C4 Lower Control Arm Removal
Thread Starter
Intermediate
Joined: Jul 2006
Posts: 48
Likes: 0
C4 Lower Control Arm Removal
Has anyone removed their lower control arms without using a spring compressor tool as the service manual suggests? Is it as simple as disconnecting the lower ball joint and letting the spring decompress all the way? I did this and it seems that there might be still pressure on the arm? Maybe this is due to the "twisting" of the bushings?
Any advice on this job would be helpful.
(I'm replacing the bushings to poly.)
Thanks-
Any advice on this job would be helpful.
(I'm replacing the bushings to poly.)
Thanks-
Instructor
Joined: Apr 2005
Posts: 195
Likes: 1
From: Columbus OH
Originally Posted by Jim5pt7v8
Has anyone removed their lower control arms without using a spring compressor tool as the service manual suggests? Is it as simple as disconnecting the lower ball joint and letting the spring decompress all the way?
BTW on reinstall I had the most trouble getting the sway bar link to line back up. The rest was easy... well, relatively easy. Oh, one other thing. I had to remove a bolt on brace directly behind the LCAs and under the chassis in order to get the rearward LCA mounting bolts out. I was not happy to discover this extra work especially when I didn't jack the car very high thinking I would not need to get under it.
Best of luck
Le Mans Master
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 5,858
Likes: 7
From: Santa Maria CA
Just lower the lower control arm slowly with a jack. There will be a point where the spring will contact a stop and remain there. The control arm can then still be pushed down further by hand now free of spring tension. Unbolt and remove.
When you re-install, install bolts but not yet torqued to specs. Raise the control arm against spring tension with a jack, untill the car just begins to lift of the jackstand. This is when you now torque down the control arm bolts to spec. If you torque the bolts down with the control arm down at full droop, you can have binding issues.
To help re align the sway bar link, finish installing the control arms and lower the car to the ground. Now start the car and roll it back then forth some to settle the suspension down closer to normal ride height. This makes it much easier to aling and bolt up the sway bar end links.
