Tips for back yard removal of ball joints:
1)all ball joints - backing off nut so its flush with the stud end allows you to strike the end without damaging the end or the threads
2) leaving spring/strut attached while removing front upper/lower ball joints allows the use of spring pressure in aiding joint removal. Loosen but LEAVE NUT ON (so the assembly doesn't fly apart on you - ouch!), then strike the hub/spindle smartly where the joint shaft goes through - usually pops easily after 3 or 4 blows
3) SC model upper CA ball joint: PITA!! However, as usual, low tech works well. Using the head of a hatchet as a wedge, making sure the sharp edge won't hit a line or bind on the carrier, place between end of ball joint (with nut loosened and flush as above) and axle carrier and strike with hammer HARD! Even my rusty ones came apart OK.
4) localized heating with a propane torch, and using penetrant, in that order, helps on all seized or rusty fasteners
5) Biggest tip of all - don't do as I did. DON'T BUY a car from an area where there's more salt than asphalt in the winter! Buying a southern car will save you big bucks in the long run. Once I got into the job, it became bigger and bigger due to the deterioration of all things metal under the car. Curiously, the body itself is pretty good, due to decent undercoating. Now I've got all Daizen bushings (ball joints were ALL good), new sway links, some new brake lines, a whole bunch of broken-drilled-tapped fasteners, and all new parking brake hardware. Love my car, though.
Good tip on the retainer welding. I just finished a replacement of the rusted rear sub frame on my 400, had to cut almost every bolt, including those expensive cam adjustment ones, to remove the CA's. Got a 95 GS300 frame and all the bolts from a wrecker - all the same as the SC.

My retainers had disintegrated. I used a 19mm spanner easily enough when torquing the control arm bolts, used Loctite and left the retainers off.

 

I was looking under my 95 SC today and noticed the upper rear control arm is aluminum, nice.

 

Thanks a lot for for great hint. Nice Ride..

 

I've been researching and found that the 93+ supra RUCA'S fit the sc300. They have the same part # I believe. Is this true?

 

u should post a pic of the weld... i couldnt even get the damn uppers off to change the bushings so i left them. lol

 

Back from the dead!!!! To the people who are experiencing loud clunking sound when shifting to R or D at cold start, or even at warm when car is at an angle, this is the ultimate fix to your problem!!!! I can attest to it and I've finally removed the sound after 1 year of having my SC and almost replacing every single bushing my SC has, this is the only fix that made it all disappear!!!! Good luck people!!!!

 

man, makes me want to go replace my rear upper control arm right now, hahaha

 

What would happen if you just left the stop off completely?

 

^
^

yes, what would happen??

 

Excllent tips in here, and I'd like to put them to use, however...

Today I discovered that the passenger side RUCA bushings are shot on my '93 SC400. I've searched through 12 different websites now, and I can't find them for sale anywhere. I can find the entire RUCA's for $540+ each, but not the bushings by themselves. Is there some reason that the bushings are so difficult to find? Are they not intended to be removed from the RUCA's, or something? If not, does anyone know where to find a new set?

Thanks!

 

Prothane has a whole set for cheap.

 

Thanks for the reply! Prothane and Whiteline both list that kit, but the image of how the bushings in that kit fit shows that they are not actually for the RUCA's.

 

I have installed a few sets of the prothane for customers and they do sell them for sure.

 

sorry for the hijacking of the thread, but is the RUCA bushing and the front ones all the same from 92-00?

 

Funny that nobody has replied to this question... According to prothane they are not the same. I should charge for the answer to this.