upper control arm replacement

roccet · **Posted:** Mon Apr 11, 2011 8:22 pm

Ok Since i cannot find SSSSSHHHH@#% on exactly how to relpace the upper control arm with out purchasing a darn book .
I thought i would start a thread.. I will also need help with this since im 4 hours in and the furthest i have gotten is taken out the battery tray.. ..

This is what happend on saturday..

here are the 13 steps that mopar has in there instructions but what they do not have is the tool list and where bolts are located etc.
This is the left side:

1) raise and support vehicle
2) remove the right side tire and wheel assembly
3) remove ball joint nut
4)separate the upper ball joint from the steering knuckle use tool c-4150a
5) lower the vehicle
6) remove the battery
7) unclip the power center and move it to the side out of the way.

remove tray (ok pretty much BS how about explain where the darn bolts are and what size)
9) Disconnect battery temp sensor
10) remove upper control arm rear bolt by using a rachet and extension under the steering shaft and one positioned by the power steering reservoir
(your kidding right this is all you can give as a description?)
11) remove the upper control arm front bolt
12) remove the upper control arm from the vehicle.

Now.. There are three bolts holding in the battery tray.

tools needed to remove the tray..

3/8 drive with an extension.. i had a 12 inch extension and used a 10mm for the battery holder bracket and a 12mm socket for all three bolts holding the tray. bolt locations: one is down below the tray.. dont miss that one .. i did. two are up top. one is right on the fender wall. the other one is closest to the motor in a little pocket you may have to clean it out to see it..

I am not trying to get the ball joint pressed out.. ( need special tool and do not use a fork.. ) I did and it does not work...

do not do this!!!!

do not do this!!!

I also tried to remove the nuts..that hold the control arm on 3/4 inch deep socket.. and there not moving.. see picture below...

here is where i need help.. what am i remove the nut?? cause i am almost thinking its welded to the bracket and getting a socket on the other side is a BI#@!#%.

tommudd · **Posted:** Mon Apr 11, 2011 9:40 pm

The bolt end of it has a "plate/bracket" on it to hold it tight when taking the nut off, spray it good with PB Blaster and then it will come off, yes you need a swivel and extensions to get back into the rear one. Not a hard job, swapped both sides out last week by myself in less than 2 hours and thats with breaks and talking on the phone :wink:

To get the ball joint out of the spindle, smack it with a hammer to loosen it up.

roccet · **Posted:** Mon Apr 11, 2011 10:06 pm

ah .. yes.. CRC . wd and PB .. i tripple sprayed it .. any yup.. it came loose.. and thanks for the tip on the flange deal on the bolt ..

I got one off so far. and i did have a buddy come by and tell me i was an idiot .. i got the wrong size fork.. he said go by a smaller one and it will work .. Yup.. one smack and it was out.
now for the other insanely hidden bolt that i have to use my 18inch extension on cause my 3" wont be long enough. Thats right i said it..
ok back to that bolt.. im going in boys.. wish my luck.. im 90% there..

tjkj2002 · **Posted:** Mon Apr 11, 2011 10:50 pm

Those UCA mount nuts are 18mm,not 3/4".You will round them off trying to use a 3/4" socket.

roccet · **Posted:** Tue Apr 12, 2011 1:10 am

thank you i found that out a little later...

Ok what is wrong with this picture??? the right side is the side i fixed..
Thats the one with the new old man EMU control arm
Why would it be higher?? and i mean by alot not just a little.
I jumped up and down on the right side to get it to settle.

the next few pictures might have something to do with some of the height but not all of it.

After was done i had to move my jack .. I had my frame up on blocks and the jack stand under the control arm. i lowered the control arm and heard a BANG!!!
my are was fully extended of course. i was inspecting the movement all the way down nothing jerked etc but the bang was a bit alarming.
i then moved the jack further back on the control arm in order to get my wheel back on.
i was then able to fully see all the damage that had happend on saturday.. and you can seen my spindle is bent or at least the bottom where the bottom ball joint is.

so im a bit concerned about both the height and this below. I am now on the search on ebay for a new spindle assuming this one is shot.

tommudd · **Posted:** Tue Apr 12, 2011 8:05 am

Did you completely tighten the bolts on the frame with the tires off and up on jack stands? If so you preloaded the bushings and part of why it is sitting high. You need to loosen them and have full weight on before you torque them to the correct specs.
Yes looks like you get to replace the spindle for sure, please don't use that "fork" to remove the UBJ though when you replace it
Old Man Emu control arm???

roccet · **Posted:** Tue Apr 12, 2011 8:18 am

the control arm is just snug but not torqued down at all. its just past finger tight.

sorry jeepn by al

these are the control arms i have.

tjkj2002 · **Posted:** Tue Apr 12, 2011 8:44 am

roccet wrote:

thank you i found that out a little later...

Ok what is wrong with this picture??? the right side is the side i fixed..
Thats the one with the new old man EMU control arm
Why would it be higher?? and i mean by alot not just a little.
I jumped up and down on the right side to get it to settle.

the next few pictures might have something to do with some of the height but not all of it.

After was done i had to move my jack .. I had my frame up on blocks and the jack stand under the control arm. i lowered the control arm and heard a BANG!!!
my are was fully extended of course. i was inspecting the movement all the way down nothing jerked etc but the bang was a bit alarming.
i then moved the jack further back on the control arm in order to get my wheel back on.
i was then able to fully see all the damage that had happend on saturday.. and you can seen my spindle is bent or at least the bottom where the bottom ball joint is.

so im a bit concerned about both the height and this below. I am now on the search on ebay for a new spindle assuming this one is shot.

So you only put the JBA UCA on one side? If so that is why it is not level,you need to install the otherside and get a alignment done.You also need a new LBJ and the boot is torn in the bottome pic and it will not last long.

roccet · **Posted:** Tue Apr 12, 2011 10:43 am

I have seen the moog ball joints on ebay and a new /used spindle as well. so i plan to purchase both today..

tonycrd · **Posted:** Tue Apr 12, 2011 12:20 pm

Wait....these are the springs you are running?

tommudd · **Posted:** Tue Apr 12, 2011 12:26 pm

I know I was going to mention that but did not want to make his day worse than what it was already. :wink:

Now those we could say were "stacked"

roccet · **Posted:** Tue Apr 12, 2011 6:38 pm

just the stock springs.. this pic makes it looks like its squished.. ill take another pic because there not squished at all But with that said thank you for pointing that out. It is something i have considered going aftermarket on .. the ride is actually very nice even when going off-road so i haven't put much thought into it.
I am using after market struts but the stock springs. and now I am using aftermarket control arms.

hmm the more i look at that picture the more unsure i am.. >> im heading to the garage right now to see if i really did miss that.. but im fairly confident that its just the view of this picture etc.
i have looked at the travel and those springs for the last couple years and have been thinking about a different lift kit other than the one i have now and would have definatly noticed that so im hoping i didn't damage something else that I am not seeing. ..

Back from checking.. coil is a bit tighter that i would like sure but there not squished by any means. but again its just stock.. what would i gain by getting an aftermarket coil?? travel, or better ride or both?? my ride is great.. I have black diamond struts under those coils and love them..

roccet · **Posted:** Wed Apr 13, 2011 12:03 am

WELL CRAP!!!! I just checked out my spindle and its still good it was just not sitting correctly .. i do need new lower ball joints but i just purchase a spindle on EBAY.
If anyone wants a left side spindle .. I just paid 75.00 make offer and its yours. . I cannot believe it. but oh well . im sure someone coming back from the moab trip will need a new spindle right?
well there is 75.00 i burned, like a tank of gas going no where.

tonycrd · **Posted:** Fri Apr 15, 2011 12:38 pm

Skyjacker made good coils...10 years ago. After that they made saggy ones.

But you say stock springs? So where is that liftkit that is in your sig?
---------------------
Anyway:

You are looking at your kj while it sits level on both tires.

In the pic you have a jack under the LCA and now it sits like when you would flex. Then your coils stack. At least that's what it looks like.

roccet · **Posted:** Fri Apr 15, 2011 4:43 pm

it is everything skyjacker but the front springs. at least i think i didnt replace the springs that i remember.. I know the rear were replaced because they had to be replaced.. the stock springs didnt work at all in the rear.. . I am pretty sure there still stock in the front..

tonycrd · **Posted:** Fri Apr 15, 2011 7:37 pm

That sounds pretty weird. If you had stock front and skyjacker rear you would look like this:

roccet · **Posted:** Fri Apr 15, 2011 9:17 pm

hmm ok maybe there not stock in the front but they sure look stock.. The back are obviously not stock they have a coating on them but the front look just like stock steel coil springs to me.
well anyway..

upper control arm replacement

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