying to recompress a front coil spring with a floor jack. Jacking up under the ball joint to compress the spring may lift the vehicle off the jack stands! (I learned this the hard way many years ago in high school with a '55 Mercury).

 

Well, rented a spring compressor and attempted to replace the coils today. Got the spring compressed and still wasn't comfortable with the amount of resistance on the inside lower bolt. So I guess I'll just have to get it done at the shop. Anyone have any idea what a reasonable price would be to have someone swap them out?? Thanks.

 

I don't get it, the spring should only need to compressed 3 to 4 inches to lift it off the perch. That should allow you to unbolt the UCA and pivot it out of the way to allow the spring to drop out.

 

Yeah, there'll still be some force, but the compressor takes up the majority of it, so a floor jack will work to help. As for not having one, I did struts on a Taurus without one when the shop compressor stripped out. Fat @$$ to the rescue! I put my dead weight on the fender once the parts were set into place; that allowed the strut to poke through the center hole so my boss could start the nut! Luckily I didn't dent the fender!

 

Max, he is working on a 73. The spring is in a pocket on the underside of the frame and exerts it's force on the lower arm. Not the same beast as our unit-body Rancheros. You compress the spring on our rides and the entire front suspension is just hanging there. Frame car is another sporting event when replacing the springs, not always easy.

 

Exactly. Kind of a pain. Maybe I should have tried to compress the spring more?? Should I be able to compress the spring until It can be lifted from the lower arm or until it is loose and then try to drop the arm?? Never compressed a coil before and have heard some horror stories. The compression tool I rented from Autozone has the short and long hooks on one end and a curved plate you slide in over the bolt on the bottom end...are these reliable/safe? Sounds like a simple job and for someone who has done it a few times it's probably a piece of cake.

 

Quality tools, patience, double check every move you make before you go to another step in the process. Done maybe fifty front end rebuilds and still watch every move like a hawk. The very first one was on a 57 Chevy. Guy who ran the shop where I was doing the work must have thought I knew what I was doing because he walked off leaving me to figure it out myself. Dummy here didn't understand how much energy was still in the springs, even with the car up on stands. Dummy (ME) unscrewed both ball joint nuts completely then did the big hammer trick like I was told would separate the ball joints from the spindle. Boy did the stuff separate ! I must be one lucky SOB because that spring launched out from it's home, dug a chunk out of the concrete between my feet, then proceeded to go thru a concrete block wall behind me. Didn't have time to fill my britches. Funny how you learn respect, isn't it ? Shop owner then decided to show me the safe methods needed when working on suspension parts. I would think that that spring compressor you used would be safe if it was not worn excessively. Coil springs can be cantankerous, often you have to compress them to what seems insane levels to remove or install them. I really hate the ones that develop a bow in them when squeezed, they try to escape the grip of the spring compressor making them like playing Russian Roulet or worse. You may have to back up and try another position for the compressor to get the needed squeeze. Yep, it can be a pain. But then sometimes everything just falls into place. I still don't have anything resembling any level of comfort when working with springs, being scared of them makes me very cautious and probably has saved me from serious grief.

 

10-4

 

Oh, yeah. Fear definitely makes you respectful. I mentioned the Taurus strut job before; I wasn't there when it happened, but the strut compressor had stripped the compression screw threads, and according to my co-worker, who had it happen to him, it was so sudden, no warning, and the spring sprang, pushing the tool to full open with a sharp "Crack!" Made him jump and duck when it did it.

 

I should say, I wasn't there when the spring compressor broke, on a previous job.

 

Decided to tackle the coils again today. Was able to get the drivers side replaced. Used the coil compressor and dropped the lower arm from the lower ball joint. Works much better than trying to drop arm from inside. I could see how this should be an hour or two job if you had prior experience and all the right tools. BUT...this was my first...problems encountered. Spring compressor would not come off of the old spring. Trip to Autozone where they struggled to get it off and gave me a new compressor. My floor jack really could have used a few more inches in height to get the car higher to allow for good clearance. It was impossible to get my floor jack under the arm at the ball joint when putting the new spring in. Could have used a second jack to help lift the arm under the new spring. Nothing lined up...the control arm was too far back...by about 2 inches...the strut bolts were off and the lower ball joint would not set far enough to get the nut back on. This took a lot of fiddling and some big hammer influence. When I finally got the nut on the joint the stud started turning when I tried to tighten. Big pry bar and busted knuckles and the nut was finally tight. Strut bolts still off about an inch and I can't move em. So, lowered the car, rolled in reverse and hit brakes hard. Miracle! Both bolts had dropped into the holes. Tightened and done! AND no injuries!! Gotta respect those springs!! Won't attempt the other side until I get a second jack. I do appreciate everyone's help and comments. Oh, and I can tell a big improvement in handling already!

 

Hit harbor freight for the jack. Its one of the few things they have that isn't throw away.

 

And if you can hunt one down, see if a 4"X4" chunk of fence post will take up the extra room. I have a supply of them for all kinds of uses on & under cars.

 

Currently rebuilding my 78 front end. The upper ball joint is riveted, much easier to pull the A Arm and grind the rivets. Replace the bushings on the A arm while your at it (my A Arm was shot- no bushings left made the bushing holes oval, lucky the local salvage yard had one). Big azz hammer a plus! DO NOT use MasterPro parts!!! They don't fit right and worthless. Go Moog or other quality parts. Lower ball joint I had to farm out. I have a ball joint press but it didn't fit. The ford LBJ was too tall. Replacing bushings, so no big deal to farm this out. Putting the new spring in is a BITCH even with a compressor. I wrestled that bugger for a couple of hours. I raised the car up on jack stands as far up as I could, compressed the spring toward the center of the car and used my jack to raise it into place- getting the dadgum spring to seat up top was a pain- up and down, up and down, but finally got it. My spring compressor rod is long and it barely fit, finally got spring half way seated then released the compressor (might not be the smartest thing to do but it worked! Drove the spring the rest of the way home with the jack. Using KYB shocks and impregnated urethane bushing where possible. I am replacing the brake hoses and putting in new pads also. I completed the rear (easiest job ever) suspension, the driver side front, and still gotta finish the front passenger side. Not complicated work but physical, beating that thing into submission has not been a joy but the reward will be absolutely fabulous!