Replacing front upper control arm

[-Rich-]

The car has just failed the MOT on excessive play in the ball joint so it needs replacing. ECP had one for £13 which I'm collecting tomorrow. Probably won't last 6 months but the car will be scrapped next year as the chassis has bad corrosion too and only just passes. It's going to cost too much to keep it going

Anyway, I've read a few threads and watched some videos on replacing these but have a couple of questions.

Some say it can be done without dropping the strutt, some say it can't. If I undo the nuts on the suspension turret and lower it down will that give me enough clearance to get the bolts out? Do I need to undo the bolt at the bottom of the strutt?

What's the best way to tighten everything back up. Jack the suspension up to the same height it was before replacing the arm, obviously measuring it first. Then tighten everything. Or just hand tighten them, drop the car down and fully tighten with the weight of the car on the suspension?

 

[stellamon]

I've done them on my 2010 8th gen. If I was doing it again I would probably check the position of the upper arm as it lies before starting and replicate it whilst tightening the 2 bolts that secure it to the chassis. Those bolts are very awkward to get at so I would move the shock out of the way, you might find enough space just undoing the top strut bolts.
I can't remember if I struggled without spring compressors at the time but have now bought a pair to use replacing the rear springs.

 

[johnf]

The car has just failed the MOT on excessive play in the ball joint so it needs replacing. ECP had one for £13 which I'm collecting tomorrow. Probably won't last 6 months but the car will be scrapped next year as the chassis has bad corrosion too and only just passes. It's going to cost too much to keep it going

Anyway, I've read a few threads and watched some videos on replacing these but have a couple of questions.

Some say it can be done without dropping the strutt, some say it can't. If I undo the nuts on the suspension turret and lower it down will that give me enough clearance to get the bolts out? Do I need to undo the bolt at the bottom of the strutt?

What's the best way to tighten everything back up. Jack the suspension up to the same height it was before replacing the arm, obviously measuring it first. Then tighten everything. Or just hand tighten them, drop the car down and fully tighten with the weight of the car on the suspension?

I did it on Sunday on the drivers side. Definitely remove the five top bolts so that the strut can drop, with the car jacked I stood on the brake disk in order to lower the strut and levered it out towards the side of the car I order to reach behind it to access the bolts. Its fiddly and you'll definitely need a universal joint or a flexible extension to get onto the 17mm bolt, but I found getting it to turn wasnt too difficult.
Fitting the new arm involves a little persuasion as it's a tight fit, a bit of hammer tapping until each bolt passes through the first hole and then jiggling until they go all the way in. Again, standing on the brake disk should release the pressure enough for you to get the strut back into position, a helping hand would be useful but I managed it alone.
I now need to get the tracking checked as the wheel is a little off centre, you'll probably find the same.

 

[johnf]

Edit to my previous reply...."In Order to"... (not "I order"
No need to touch the bottom end of the strut.

 

[-Rich-]

Thanks, I did this on Wednesday morning when I got the arm, it was also the drivers side. I did it more or less how you did John but used a large pole in between the subframe and lower arm to move the strutt down. That was actually a pain and I also had a job getting it back in the turret. Definitely be easier with 2 people but I think removing the bottom bolt and taking the stutt out would be easier. You can then use a socket on the arm bolts rather than a spanner. I didn't have the right sized ratchet one so had to use a normal spanner, which took ages!

I also undid the bracket for the ABS sensor and moved it to the side as it was still getting in the way just undoing where it connects to the arm.

If the wheel is off centre did you load the suspension up before tightening the bolts back up? I measured from the centre hub to arch before changing it, then jacked the suspension up to the same height. Tightened the two arm bolts and then lowered it back down. Once the wheel was back on and car on the ground I tightened the strutt nuts. Drives better now and the knock I used to get reversing in my driveway has gone.