upper control arm bolts

I am having some difficulty getting the holes on my upper control arm to line up. I had them out to change the bushings. I thought that by doing one at a time and leaving one connected, there would not be issues. The axle rotated forward when the old one was disconnected. Both are stock control arms. I tried putting a piece of pipe through the inner knuckle and levering it to rotate the housing a bit, but bent the pipe. This must be common, what is it that you guys have done?

floor jack under the lower control arm mount on the axle. ack axle up, as you compress the suspension the top will rotate backwards towards the body and you can get the UCA bolt hole to line up with a prybar.
Sometimes a ratchet strap from the UCA mount on the axle to the trans crossmember works too, but be careful not to bend anything by over tightening the strap. I've had good success with just jacking up the axle.
It's much easier if you have the coils out or compressed, but I have done it with the weight of the jeep on the axle.

big-ass pipe wrench, comealong, or ratchet strap can usually help. I've always attached the uppers first for this reason, they are harder to get lined up IMO.

87manche said:

floor jack under the lower control arm mount on the axle. ack axle up, as you compress the suspension the top will rotate backwards towards the body and you can get the UCA bolt hole to line up with a prybar.
Sometimes a ratchet strap from the UCA mount on the axle to the trans crossmember works too, but be careful not to bend anything by over tightening the strap. I've had good success with just jacking up the axle.
It's much easier if you have the coils out or compressed, but I have done it with the weight of the jeep on the axle.

Click to expand...

kastein said:

big-ass pipe wrench, comealong, or ratchet strap can usually help. I've always attached the uppers first for this reason, they are harder to get lined up IMO.

Click to expand...

Agree with my learned colleagues.

I played this game the other day.....

I just use a motorcycle tie down, go through the bottom of the knuckle then to the bumper or the tc cross member as needed.

When I do control arms, upper or lower, the car will be supported by jack stands on the 'frame rails' just behind the lower control arms, high enough to allow for full droop-without the wheels, of course. With the body suitably held up, all it takes is trying the floor jacks at different places, lifting the axle at different angles, and the axle will usually roll into a position to allow the bolts to be started. I also recently acquired a pipefitter's 'spud' wrench-this one happens to be an adjustable also-that has a point on the end of the handle, great for lining up bolt holes in adjoining parts. I've done this a number of times, and yeah, at first, it was intimidating, but you will soon figure out what you need to do, and every one is different.

I just tried the playing with the jack a bit more. I changed out of my dirty work cloths before checking this thread and crawled around in the garage in the fresh ones. Tomorrow I will try to come-a-long the upper control arm mount first, and if that doesn't work I will unbolt the lower one and try that way. Right now the jeep is supported by blocks of wood at the frame behind the lca mount, and my jackstands under the axle. I really need another pair of jackstands!
Thanks for the good advice, :: is always pulling me out of the fire!

Put the tires back on,get some wheel chocks and let the motor do the work,DONE!

big pipe wrench+floor jack= muy bueno...