BlackBadge
Member
- Car
- 2009 Infiniti FX50S
- Name
- Carl
Hello all!
I was finally able to install my front and rear upper control arms, so I can properly align my vehicle after lowering it. I was not able to find a thread anywhere online to show an outline of the rear process so I decided to take a few photos and detail some necessary information that would make others installation easier. Here we go!!
1: 1st step I would do is the day before or prior anytime is to spray all bolts and anuts loose with either WD40, Knocker Loose or PB Blaster. That will make things easier down the road.
2: Jack the rear up and supported with jack stands AND an EXTRA stand or jack for each side for the case of the main jack stand failing.. PLEASE do this!
3: The first thing I recommend you do is too undo the lower control arm from the spindle and remove the spring assembly completely. This will make the process so much easier.
4: Remove the cotter pin from the under side of the spindle connection it to the ball joint. "MAKE SURE YOU HAVE NEW COTTER PINS TO INSTALL AT THE END"
5: Once the cotterpin is removed, SLIDE the bolt back into the lower control and spindle "Don't worry about putting the nut on".
6: find a 2x2 or 2X4, cut it to the appropriate size to wedge between the upper control arm and the under body of the car "roughly where the stock bolts attach " . Once cut to the size where is fits in there and has about an inch play, put a jack under the spindle and jack it up to apply pressure to the wood, you will not need much, just enough that you see the car slightly move and there is no play in the wood. This needs to be done as it will add tension to the ball joint shim and spindle to keep it from spinning as you remove the nut from the control arm and spindle. Without doing this, the ball joint will spin.
7: Remove the nut from the stabilizer bar link as shown here, you might have to hold the back side with a wrench as well of the threads are too corroded. Location is circled red.
8: Once the linkage is removed now it's time to move into the big bolt from the control arm and spindle. I found that having a 7/8" 12 point wrench works best as there is not much throw room for engagement. She is a little tough but work at it enough the nut will come loose, it the ball joint spins while your turning the nut, apply move pressure to the wood by jacking it up another pump.
9: Once the big bolt is removed and the spindle is free from the control arm it's all down hill from there. Lower the jack back down and slide the bolt back out of the lower control arm and spindle again.
10: Now all that is left is too remove the 2 Bolts attaching it the the undercarriage. I found have an assortment of extensions to play around with getting around the axle will make your job easier.
11: For this step you will want to rent or buy a Tie Rod removal tools, roughly 2.5" opening. They are relatively cheap and I recommend getting it before the you start the project. Omce all bolts are out, you should be able to pull the upper control arm out very easily. You will want to remove it he cone shim from the factory arm and install it too the new arm.
12: Once that is done you will simply just put the new arm back in the same order and way you took out the old one! Note that more than likely you will not need to apply pressure to the arm too install the new arm as the bolt is easily able to pull the shim down to allow tension before the ball joint spins. You will want too install a new cotter pin.
ALSO the DRIVER side has an extra step as there is a small maybe 5/16" bolt that connects to a switch you will have too remove but the steps are the same side too side. Hopefully this help anyone who seeks help before they start the process. It's took me about 2.5 hours from Jack up to wheel installation.
I was finally able to install my front and rear upper control arms, so I can properly align my vehicle after lowering it. I was not able to find a thread anywhere online to show an outline of the rear process so I decided to take a few photos and detail some necessary information that would make others installation easier. Here we go!!
1: 1st step I would do is the day before or prior anytime is to spray all bolts and anuts loose with either WD40, Knocker Loose or PB Blaster. That will make things easier down the road.
2: Jack the rear up and supported with jack stands AND an EXTRA stand or jack for each side for the case of the main jack stand failing.. PLEASE do this!
3: The first thing I recommend you do is too undo the lower control arm from the spindle and remove the spring assembly completely. This will make the process so much easier.
4: Remove the cotter pin from the under side of the spindle connection it to the ball joint. "MAKE SURE YOU HAVE NEW COTTER PINS TO INSTALL AT THE END"
5: Once the cotterpin is removed, SLIDE the bolt back into the lower control and spindle "Don't worry about putting the nut on".
6: find a 2x2 or 2X4, cut it to the appropriate size to wedge between the upper control arm and the under body of the car "roughly where the stock bolts attach " . Once cut to the size where is fits in there and has about an inch play, put a jack under the spindle and jack it up to apply pressure to the wood, you will not need much, just enough that you see the car slightly move and there is no play in the wood. This needs to be done as it will add tension to the ball joint shim and spindle to keep it from spinning as you remove the nut from the control arm and spindle. Without doing this, the ball joint will spin.
7: Remove the nut from the stabilizer bar link as shown here, you might have to hold the back side with a wrench as well of the threads are too corroded. Location is circled red.
8: Once the linkage is removed now it's time to move into the big bolt from the control arm and spindle. I found that having a 7/8" 12 point wrench works best as there is not much throw room for engagement. She is a little tough but work at it enough the nut will come loose, it the ball joint spins while your turning the nut, apply move pressure to the wood by jacking it up another pump.
9: Once the big bolt is removed and the spindle is free from the control arm it's all down hill from there. Lower the jack back down and slide the bolt back out of the lower control arm and spindle again.
10: Now all that is left is too remove the 2 Bolts attaching it the the undercarriage. I found have an assortment of extensions to play around with getting around the axle will make your job easier.
11: For this step you will want to rent or buy a Tie Rod removal tools, roughly 2.5" opening. They are relatively cheap and I recommend getting it before the you start the project. Omce all bolts are out, you should be able to pull the upper control arm out very easily. You will want to remove it he cone shim from the factory arm and install it too the new arm.
12: Once that is done you will simply just put the new arm back in the same order and way you took out the old one! Note that more than likely you will not need to apply pressure to the arm too install the new arm as the bolt is easily able to pull the shim down to allow tension before the ball joint spins. You will want too install a new cotter pin.
ALSO the DRIVER side has an extra step as there is a small maybe 5/16" bolt that connects to a switch you will have too remove but the steps are the same side too side. Hopefully this help anyone who seeks help before they start the process. It's took me about 2.5 hours from Jack up to wheel installation.
