how hard is it to install front upper control arms? i have new arms so i need to replace the front uppers. any advice or tips would help

 

The front ones are pretty straight forward and rather easy. Its held on by one bolt that is torqued to 116 flbs or so, once you remove that you need to pop the ball joint out of the knuckle and installing the new is the reverse. Also you will need to remove the ABS sensor which is held on by 2 bolts.

Make sure you have a torque wrench and a ball joint tool.

Now the rear ones are a WHOLE different story those are a PIA.

 

do i have to take out the front strut assembly when im replacing the upper control arms?

 

no, it is a simple V shape that surrounds the strut assembly so it doesn't need to come out. Make sure you do an alignment after you're done

BTW this is more of a suspension topic, wrong section...

 

No need when doing new uppers. The lowers have alignment bolts but the uppers just sit there and swing.

 

True, but he's changing a swinging arm and this affects alignment while the suspension is in motion. New arms will change this motion, although subtle. This is caused by new, stiffer bushings and ball joints. By changing to new ones doesn't mean that they magically fall back into line which is why alignment is necessary.

 

Depends on how far gone his old ones are. It would probably be a good idea to get an alignment in the somewhat near future, but he's probably not going to be chewing up tires until he does it. Will depend on his time and budget, mostly.

 

is it just one long bolt that holds the upper control arm?

 

Yup its one bolt holding it to the assembly but there is a ball joint connecting it to the knuckle

 

does anybody know the torque spec for the ball joint nut and the long bolt holding the upper control arm?

 

Here ya go

https://www.clublexus.com/forums/sus...-question.html

 

thank you guys