7 replies to this topic

[gmsgltr]

OK,
Replaced my pass. axle then found the ball joints on the control arm are shot including the rubber seals.

So now to replace the control arm:

any hints?

I dont understand the whole "Make sure to pre-load the arm" thing.

After this i will finally get a much deserved alignment!

thanks in advance,
greg

[--Aaron--]

theres a few ways to preload the arm, i prefer putting my floor jack under the hub there by the steering stop and jacking up until the hubs at right height, once u get to that point tighten the subframe bolts/nuts

u can drive up on ramps and do it that way as well

[erikv11]

Pre-load means the control arm is loaded with the weight of the car, before the two bolts are tightened where it attaches at the subframe.

The whole point is to put the control arm at the level it is during use, like parallel to the ground, before you tighten up the bolts on those bushings. You don't want to pinch them in with the control arm dangling, then lower the car and shear them.

[gmsgltr]

theres a few ways to preload the arm, i prefer putting my floor jack under the hub there by the steering stop and jacking up until the hubs at right height, once u get to that point tighten the subframe bolts/nuts

u can drive up on ramps and do it that way as well

awesome thanks guys, I think I got it now... gonna take a half day at work and do it this afternoon

[FCP Groton]

Pre-load means the control arm is loaded with the weight of the car, before the two bolts are tightened where it attaches at the subframe.

The whole point is to put the control arm at the level it is during use, like parallel to the ground, before you tighten up the bolts on those bushings. You don't want to pinch them in with the control arm dangling, then lower the car and shear them.

When I did my control arms, I put a jack under the control arm and just jacked it up. This seems to be the easiest way to load them.

[Black Betty]

Greg if your getting an alignment right after ask them to loosen the bolts and then tighten back up. That's what I did to my car when I replaced my c arms.

[erikv11]

When I did my control arms, I put a jack under the control arm and just jacked it up. This seems to be the easiest way to load them.

hmmm maybe you wrote this because you misunderstand that I was suggesting he put the car on ramps or something? I was just explaining why it is called "pre-loading" not "pre-jacking" etc. You are trying to emulate the load of the car on the ground.

There are lots of ways to do the pre-load but of course the jack is by far the most common.

[gmsgltr]

i kept them loose enough to rotate freely, then tightened them all the way once the car was on the ground
getting alignment tomorrow at stillman volvo