Front lower control arm replacement

[bigjae46]

Craftsman 1/2" Drive Flex Head Quick Release Teardrop Ratchet with a short socket. To counter hold the ball joint, one of the reinforcement plate bolts can be threaded in from the bottom of the ball joint if I remember correctly.

Didn’t think of that…that would be genius!

[heinzboehmer]

Craftsman 1/2" Drive Flex Head Quick Release Teardrop Ratchet with a short socket. To counter hold the ball joint, one of the reinforcement plate bolts can be threaded in from the bottom of the ball joint if I remember correctly.

Didn’t think of that…that would be genius!

Would only work for torquing the new one though, right?

Spent a few minutes making hand gestures in the air to visualize the rotation lol, so could have got it wrong. Point is, you'll only be able to counter hold it like that for one of the two operations.

Edit: I guess you could torque the reinforcement bolt higher than the ball joint nut and then figure out how to get it out when the control arm is off the car. Big impact would make the second part easy.

[Maxima SE]

You dont need to remove the sway bar or drop the subframe. Its doable. I didnt have too much trouble with it. FCP Euro has a good DIY video.

[bigjae46]

Would only work for torquing the new one though, right?

Spent a few minutes making hand gestures in the air to visualize the rotation lol, so could have got it wrong. Point is, you'll only be able to counter hold it like that for one of the two operations.

Edit: I guess you could torque the reinforcement bolt higher than the ball joint nut and then figure out how to get it out when the control arm is off the car. Big impact would make the second part easy.

Not sure. If its the old one then you could loctite it and grossly over tighten the bolt.

I hit the nut with an impact from the top. If the nut doesn't loosen then off comes the subframe. I just did my control arms this past winter but I was also replacing the oil pan gasket so the subframe was already off.

Then again my car is stripped down to the bone...takes about 5 minutes to take the valve cover off because all of the pretty and emissions stuff is removed.

[t44tq]

If the ball joint spins then place a floor jack under it and jack up a little to press the tapered shaft tight and it should not spin. Once the nut is off, use a large fork to separate it from the frame.

Update-
Installed the subframe reinforcement plate bolt into the bottom of the big central ball joint, then jacked it up- you were right, worked like a charm. Thank you for the advice!

Major fight just getting the suspension upright ball joint out of the upright- had to use a pickle fork and a prybar and had to beat the crap out of it to come out.

[01SG]

A good shock from the hammer always loosens them right up.