When changing out your control arms it is very important to install your control arms correctly. It is an easy enough job, but doing it incorrectly can leave you with a control arm that wears out quickly. When you install the control arm and bolt it down to the car’s frame, you should keep the bolts to the frame loose, put the tires on, put the car on the ground, and then torque down the bolts to the correct torque with the car on the ground. This will set the proper pre-load.
How to Replace an Upper Control Arm: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v7bOxQe_WhU
How to Replace a Lower Control Arm: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CmN2dRAiuj0
Camber Bolt Installation: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OsizWChLOQw
How to Replace a Ball Joint: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZztbAShnlxw
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Disclaimer:
Due to factors beyond the control of ChrisFix, I cannot guarantee against improper use or unauthorized modifications of this information. ChrisFix assumes no liability for property damage or injury incurred as a result of any of the information contained in this video. Use this information at your own risk. ChrisFix recommends safe practices when working on vehicles and or with tools seen or implied in this video. Due to factors beyond the control of ChrisFix, no information contained in this video shall create any expressed or implied warranty or guarantee of any particular result. Any injury, damage, or loss that may result from improper use of these tools, equipment, or from the information contained in this video is the sole responsibility of the user and not ChrisFix.
Will this make my uca stop touching the spring
Need to see how you do you adjust it
Now i know why my bushes wear out in two weeks..thanks mate for pointing that out.
excellent information.. thank you
You're videos are absolutely amazing… seriously!! I love being able to dive into a project, after watching one of your videos, with the upmost confidence. Not sure the reason why you ever started posted videos so many years ago, but I for one am glad you did…and kept making them. Thanks ChrisFix, for donating your time to make these for the rest of us!!
I remember when he had 100k subscribers lol look at him now
I'm going to be replacing my upper control arms & ball joints on my 97 mercury mountaineer & glad i found your video's there very helpful ! I was mechanic for many years before quiting & just doing whats needed to keep it on the road it's not drove a lot but i know there bad !
But car have no enough space
What is the spec torque on the bolts?
What I do so it's easier to tighten:
I use spare jack to lift the while assembly by placing the jack under outer part of lower control arm and jack it up.
This was good info!
Hey Chris, thanks again for your great videos. You're helping tons of people!! I just replaced the upper control arms on my 1994 dodge dakota. The control arms had a pitman arm built in to form an triangle with the control arm. I bolted the pitman arm directly to the frame per specs (155 ft/lbs), bolted the castle nut of ball joint to steering knuckle per specs (130 ft/lbs), then I snugged up the control arm bushing (they arrived very loose). I dropped the truck slowly to put all the weight on the tires, and it looked like the control arm smoothly rotated at the bushings as the weight went onto the tires, until it sat at ride height. I then tightened down the control arm bushings as tight as I could in limited space. So my question: since the control arm bushing nuts came to me very loose, should I have not snugged them up prior to dropping the truck? Were they meant to be completely pressure free until all load was on tires? Would I be able to tell by looking if the bushings were "binding"?
Thank you
That makes sense, now I know what the rubber sound is when I go over a bump on my new UCAs
Watching your videos as I’m going to change lower control arms of my car tomorrow. Really helpful, I would have missed this part if I didn’t watch this video. Thanks Chris.
Is this why I hear clunking ? I tightened them up with no pre load
Just giving my input. If you have air suspension, you will need to slowly lower the vehicle onto ramps while the vehicle is running until it rises on its own accord. Once it reaches operating height….then torque them.
Excellent information. Thanks
This is the best car fixing channel on Youtube 😀
I assume this matters only for rubber bushings. Poly bushings are free to pivot all around, so it shouldn't make any difference IMO.
Will hub stands do the trick? My miata has a bunch of control arms in the rear and I believe I have to do this for all of them.
Thank you sir, just about to change my fronts! I like to research first lol.
Impressive thank you so much!!
Fraud
After replreplacing my lower control arm, the LCA is rubbing my break rotor??? Why???
Great video as always, Chris👍
How tight do you tighten them once the vehicle is on the ground?
Would this cause a tire to bounce up and down on the highway. Installed new suspension parts . and tires started bouncing . what could cause this problem . help!!!
What about tie rod end? Same ?
That was a great point. Thanks will definitely do!
Can i do this with the wheel off and the car jacked up by the control thus putting the load of the vehicle on them. Tight fit to get it torqued on the ground with the tire on…