Upper Control Arms Installed Backwards... path forward?

[HK_Camino]

Great recommendations. If the engine is in the car, you'll be miles ahead by just jacking it up and putting it on jack stands under the lower A-arms previously described. Leave the front shocks installed. They can help keep things under the car in case something goes awry.

Be careful with your pickle fork going in after your new ball joint if you go that route to split the ball joint from the spindle. If you tear the boot you'll be taking it off. If it's bolted in, you can replace it easy if you had to, but since it's new and freshly installed, I'm betting just a few love taps may get that thing loose. Don't have to deal with corrosion in there fighting you.

Good luck!

Can you guys help me understand why it's necessary to compress the springs? i understand that by having the engine in the car and putting jack stands under the lower control arms that will compress each sides spring. since the spring is between the LCA and the frame, The upper control arm can be safely(ish) removed. What I don't understand is what compressing the spring accomplishes? it seems like if the upper control arm isn't only what's keeping the spring in, it could be removed regardless of spring tension.

I can tell I'm missing something... I'm about to go start taking things apart and I'm sure it will become more clear to me again. When I did this job the first time the engine was out and I used a spring compressor while replacing ALL control arms, so this is a little different and it's difficult for me to visualize.

Thanks

 

[Tomeal]

There is always some amount of spring pressure pushing down. If you don't support or secure it, you could have quite a surprise when you take the upper ball joint loose.

 

[ELCAM]

Compressing the springs is only needed to remove/replace the lower control arms. Uppers don't require it.

 

[HK_Camino]

Lol, "quite a surprise". Ok sweet! I think I get it now.

 

[69hurstolds]

You're keeping the springs in where they're supposed to be. You should keep the springs somewhat compressed to keep them from popping out and getting the "surprise".

You're not actually needing to compress them like you would during installation, just put the car weight on them sitting on the jackstands to hold them in place and you'll do fine.

 

[scoti]

Weight of the car compresses the spring enough as mentioned. Jacking the car up & getting the wheel out of the way will make access easier.

You'll need a fresh alignment after the work is done.

 

[rfpowerdude]

As was said, the wheel has to come off to have access. Hence the reason you need to keep a jackstand under the lower control arm. I mean, the car has to sit on something if the wheel is not there and the coil spring needs the weight of the car on it...

 

[abbey castro]

From the type of questions you are asking like won't the spring pop out from the top, I would say: Tow it to a shop that can do it for you. How you can put the LH on the RH side is beyond me. The whole thing wouldn't look right, ,everything would be misaligned!

 

[scoti]

From the type of questions you are asking like won't the spring pop out from the top, I would say: Tow it to a shop that can do it for you. How you can put the LH on the RH side is beyond me. The whole thing wouldn't look right, ,everything would be misaligned!

I disagree. Learning from our mistakes is how we grow.

If you realize you goofed on something, ask questions & advice so you can correct issues& you've learned something. This is tried & true Shade-Tree Mechanics 101.

 

[69hurstolds]

Agreed. There's NOTHING on a G-body that you can't fix yourself if you apply the knowledge you can gain from this forum by asking.