Control arms

[jimoshel]

Swapped all four control, suspension, arms on the '98 WJ. NEVER AGAIN. Anybody else ever do it? How do you twist the axle to get the last bolt in? Anyway got it done and taking it in today for alignment. Just gonna wait for the Dork to tell me I need new control arm bushings. :thwak:

[Pete M]

big pipe wrenches have been used, as have used ratchet straps.

 

I assume you trimmed the steel bushings on the LCAs?

[jimoshel]

big pipe wrenches have been used, as have used ratchet straps.

I placed a 3 ft prybar between the axle housing and track bar. put the other end on a floor jack. Bent the pry bar. Added a spring leaf to the bar and got it.

[jimoshel]

big pipe wrenches have been used, as have used ratchet straps.

 

I assume you trimmed the steel bushings on the LCAs?

:huh???: Didn't trim nuttin.

The FSM was of no help what so ever with this.

[87Warrior]

Disconnecting the trackbar and a heavy duty ratchet strap make twisting the axle around very easy.

 

I've replaced the control arms in my TJ (all eight) a few times now and am getting darn good at it.

[Pete M]

oh, I saw "WJ" and didn't notice the "98". 98s are ZJs and require no trimming. 99+ would be WJs and the steel bushings are slightly wider than MJs.

[jimoshel]

Practice makes perfect. Never thought dropping the track bar. Did think about dropping the axle and removing the springs but didn't want to go to that extreme.

[HOrnbrod]

ASSuME you changed one side at a time and left it on the ground? Had no problems doing it this way. :yes:

[jimoshel]

Had it up on ramps. Felt I needed the room. May have had something to do with it. Just changed one arm at a time, upper first, then lower. The left side wasn't to bad. Had room to put a jack between the 2 CA brackets and pushed the front out. Couldn't do that on the right side. Could on the upper, not the lower. Also half of the bushings had been beat out to where the metal core was rubbing, banging against the edge of the hole. May have shifted parts a little. Warped the springs? I'm getting to old for this chit. An anybody claims they heard me say that I'll deny it.

[Blue88Comanche]

here is what i did:

 

First i bolted up the Upper Control arms, then the bottom. the axle tube was resting on a block to allow movement while also holding it up. i used a small bottle jack to push and rotate the axle till i was able to push the bolt through.

 

[RDAN1]

big pipe wrenches have been used, as have used ratchet straps.

 

I assume you trimmed the steel bushings on the LCAs?

 

I'm trying to replace the LCA on the pass side of my 88 4.0 now and am also having trouble getting the bolt holes to line up..almost perfect but slightly twisted so the second bolt won't go all the way thru to bolt up..tried the ratchet strap method and it's very close but still not there/done... should the bushing be trimmed somehow ? the FSM doesn't mention it I don't think but if I should trim then, can someone explain what needs to be done/how? Thanks

[jimoshel]

One thing I did to help get the bolts thru was grind a point on the bolt. Bullet nose if you will. Only had to do it on the two bottom front ones.Was no problem getting them started but after going thru the bushing they wouldn't line up with the second hole. The pointed nose helped.

[mvusse]

I ended up swapping front axles a little over a month ago (grenaded everything inside the pumpkin, easiest fix was to replace the entire axle with the one from the parts rig), then had to remove it and install it again 3 weeks later because I ripped a lower control arm bracket half off, turning the other half into an accordion. I have used a pipe wrench with a cheater pipe on it before, I have used ratchet straps before, I have even used a strap and another vehicle (forklift). Also disconnected the rear driveshaft, put it in 4 low and had the truck move the axle for me.

 

The last two times I ended up using the winch. Hook it to the bottom of the inner C and spool it in.

[RDAN1]

here is what i did:

 

First i bolted up the Upper Control arms, then the bottom. the axle tube was resting on a block to allow movement while also holding it up. i used a small bottle jack to push and rotate the axle till i was able to push the bolt through.

 

 

Thanks very much for this tip. This AM I used a small bottle jack set up like shown in this photo to align the bolt holes on a lower control arm and it worked like a charm!... :banana: