Help With Upper Control Arm Replacement

[Hayden]

Whats going on everyone?

Im going to order a new upper control arm for my drivers side this week and was wondering if i could gets some tips/help on how to replace it before it comes in?

Screwed up by ball joint by prying on it with a pickle fork when i was replaceing the cv axle (yeah i know, the big no-no but you have to learn from mistakes haha)

Thanks guys,
Hayden

 

[SuperBuickGuy]

since you have to align it anyway, why not pay the 30 minutes of mechanic time and make them do it? I think the book rate on swapping that arm is .2 hours... and they have to loosen the frame bolts anyway to align it.

If you want to do it yourself.
1) remove the bolt that holds the upper ball joint in place.
2) support the vehicle with the lower arm hanging
3) pop the ball joint out
4) remove the two bolts holding the other side paying close attention to the location of the shims (when you put it back together, if you keep track of the shims, they should be close enough to get you to an alignment shop without destroying the tires)
5) remove the bolt holding the brake line and the bolt holding abs wire to the a-arm
6) reverse steps to put it back in place.

You can make it easier if you remove the tire and if you remove the inner liner (but be warned, the inner liner is a PITA to remove - but it's kind of in your way to remove the arm once it's loose).

 

[rsc]

You're going to have to disconnect the brake line to get the adjustment cam bolt out. Then bleeding the system afterward. I think the shop charged $90 to replace the part plus alignment.

 

[SuperBuickGuy]

You're going to have to disconnect the brake line to get the adjustment cam bolt out. Then bleeding the system afterward. I think the shop charged $90 to replace the part plus alignment.

hmmm... they didn't have to on mine.

 

[alrock]

I can't remember if we got away with moving the brake line w/o disconnecting but yes, it was in the way on my truck as well.

 

[SuperBuickGuy]

but why remove the line when the caliper is only 2 bolts?

Still $90 to do the repair ain't bad

 

[atvspeed4]

You can pull the clip holding the brake line to the shock bucket and then there is enough flex in the line if you move around to get the cam bolt out. We have done this several times no problem.

 

[SuperBuickGuy]

You can pull the clip holding the brake line to the shock bucket and then there is enough flex in the line if you move around to get the cam bolt out. We have done this several times no problem.

what I did - but I've only done it to mine, so I thought maybe there was a production difference or change that I didn't know about.

 

[f5moab]

since you have to align it anyway, why not pay the 30 minutes of mechanic time and make them do it? I think the book rate on swapping that arm is .2 hours... and they have to loosen the frame bolts anyway to align it.

If you want to do it yourself.
1) remove the bolt that holds the upper ball joint in place.
2) support the vehicle with the lower arm hanging
3) pop the ball joint out
4) remove the two bolts holding the other side paying close attention to the location of the shims (when you put it back together, if you keep track of the shims, they should be close enough to get you to an alignment shop without destroying the tires)
5) remove the bolt holding the brake line and the bolt holding abs wire to the a-arm
6) reverse steps to put it back in place.

You can make it easier if you remove the tire and if you remove the inner liner (but be warned, the inner liner is a PITA to remove - but it's kind of in your way to remove the arm once it's loose).

0.2? Would love to see someone change out this control arm in 12 minutes. :giggle::giggle::giggle:

 

[rsc]

Well if everything else is already removed or disconnected I suppose its possible to get the new one in there in 12 minutes.

 

[Hayden]

Thanks guys! Im most likely gonna take it to a shop around here. I used a laser alignment rack at a friends shop he works at before but since i put the new tires on it wont work haha. Plus i need to get it aligned anyways. Hoping about $100 from what ive seen on the other posts.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[f5moab]

Well if everything else is already removed or disconnected I suppose its possible to get the new one in there in 12 minutes.

GM's warranty labor rates include 0.2 just to setup the vehicle on a hoist and remove from the hoist and the remainder of the labor rate includes removing all part necessary to remove the actual labor rate part. And aftermarket labor rates, based on GM's labor rates have a multiplier factor added to make the rate longer. So.....