Rear control arm removal question

[ccking85]

This project has nothing but frustrated me. Started out with shocks and springs has turned into a nightmare. Shop said bolts were seized cant do alignment. Ok no problem. Order all new hardware from all four lower control arms, coil buckets, and cam bolts and nuts. Pinch bolts that hold the lower ball joint in are PITA!!! Had to end up using air hammer to get those out. Now I'm on the left rear and I'm removing the rear lower control arm. Go to pull the bolt out and it hits the gas tank!!!! Seriously!!!! Who designs this stuff??!! Am I missing something? I turned it every which way and I couldn't pull it all the way out. I'm seriously ready to drag this car in a field and light it on fire. Any help would be great.


PS sorry for the rant lol

[smj999smj]

I cut that bolt out and installed the new bolt backwards. Otherwise, you would have to drop the fuel tank to get that bolt out. Since the bolt has no eccentric, it doesn't matter which way it goes in; I ordered a new bolt from Nissan.

[ccking85]

What's the trick to getting the front lower ball joints out/in. Seems like the axles are in the way.

[smj999smj]

They are. You are supposed to remove the front axle shafts on 4WD models. FYI, Nissan doesn't sell the ball joints as they recommend replacing the entire control arm. I look at it this way: at Rockauto.com, you can get a Moog ball joint for around $30. For another $28, I can get a brand new, Dorman control arm with ball joint and new bushings with a lifetime warranty and not have to worry about pressing the old joint out or in. Also, a lot of the time the control arm bolts are seized to the sleeves of the control arm bushings. Wheel alignment tends to be an issue on the R51's and Titans, especially with camber/caster issues at the left-front, for whatever reasons. So, you end up doing all the work to replace the ball joints, take it to the alignment shop who tells you that they need to install camber kits to get your alignment in spec, to which they find the bolts are seized need to be cut out and then they recommend replacing the control arm. My feeling is that it's just better to get the whole arm and get it over with the first time!

[ccking85]

I got all new arms. I was just trying to avoid having to remove the axles. On the passenger side I ended up cutting the ball joint then poping it out the rest of the way. I was able to wiggle the new arm in without having to remove the axle. But that was a pain to do.

[kevinthefro]

Besides cutting, the bolt can be removed by lowering the subframe.
There are six subframe bolts, three on each side. loosen the opposite side so the subframe can tilt. Loosen the three on the side you are working on until the subframe tilts low enough to get the LCA bolt out.

It's not too hard.

[glenski_31]

I got all new arms. I was just trying to avoid having to remove the axles. On the passenger side I ended up cutting the ball joint then poping it out the rest of the way. I was able to wiggle the new arm in without having to remove the axle. But that was a pain to do.

I am exactly where you are at with this. No issues with front alignment. All issues are with rear bolts that are seized to the bushing. I figured the bushings are shot anyway so broke down and ordered new LCA for both sides aftermarket.

Going to buy Nissan camber bolt kit for the rear. I am expecting to have to cut the camber bolts out.

Is the bolt that is being a problem the one near the wheel? Do I have to do a full subframe drop to get this one out? Maybe I should plan on ordering a new bolt to be ready? Please confirm. If the problem bolt is the camber bolt I am cutting that one anyway. It is cold, dark and raining so don't want to go have a look outside.

Thanks

[ccking85]

In the rears there are two camber bolts per side. One camber bolt is in the coil bucket the other camber bolt is in the LCA. In the LCA the camber bolts are towards the rear more. The bolt I was having an issue with is towards the the front of the car. The gas tank is in the way of removing that one all the way out. I ended up loosing the sub frame and wiggling the bolt out. Hope that helps you.

[glenski_31]

In the rears there are two camber bolts per side. One camber bolt is in the coil bucket the other camber bolt is in the LCA. In the LCA the camber bolts are towards the rear more. The bolt I was having an issue with is towards the the front of the car. The gas tank is in the way of removing that one all the way out. I ended up loosing the sub frame and wiggling the bolt out. Hope that helps you.

Yes, I believe that does. The alignment shop told me that camber was OK and that it was toed out and he painted the bolts to be removed and they are the bolts that are on the spring carrier arm (for lack of a better term. I have already removed the wheel side bolt for these to install spacers and am going to cut out the camber bolts so shouldn't be an issue. I am surprised he didn't say anything about the forward ones on the LCA?

[kevinthefro]

Just for the benefit of others who haven't looked yet, here's a pic of the bolt in question hitting gas the tank.

[fatherofthor]

yeah, i had a go at this the last couple of weeks. started out changing the brakes then moved into shocks and struts, then the camber bolt kits and rear LCAs. as soon as i saw the bolt hit the fuel tank, i broke out the sawz-all and went to town.