Tips for getting Lower Control Arm Bolts removing?

[CammeronJ]

I'm trying to replacing my front Coilovers and rear shocks with a new Eibachs PTR2 kit.
I saw this video online where they suggest instead of the long 4+ hour process of removing calipers, moving break lines, removing ball joints etc. All you have to do is remove Wheel, upper bolts on coilover, lower bolts, and the 2 inside bolts on the LCA. Let the LCA rotate down, and slide the Coilover out.

However when I go to remove the bolt on the LCA it does not budge. I'm concerned I'm going to round it with my impact wrench. Is there a trick to removing these?

Also I have the center of the UCA supported lightly by a jack (no lift on the LCA) and the truck lifted at the frame. I believe the LCA is only held up at this point by the ball joint, and the two bolts. When I remove these bolts theres no risk of the LCA being loaded and swinging forcefully (destructively) is there?

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[airline tech]

Sounds like a doable - shortcut - but

I believe you only have (ONE) side off the ground, the stabilizer bar from the opposite side is loading up the Knuckle & LCA.

And

The LCA's are CAM Bolts they are for alignment Caster / Camber, you need to hold the head and loosen the nut.
Then remove the nut side cam and remove the bolt, depending on design the head side cam may not be removable.

I would also suggest making an alignment mark on both the Head and Nut sides to get it close to current alignment specs until a full realign can be done (Cam to LCA)

 

[CammeronJ]

Sounds like a doable - shortcut - but

I believe you only have (ONE) side off the ground, the stabilizer bar from the opposite side is loading up the Knuckle & LCA.

And

The LCA's are CAM Bolts they are for alignment Caster / Camber, you need to hold the head and loosen the nut.

Thank you, for the advice. I will take both of these points into account.

I saw in the video that he had both sides off the ground but I figured he just did that so both sides were prepped for work at once rather than lift twice. What you said makes a lot of sense though. I will get both sides of the truck lifted on jacks stands.

I was nervous about trying to control the inside nut as I was worried if the control arm came lose with my arm under it that it may have some force on it I wasn't aware of and could injure me. So I went at the bolt from the outside (by the skid plate, though i took the skid plate off for easier access) with both socket wrench (with a cheater bar) and impact wrench. I will control the outer bolt and try the impact on the inside nut (next weekend as I need to order a larger impact socket for the inside nut).

Thanks again. This has been my first "nice" truck and my first 4WD. My previous were a 96' 2WD 4cyl Ranger, and a 95' 2WD 6cyl F150. I've done a lot of my own work but usually repairs in the engine bay, and regular maintenance. Only suspension I've done previously was rear shocks on the 96' (which rear shocks are obviously much simpler in comparison).

Just don't want to try to go fast and screw it up, but I do want to learn it.

 

[Mighty Little Blue]

I'm trying to replacing my front Coilovers and rear shocks with a new Eibachs PTR2 kit.
I saw this video online where they suggest instead of the long 4+ hour process of removing calipers, moving break lines, removing ball joints etc. All you have to do is remove Wheel, upper bolts on coilover, lower bolts, and the 2 inside bolts on the LCA. Let the LCA rotate down, and slide the Coilover out.

However when I go to remove the bolt on the LCA it does not budge. I'm concerned I'm going to round it with my impact wrench. Is there a trick to removing these?

Also I have the center of the UCA supported lightly by a jack (no lift on the LCA) and the truck lifted at the frame. I believe the LCA is only held up at this point by the ball joint, and the two bolts. When I remove these bolts theres no risk of the LCA being loaded and swinging forcefully (destructively) is there?

This is a good video showing replacing coilovers by removing LCA at around the 4 minute mark. Does not go into detail, but you can see what is being done. I did mine this way only issue was putting back together need an extra set of hands to make it easier. Driver side did by myself and passenger had help and was a whole lot easier.

 

[Whiplash]

Cam Bolts on the LCA are torqued to190 ft lbs.....most humanz will need to use a cheater pipe on their breaker bar ....unless truck is on a.lift and you are in a position to hang on it with your body weight....
I see the 3 top hat nuts have been removed, when Ii did my Coilovers this method (twice) I had loosened and removed the cam bolts, got the tie rod to knuckle out of the way, and removed the lower strut bolts before doing the top hat nuts... I had the jack under the lower LCA the whole time to support the weight until it was time to lower the LCA and let the coilover literally fall to the ground.....

 

[RK Racing]

Love it…….

 

[Whiplash]

Cam Bolts on the LCA are torqued to190 ft lbs.....most humanz will need to use a cheater pipe on their breaker bar ....unless truck is on a.lift and you are in a position to hang on it with your body weight....
I see the 3 top hat nuts have been removed, when Ii did my Coilovers this method (twice) I had loosened and removed the cam bolts, got the tie rod to knuckle out of the way, and removed the lower strut bolts before doing the top hat nuts... I had a jack under the lower LCA the whole time to support the weight until it was time to lower the LCA and let the coilover literally fall to the ground.....

On 1 side I did'nt have the room to use the length of my breaker bar and cheater pipe to loosen the Cam bolt...I had to use my floor jack, chock the wheels of the jack to keep it from rolling, wedge the end of the breaker bar to stay put , and use the lifting power of the jack to get Cam bolt loose.. . I'm old and weak....I have had to learn a bunch of tricks for working on suspension parts....?....good luck....

 

[Rockhound]

When I installed the Fox 2.0 coilers with Icon UCA’s I followed this procedure. You’re probably already deep in, but this was pretty straightforward.

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