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Nice job and great write up. I wonder now if you are going to keep the car now? I've been seeing you looking around elsewhere and thinking of moving on as I have too. I think mine is just boredom.
I was just wondering the same thing myself, I do love the thing. I think I'll see how it drives with the new arms in it and give it some thought. My problem is I drive so much (600 miles a week), so my internal debate is...do I keep doing that in a car that has a V8 and takes super? Or do I buy an ES350 and take a little step down. A lot of people are convincing me to stay with the LS.
What I did was I lined the old control arms with the marks, to the new control arms. Then I marked them in the same spots...then aligned them to the marks I put on the brackets.
Something I failed to discuss in my write up...I also replaced my passenger side wheel bearing today. The thing was totally shot. I started hearing this kind of pulsation/whirling sound while driving and it was more pronounced when I turned my wheel to the left at speed. I rotated my tires thinking maybe I had a rough edge or something, but it didn't make a difference...sure enough it was the wheel bearing.
As soon as I took the rotor off and was able to turn the bearing by hand, I could feel how rough the thing was...totally wiped out. I must admit that I was kind of surprised.
There are four 19mm bolts behind the steering knuckle that I had to remove - one was a little difficult because the lower control arm nut was right in the way - I had to remove the tie rod and swivel the knuckle downwards to squeeze a socket in there. Without an air chisel this thing was an absolute bear to get out of that steering knuckle (which I knew was going to be the case). After about a half an hour of whaling on that thing and dumping half a can of penetration oil between the surfaces, it finally fell out (onto my foot).
114,500 and climbing by the week. I must say, I think the bad control arms are what wiped out my bearing. I figure I was driving around on those bad control arms for maybe 30k miles...so I wonder if it stressed the bearing?
I had issues removing the front drive lower control arm bolt. Did you have to move the power steering rack at all? When the bolt slides back to come out, it hits the back part of the dust boot for the steering and wont go back any further. I know you can turn your wheel to the left or right so that the tie rods move out of the way but this bolt actually hits something that does not move on the driver's side.
I had issues removing the front drive lower control arm bolt. Did you have to move the power steering rack at all? When the bolt slides back to come out, it hits the back part of the dust boot for the steering and wont go back any further. I know you can turn your wheel to the left or right so that the tie rods move out of the way but this bolt actually hits something that does not move on the driver's side.
You're talking about the bottom forward facing control arms, right? The end that bolts into the aluminum cradle?
Edit: I just saw what you're talking about - I didn't replace those. Yeah it looks like that bolt hits the inner tie rod. What I'd try is using a sawzall, I'd just cut the bolt on the sides of the bushing, have it fall out...and then install a new bolt, but just put it in the opposite way so the nut would be near the tie rod, rather than the bolt side. Would that work?
Because I didn't have a problem getting that bolt out, I had some room behind it. And the bolt surprisingly came right out. The only problems I had durin the whole procedure was on the passenger side one of the upper control arm nuts was stuck and the stud started to spin. I put a pair of vice grips on the stud and it eventually came out. If I had air, it wouldn't of been a problem.
If you're talking about the rearward facing lower control arm, I didn't replace those. If you're talking about those, will I have to move the rack to get that bolt out? I may do those arms next year.
Nah, just the front black ones not the aluminum one. The one you changed. The drivers side, the bolt slid back but it wouldn't clear the steering rack. The aluminum one would if you just turn the wheel to the right and the tie rods move to the side for you to remove the bolt. Wonder why mine was so hard to clear. Basically the bolt slides back and hits the steering rack. You can see what I mean below. Also you can see that I moved the wheel to the right to clear the bolt for the aluminum arm.
Nah, just the front black ones not the aluminum one. The one you changed. The drivers side, the bolt slid back but it wouldn't clear the steering rack. The aluminum one would if you just turn the wheel to the right and the tie rods move to the side for you to remove the bolt. Wonder why mine was so hard to clear. Basically the bolt slides back and hits the steering rack. You can see what I mean below. Also you can see that I moved the wheel to the right to clear the bolt for the aluminum arm.
Yup that's the rear one I was thinking of. So you disconnected the tie rod and turned the wheel enough to clear it? Or is it still stuck? It looks like you can get it out based on the picture. You could take the boot of and unscrew the inner tie rod, but you may need a special tool (one that has C clips and a tube you put a half inch ratchet on).
Good to know I'm going to run into this problem when I do mine. I only bought 6 of the 8 control arms because I didn't think my lower rears were that bad - I was wrong - upon closer inspection they didn't look too good. I'll probably do them in the spring.
Yup that's the rear one I was thinking of. So you disconnected the tie rod and turned the wheel enough to clear it? Or is it still stuck? It looks like you can get it out based on the picture. You could take the boot of and unscrew the inner tie rod, but you may need a special tool (one that has C clips and a tube you put a half inch ratchet on).
Good to know I'm going to run into this problem when I do mine. I only bought 6 of the 8 control arms because I didn't think my lower rears were that bad - I was wrong - upon closer inspection they didn't look too good. I'll probably do them in the spring.
The bolt is really long. It basically stops right before it comes all the way out. I was running out of patience so I put it back. The aluminum one with the bolt you can see sticking out, that clears if you turn your wheel to the right. That shifts the rods and you'll be able to clear it. My arm was so shot that the bar was moving around the rubber. You can see how far it moved forward from the pic below. It moves even further than this pic when you put enough force.
Superb Work! Those parts made the difference, like the packaging too, all about the end product and those you installed are the F in Ferrari parts to me.
12-29-15, 07:51 PM
