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Tricks for removing LCA?

04lss

04lss

New member
Im replacing my Lower controll arms on friday. I was wondering if you guys had any tricks for getting them off.
I was also curious if i would need any special tools, other than a hammer and my normal sockets/wrenches.
 


You'll need to pop the balljoint. So either a long prybar or a pickle fork. You'll need a T55 torx bit and I think a 24mm socket. That's it for special stuff.
 


Not so sure it's a 24, make sure before you buy an individual socket. Could be a 22. I've taken so many off, yet I still don't remember the size lol. I think I just eyeball it and grab the one that looks right, it's all sub-conscious. Then 18mm wrench for ball joint nut, and like he said T55. You also want a new way to hold down the abs wire, the new dorman lca's dont come with the clips and the old ones usually don't survive the removal. I used zip ties.
 


Thanks for the link, it helped a lot. Ive run into a snag.... I am replacing my brakes at the same time, new rotors. No matter what i do i simply cant get the piston to retract far enough to let me put the caliper back on.
I tried 12" pliers, prying against it, even taking one of the pads off and pulling it. It hasnt moved at all.
the only thought i have left is to open the bleed nipple and release the excess pressure, but tbh I dont know if thats a good idea or if it will even work.
 
Also... Buy the ac delco arms if you can. I destroyed 2 sets of parts store brand ones before I found that you could get acdelco arms for 60$ a side on amazon. The ball joints are 1000x better quality and have a shelf in the boot for the spindle to turn aganst instead of tearing the boot. Cheap arms have a standard boot on the joint that gets torn stupid fast.
 
04lss said:
Thanks for the link, it helped a lot. Ive run into a snag.... I am replacing my brakes at the same time, new rotors. No matter what i do i simply cant get the piston to retract far enough to let me put the caliper back on.
I tried 12" pliers, prying against it, even taking one of the pads off and pulling it. It hasnt moved at all.
the only thought i have left is to open the bleed nipple and release the excess pressure, but tbh I dont know if thats a good idea or if it will even work.
Click to expand...

The ONLY way to compress calipers in my opinion is a giant c clamp. I just compress them while they are fully bolted to the spindle / rotor still. Makes quick work of it and easily compresses them 100% without stressing the piston on the caliper. Then just unbolt like normal. Pliers and just about any other tool pushes the piston sideways and it can bind up in the bore.
 


Almost. Mine took an hour for 1 bolt. The hockey puck bushing bolt. The sleeve got rust welded to the bolt. So how are you supposed to remove it? Lots of impacting and penetrating oil. What ended up working is vice grips on the bushing, impact on the bolt to turn it, and hammering on the top of the bolt from the top. All at the same time. I've done a lot of these lcas before, only happened twice.
 
Oh also, just did one the other day. 18mm ball joint nut, 21mm nuts on the 18mm bushing bolts, and t55 on the hockey puck bushing bolt. Pick/screwdriver for wiring harness. Side cutters to remove cotter pin. (Or for me I use a medium straight pick and a pry bar for the tough ones) they're easy, I knock them out in minutes. I manually replace the bushings in them though.
 
Thats wayyyyy too much effort to remove the sway bar endlink. I just bust out the cutoff wheel or the sawzall and then put a new 10$ end link on.
 
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