Any tips for removing control arms

[bzdel2441]

I am removing my controll arms today to install some longer coils so while I was at it I decided to go down to the local 4x4 shop and buy some new control arms. Anyways just wondering if anyone has any tips to make installing these things install easier. BTW I dont have many powertools. I do have a 3 foot braker bar that I will try and use though.

Thanks
Chris

[rangerjoe2001]

a breaker bar and spinach "for your popeye arms is good..." and a BFH

oh yeah and PB Blaster

[GottaBeJeep]

Remove and replace one arm at a time to make things easier.

[Ramsey]

a friend is very useful

[Yucca-Man]

A come-along strap is very useful for rotating or moving the axle to help position the axle and control arms. Creativity when installing the arms also helps; I've heard some of the locals recommend putting the lowers on first so the axle can rotate forward or back to line up the upper arms; I found it worked better on mine to hook up the uppers, then pull theaxle by looping a strap over the pinion and under the axletubes to the bumper. Tightening that up extends the distance for the lowers.

[Ivan]

Follow the one arm at time advice with wheels on the ground, and things will go easier.

I use an 18" pipe wrench and a floor jack. Just grab the axle tube with the pipe wrench in the direction you want to rotate the axle, then place the end of the pipe wrench on the pad of the floor jack. Grab the axle as close to the CA mount as you can. Then crank the jack up slowly until the axle rotates enough to release the load, and allow the bolt to slip out. It's a one man operation, and it makes it really easy to rotate the axle to "just the spot".

Ivan

[bburge]

I just use a smaller floor jack.

If I need to rotate the tire forward to move the up or forward - I just wedge the jack (in it's lowest postion) under the back of the tire and start jacking it up.

The pad of the jack goes under a lug and as you jack it rotates the tire. One guy, one jack - all by my lonesome....

bburge

[rangerjoe2001]

oh yeah get a friend.. doing it by yourself sucks

[johnnyc]

Ivan and Bill are right. It's an easy one-man job. I use the pipe wrench/floor jack method. Works great.