Help with RE 5.5

I can't get the control arm relocation brackets to line up. Already wrecked one bolt trying. Any body have pics of how they got them on their 97+.

Upper control arm mounting bolt is seized up any suggestion or just drill it.

Any hints or experiences are appreciated I'm done for today will try more tomorrw if it dosen't rain.

Thanks
Brian

Barger said:

I can't get the control arm relocation brackets to line up. Already wrecked one bolt trying. Any body have pics of how they got them on their 97+.

Upper control arm mounting bolt is seized up any suggestion or just drill it.

Any hints or experiences are appreciated I'm done for today will try more tomorrw if it dosen't rain.

Thanks
Brian

Click to expand...

I haven't done it, but Tiff's got a good write-up on her website. Here you go...
Control arm bracket install

Have you used Pb blaster (penetrating oil) on all the bolts yet? I put it on for four days before starting mine andI didn't have any problems with bolts or the studs.

Or do you mean the new bolt in the new location is seized?

Be sure to keep ALL the bolts lose until you get the brace and brackets in. I had trouble putting the braces on after I got the bolts in the drop brackets becuase the bracket wouldn't go in far enough. Jacking the truck up on the bracket itself and/or hammering it with a big rubber mallet (broke the handle on the first one) worked for all but one bolt, So I decided to just drill the hole a little bigger. Worked like a charm.

Yeah used up half a can on the one bolt. it's the factory bolt. I used PB the 2 days before everything else broke free real well except the rear shock bolts. Man those things suck I broke 1 when I lifted the first time. I should have gotten BPE's then.

I tryed the mallet and jack approach that's how I bougered up the one bolt when I let the jack done and tryed to tighten up the bolt it stripped right out.

Thanks for the reply and the link.
Barger

did you drill out the top hole on the frame for the upper mount? also leave everything realy loss until you have everything lined up.

Thanks for the help
The web sight was a big boost good to know I'm not alone in this boat.
I got the brakckets on tonight, now I need to tighten everything up and cut into the rear to get the busted bolts out.
Thanks
Barger

I just got done wrestling with the same thing on my '97 last week. Passenger side went in like it was made to. Driver side took a lot of $%#^!+$%& around. Definately leave everything loose (although the D-side wouldn't get close enough to even leave the bolts loose.) Instructions say something like "...make sure all holes line up, if not, adjust....) Two bolts through the old alignment shoe holes could have been longer to help the process. I had to slightly "adjust" holes there, “adjust” holes on uca relocation bracket and "adjust" holes at crossmember. It's all by-god solid now and drives like an absolute charm right out of the garage with nothing more than a toe adjustment so far. Tight and solid.

I also had to "adjust" (grind) the width of the lca bushing sleeve 'cause they wouldn't slide into the pockets in between the alignment shoe.

I used liberal amounts of pen. fluid on all the bolts, but what really helped on the tough ones was HEAT.