Front upper control arms and endlinks

[andy625uk]

Just fitted the uca that Brandon very kindly brought over from the states. I'd forgotten how much of a PITA it was getting the rear bolt out of the driver's side control arm by the brake servo.

Then I changed the endlink that annoyingly was ok apart from the split boots. Top nut came off ok, but the bottom one took about an hour of clamping , jamming, swearing and cutting to get out. I just couldn't stop the stud from spinning. There was no Allen key hole in it, and even though the new one has got one, it's so close to the strut that you'd never get one in there anyway.

 

[Grog6]

I have had to hit the pickle fork with an air hammer, while hitting the bolt with an impact. it finally came out.

 

[andy625uk]

Just doing the endlink on the other side and it's a total b@stard like yesterday's. Finally got it off, put the new one on and having the same trouble in reverse trying to get the nut done up without the shaft turning. Then i realised they've supplied the stupid oval locknuts! What an utterly stupid idea!!!!

 

[theterminator93]

Yep... been there many times!

I've never had trouble with the studs spinning when trying to remove them, usually it's that I have a hard time separating it from the sway bar unless I get my pickle fork out.

Installing them, every time. I have been known to wedge the open end of a wrench between the ball joint and sway bar to provide enough pressure to keep it from spinning as I tighten it. Then as it gets tight I'll pull the wrench out and finish torquing the nut down. For the spindle side I usually don't have an issue because there's a vertical load on the stud that keeps it from spinning. But if I do I bust out my trusty C-clamp.

 

[andy625uk]

They came out of the holes really easily. I had to busted out my c clamp too. This is what it looks like now: