Lower Control Arm Replacement ???'s
Thread Starter
Le Mans Master
Joined: May 2003
Posts: 5,362
Likes: 3
From: Delray Beach FL
Lower Control Arm Replacement ???'s
This weekend, Forum Member Tobijohn and I replaced the upper control arms on my 93 Coupe. I have new lower control arms to install as well, but I did not have the spring compressor to take the tension off the spring to remove the lower arms. In a couple of old posts, people talked about doing 1 side at a time with the jack under the lower arm and slowly lowering it to remove the tension on the spring on that side. Has anyone done it like this recently? Is there an easy way to replace the lower arms without the spring compressor that is safe to do? Thank you in advance!
BTW, the new upper arms, new shocks, poly front sway bar bushings and new front tie rod ends made a HUGE difference on my Vette! I didn't realize how crappy my suspension had become! I also added the R&D Camber Bar at the same time. Front end is getting very nice (just have the lower arms now) and then it is to the rear to rebuild it! :smash:
BTW, the new upper arms, new shocks, poly front sway bar bushings and new front tie rod ends made a HUGE difference on my Vette! I didn't realize how crappy my suspension had become! I also added the R&D Camber Bar at the same time. Front end is getting very nice (just have the lower arms now) and then it is to the rear to rebuild it! :smash:
Melting Slicks
Joined: May 2002
Posts: 3,424
Likes: 1
From: Tucson Az
St. Jude Contributor
Re: Lower Control Arm Replacement ???'s (Whitvette)
Hey bro, you can lower one side at a time using the floor jack, just don't let the jack get out of control when lowering it, you know they can suprise you sometimes........
EDIT: get the car up on stands as high as you can, I used 4, 6 ton stands, got it up pretty high..........
[Modified by edsalinas, 8:37 AM 12/1/2003]
EDIT: get the car up on stands as high as you can, I used 4, 6 ton stands, got it up pretty high..........
[Modified by edsalinas, 8:37 AM 12/1/2003]
Burning Brakes
Joined: Apr 2001
Posts: 799
Likes: 1
From: Fremont CA
Re: Lower Control Arm Replacement ???'s (Whitvette)
I haven't done the fronts yet; but I have used a floor jack to release the tension on the rear spring.
Remember the stock front spring is a transverse leaf. It takes a special spring compresser.
Remember the stock front spring is a transverse leaf. It takes a special spring compresser.
Racer
Joined: Apr 2003
Posts: 350
Likes: 1
From: portland or
Re: Lower Control Arm Replacement ???'s (Whitvette)
Lower control arms are cake to remove. Absolutely no safety issues.
- Loosen lower ball joint nut, but do not remove.
- Separate lower ball joint. Lower nut will retain.
- Support lower control arm with jack. Make sure you do not damage zerk fitting.
- Remove lower A-Arm ball joint nut.
- Lower A-arm that is being supported with jack. This will take all tension off the spring.
- You can now remove the lower A-arm and the spring.
Figure one hour to do the first side. 15 minutes to do the next.
Feel free to email me if you have any more questions.
-Z
- Loosen lower ball joint nut, but do not remove.
- Separate lower ball joint. Lower nut will retain.
- Support lower control arm with jack. Make sure you do not damage zerk fitting.
- Remove lower A-Arm ball joint nut.
- Lower A-arm that is being supported with jack. This will take all tension off the spring.
- You can now remove the lower A-arm and the spring.
Figure one hour to do the first side. 15 minutes to do the next.
Feel free to email me if you have any more questions.
-Z
Le Mans Master
Joined: Oct 2000
Posts: 6,362
Likes: 30
From: Oak Harbor WA
Re: Lower Control Arm Replacement ???'s (1MoorTym)
Whit I just did this a few months back. Just like all the other "unsafe" posts have said. Just get the car up on nice jack stands ( I used 3.5 ton) and it stayed up there for 6 days straight, I'm slow and was in no hurry.
You'll need to remove those little aluminum shields as well as the 45* braces that go from the engine cradle to the frame rail to get the a-arm bolts out. There are 5 nut/bolts holding them in. Watch out for the spacer that is there. It must go back in the same spot to help cut down on chassis noises. I know this for a reason. :rolleyes:
Once you remove the wheel, brakes, shock, swaybar you can then support the lower arm with the jack. Then undo the lower ball stud and then lower the arm to release the tension. Easy process. Spring will not move because of the two retainer brackets up underneath. The folks having done a lowering job know these little gems. :mad
Don't sweat it. I polished mine up a bit before installing them. Kind of a waste though on a driver.
Make sure you have a full set of metric sockets 12mm-19mm.
You'll need to remove those little aluminum shields as well as the 45* braces that go from the engine cradle to the frame rail to get the a-arm bolts out. There are 5 nut/bolts holding them in. Watch out for the spacer that is there. It must go back in the same spot to help cut down on chassis noises. I know this for a reason. :rolleyes:
Once you remove the wheel, brakes, shock, swaybar you can then support the lower arm with the jack. Then undo the lower ball stud and then lower the arm to release the tension. Easy process. Spring will not move because of the two retainer brackets up underneath. The folks having done a lowering job know these little gems. :mad
Don't sweat it. I polished mine up a bit before installing them. Kind of a waste though on a driver.
Make sure you have a full set of metric sockets 12mm-19mm.
Thread Starter
Le Mans Master
Joined: May 2003
Posts: 5,362
Likes: 3
From: Delray Beach FL
Re: Lower Control Arm Replacement ???'s (1MoorTym)
Just curious as to why you are replacing the control arms ?
Thanks for the input on doing the lower front. I will have to try that once I have some time off of work again. :) Thanks again!! :cheers:
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Bench Racer
Joined: Feb 2003
Posts: 4,201
Likes: 15
From: Palm Beach Gardens FL
St. Jude '03 thru 14,'25
Re: Lower Control Arm Replacement ???'s (Whitvette)
Hey Neil, how far off was the alignment? Is it tolerable enough until we get a chance to finish the lowers and the rear?
EDIT: I mean until YOU get a chance to finish the lowers and rear while I stand around and watch... :)
[Modified by tobijohn, 11:48 AM 12/2/2003]
EDIT: I mean until YOU get a chance to finish the lowers and rear while I stand around and watch... :)
[Modified by tobijohn, 11:48 AM 12/2/2003]
Burning Brakes
Joined: Aug 2002
Posts: 926
Likes: 2
From: chandler az
Re: Lower Control Arm Replacement ???'s (Whitvette)
Hey! I called corvette central and they said that the ball joints are not included? Were they in the parts you received? part no. 574609R & L
Thread Starter
Le Mans Master
Joined: May 2003
Posts: 5,362
Likes: 3
From: Delray Beach FL
Re: Lower Control Arm Replacement ???'s (brookman)
Brookman...yes, those were the part numbers. I had one of their "tech" guys check for me before I ordered them. The ones I received and all the ones they had in stock 3 weeks ago were complete assemblies. I would call and go to their "tech" department and ask one of them. Those are the same part numbers I ordered. Ball joints are riveted in, not bolted.
Tobijohn...the alignment was really close! I was surprised. We may be able to get away with doing the lowers and have to worry about doing an alignment afterwards. The rear is going to require the alignment though. The only area we were off on was the tow. Camber and caster were right on. :D
Edit: I didn't want to take a chance and not have it aligned after we did that work to it. I don't want to replace those 18" tires yet. I would like to get a few more miles out of them. :cheers:
[Modified by Whitvette, 12:36 PM 12/2/2003]
Tobijohn...the alignment was really close! I was surprised. We may be able to get away with doing the lowers and have to worry about doing an alignment afterwards. The rear is going to require the alignment though. The only area we were off on was the tow. Camber and caster were right on. :D
Edit: I didn't want to take a chance and not have it aligned after we did that work to it. I don't want to replace those 18" tires yet. I would like to get a few more miles out of them. :cheers:
[Modified by Whitvette, 12:36 PM 12/2/2003]
Bench Racer
Joined: Feb 2003
Posts: 4,201
Likes: 15
From: Palm Beach Gardens FL
St. Jude '03 thru 14,'25
Re: Lower Control Arm Replacement ???'s (Whitvette)
Neil, did you catch this link from another thread?
http://www.vbandp.com/instructions/h...ruct/align.htm
http://www.vbandp.com/instructions/h...ruct/align.htm
Thread Starter
Le Mans Master
Joined: May 2003
Posts: 5,362
Likes: 3
From: Delray Beach FL
Re: Lower Control Arm Replacement ???'s (brookman)
Brookman, no prob with the questions, happy to be able to answer them. :) Yes, the bushings are included. They are rubber bushings, not poly. Everything comes installed in the arm (bushings and ball joint). All you need to install the arms is a grease gun with grease (to lube the ball joint) and a cotter pin (I used Metric 4 size cotter pins). Upper arms are a breaze to install. Just remove the nut holding the ball joint (and the cotter pin), then unbolt the arms. When you undo one bolt, remove the shims and stack them. Remember which stack is which (front or rear bolt). Once it is unbolted, just bolt the new one on (with the shims) and you are done. It was very easy. Took about 10 minutes on the 1st side, 20 minutes on the 2nd because I didn't do the ball joint first.
Tobijohn, yeah I saw that in the Vette Brakes catalog. I am going to try to get the car aligned to those specs once we get the rear done. I have the rear camber bars from Vette Brakes to go on at that time. Figure with their stuff on it, I would give that alignment a shot. :D
Tobijohn, yeah I saw that in the Vette Brakes catalog. I am going to try to get the car aligned to those specs once we get the rear done. I have the rear camber bars from Vette Brakes to go on at that time. Figure with their stuff on it, I would give that alignment a shot. :D
Drifting
Joined: Aug 2000
Posts: 1,521
Likes: 0
From: West Islip New York
Re: Lower Control Arm Replacement ???'s (Whitvette)
Just curious as to why you are replacing the control arms ?
1MoorTym, I want to replace the lower ball joints. I have over 156,000 miles on my 93. I have just replaced the upper arms and shocks and that has helped dramatically. I found that the prices of new arms was close enough to just the ball joints to go that way. I found the uppers for $99 at Corvette Central. The lowers were $149 each at Mid America. New ball joints are around $80 each. So, for the $19 more for the uppers, it saves the possiblity of my rims coming in contact with the bolts when you replace the uppers (now have 18" rims) and the extra $60 each on the lower was worth not having to have the old ones pressed out and new ones pressed in (as well as installing new bushings on the uppers & lowers as well.)
Thanks for the input on doing the lower front. I will have to try that once I have some time off of work again. :) Thanks again!! :cheers:
1MoorTym, I want to replace the lower ball joints. I have over 156,000 miles on my 93. I have just replaced the upper arms and shocks and that has helped dramatically. I found that the prices of new arms was close enough to just the ball joints to go that way. I found the uppers for $99 at Corvette Central. The lowers were $149 each at Mid America. New ball joints are around $80 each. So, for the $19 more for the uppers, it saves the possiblity of my rims coming in contact with the bolts when you replace the uppers (now have 18" rims) and the extra $60 each on the lower was worth not having to have the old ones pressed out and new ones pressed in (as well as installing new bushings on the uppers & lowers as well.)
Thanks for the input on doing the lower front. I will have to try that once I have some time off of work again. :) Thanks again!! :cheers:
http://www.tld-corvette.com/catalog.htm
They usually have some of the best prices around and they get $385 upper/$470 lower . That's why I asked, because they are so expensive. Are you getting new arms? Order the rest before these guys wake up.
[Modified by 1MoorTym, 6:42 PM 12/2/2003]
Thread Starter
Le Mans Master
Joined: May 2003
Posts: 5,362
Likes: 3
From: Delray Beach FL
Re: Lower Control Arm Replacement ???'s (1MoorTym)
I couldn't believe the price either, that was why I went ahead and replaced the whole assemblies. When I called Corvette Central to make sure the ball joints were included for the uppers, I told the guy I was surprised how cheap they were. I told him that Mid America and Corvette Central were backwards on their pricing. Mid America has the upper assemblies for $379 and Corvette Central had the lowers for $429 (I think that was their crazy price). He was surprised they were selling the uppers so cheap. If anyone is planning on doing their suspensions, now is the time to get the parts before they wise up. :smash:
BTW, the arms are new, as far as I can tell.
BTW, the arms are new, as far as I can tell.
Melting Slicks
Joined: May 2000
Posts: 2,029
Likes: 63
Re: Lower Control Arm Replacement ???'s (Whitvette)
Whitvette got a great deal for his A-arms but the restore route is not that expensive either. Vette parts houses are rarely cheap. They are used to price their products pretty high (they add Vette extra) and customers are paying even when you can get the parts way cheaper if you just shop around a little.
For example, take a look at this kit and compare its $249 price tag to comparable kits from Vette only parts houses: http://www.p-s-t.com/fekgmpg.html
So, I recommend you take a wider look, it sometimes pays _not_ to concentrate your shopping to Ecklers, MAD, TLD, CC etc. but surf around and ask questions - you might get lucky :)
ToniH
[Modified by ToniH, 8:41 PM 12/3/2003]
For example, take a look at this kit and compare its $249 price tag to comparable kits from Vette only parts houses: http://www.p-s-t.com/fekgmpg.html
So, I recommend you take a wider look, it sometimes pays _not_ to concentrate your shopping to Ecklers, MAD, TLD, CC etc. but surf around and ask questions - you might get lucky :)
ToniH
[Modified by ToniH, 8:41 PM 12/3/2003]
Thread Starter
Le Mans Master
Joined: May 2003
Posts: 5,362
Likes: 3
From: Delray Beach FL
Re: Lower Control Arm Replacement ???'s (Goody)
Well, I just checked CC website and they don't list an upper control arm. Hmm, guess the deal is gone. :confused:
Le Mans Master
Joined: Oct 2000
Posts: 6,362
Likes: 30
From: Oak Harbor WA
Re: Lower Control Arm Replacement ???'s (Whitvette)
Yeah, I was able to find them with the part number search. But using just search words didn't always do the trick. I was just curious and was thinking about it. I already did this whole thing to my car.