need help 90 sc control arm

fulcrumpointftt

Registered User
Hey guys, me and my buddy are trying to replace the lower control arm on the drivers side front. I did a search on this and couldn't really find anything on it. How in the hell do you get the damn thing out of there? There is an enormous bolt in the rear that we got the nut off of but we can't get the bolt removed because the shock assembly is in the way of being able to get a hammer in there.

also on the front there is an enormous bolt end on the end of a skinny rod that I can't remove for fear of breaking the rod in two. Any help would be greatly appriciated.

the car is a 90 sc atx.
 
There is an enormous bolt in the rear that we got the nut off of but we can't get the bolt removed because the shock assembly is in the way of being able to get a hammer in there.
Are you talking about the lower ball joint here? Best way to loosen up that fit is to actually hit the steering knuckle that the shank fits up into. If you hammer down on the head the shank it may break free or you may just end up mushrooming the end over.

also on the front there is an enormous bolt end on the end of a skinny rod that I can't remove for fear of breaking the rod in two.
There is a flat on the strut rod between where it goes through the control arm and where it goes through the subframe. You can get an open end wrench on the flat part (try to stay away from the bend area) and hold the rod with that while you loosen the nut.
 
there is a puller which can be rented from autozone....$15 to buy it.
It will just fit in there to punch the ball joint stud out of the spindle assembly.
Thats the second step, after unbolting the shock/spring.
loosen the strut rod from the control arm only, you should then be able to swing it out of the way enough to get it off, once the camber bolt is removed.
paul
 
i just did mine 3 weeks ago it was easy thanks to tattoo big hammer and lots of pasiants take your time its a simple task
 
thanks guys, I got the control arm out, I just have one last question. The reason we are replacing the control arm is because the lower ball joint came out of it. So i got the nut off of the lower ball joint my question is does the bolt that is connected to the actual ball end screw out or hammer out? I tried some light hammering and it didn't move at all. If it is screw out do i need a special tool to remove it becuase I don't have anything capable of gripping the ball joint well enough to turn it, I even tried cleaning the grease off of it and it didn't help. thanks.
 
Big hammer on the steering knuckle around where the shank of the ball joint goes through it. Or you can try one of the pullers as mentioned above. Since the lower control arm is already off that might be the way to go.
 
thirdbird said:
there is a puller which can be rented from autozone....$15 to buy it.
You want to ask for a pitman arm puller.. it will save you a lot of time and bruised knuckles.
 
thanks for the info guys it's been a big help, havn't had much time to mess with the thing, we've got it almost completely done except for I still can't get the damn balljoing to come out, I went and bought a ball joint seperator and hammered on the thing for 20 minutes and it didn't even budge. I tried soaking in with wd-40 overnight nothing. Does anyone have any other suggestions before I get out a cutoff wheel and a hammer-drill and get violent with it?



As a side note this doesn't have anything to do with sc's but, 06 mustang Gt's are no joke, My friend's is nothing special really he just has an

offroad x pipe, flowmasters, K&N typhoon intake, lowering springs, and a tuner. he went from 13.9's to 13.2's in the quarter I couldn't belive it.

Pretty damn tuner friendly cars.
 
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I think I love my pickle fork. great tool. Also on the list is ball joint remover/installer (I just changed my ball joints, left the LCA on there), and air hammer.
 
Pound the pickle fork in until it is wedged in real tight. Then take a decent sized ball-pein and hit the side of the spindle directly adjacent to where the ball joint goes through. The idea is that will slightly deform the hole the ball joint goes through and it will pop. Never failed me yet. John
 
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