So, I got the prothane kit in from Assaultec almost two months after I ordered it (another day another time).

I raise the car up, start on the right side. Take everything apart and go to pop the ball joint loose and it wouldn't even budge.

I finally, after six trips to the store, found in a thread that you have to use the pitman tool and got it loose after the last trip.

Take it down then wait thirty minutes on the damn thing to catch fire to burn the old bushings out.

Get the bushings out and try to clean them up the best that I can and finally went to put the bushings in. Yep, what a PITA. They don't just slide in and I sanded it down to bare metal.

Finally got them in and the shim was in too far. Beat them back down (mistake).

Go to put it back up there, and it wouldn't fit because the shim was too far the other direction at this point.

Finally get it perfect and go to put it in there and notice it doesn't want to fit right at all.

After some inspection I discover that the rear section that the LCA bolts into seems to have taken some "low" damage (i.e. from being low, I or the previous owner, apparently nicked something and bent it inwards towards the rear of the car).

After MUCH beating that **** into place we managed to get the rear bolt in. Go to put the front bolt in, and it only goes halfway in. The rear of the shim had been mushroomed in from me having to beat on it.

Get that drilled out a bit and go to put the nut on and get it all put back together.

Go to tighten the ball joint and it free spins (which means at this point I need a new one because I tore the boot, FML). Have to put pressure on it with a scissor jack and finally get it tightened down.

Put it all back together and have to adjust the toe for some reason. Drive it down the road, success.

So, all in all, it took me one day (6 hours) to get the first half finished and the next day about two hours.

ALL BECAUSE OF ONE MINOR BEND IN THE REAR SUBFRAME. GRRRRRRRR

Plus? The LCA bushings are BOSS! I only have one side done, but the traditional thud of going over a bump is gone, the steering is great now [no more squirrelyness], and the braking is now straight.

 

I don't get this.

What do you mean "spins free" ?
and are you saying you need a new ball joint because you tore the boot?

 

The actual joint is tapered so if there's not enough pressure on it it'll spin freely in the control arm while you're trying to tighten it.

It's not a bad ball joint, yet. It will be soon though as all the grease will leak out unless I can find a new boot.

 

After much searching I discovered that Energy Suspension makes replacement boots.

http://www.energysuspension.com/univ...ust-boots.html

I'm going to fill it up with grease and RTV it for now tomorrow afternoon.

 

If the ball joint spins, using a impact gun will do the job.

 

Normally thats what I would do but my air compressor was AWOL at someone elses place.

 

Take a jack put it under the control arm put a little tension on it

& tighten (that side should be in the air) lower & torque it down.

Same way with control arm bolts. I think you should push on the

fender when the car is dowen(bounce) then torque.

 

We actually jacked up and down so many different points trying to get tension on it but none worked. We used a scissor jack and put it on the UCA and jacked the LCA up and that did the trick.

As far as tightening. I don't think it makes a difference if it's under load or not because of the fact that it pivots inside of the two mounting points.