Greeny

iTrader: (43)

This is a small writeup on how to replace a control arm,this is a new i found to be easier then the "burn the old rubber bushing out" method used by some on here..

Of course you got to jack the car up,place securely on jackstands,remove wheel,yada yada...

Remove the big nut on the end of the contol arm..



You will need to have a large hammer a good aim to remove the ball joint from the spindle/hub..When you get the nut backed off from the shaft,it's a good idea to spray it with some pb blaster/liquid wrench to help when separating the b/j...

Remove the rear bushing hanger bolts..Also remove the stabilizer link from the control arm..

The biggest issue with the 3rd gen control arm removal is the metal sleeve freezes to the gusset shaft..I used a torch to remove the rubber surrounding the metal collar on a previous c/a job..WHAT A MESS!..I used a different method this time..I used drill/drill bit like the one pictured to remove the rubber around the collar..

Make several holes in the rubber around the collar,try to drag the bit around the collar to help remove as much rubber as possible


After all the rubber has been removed,you will need to twist the arm off the gusset bolt...

Greeny

iTrader: (43)

Once the control arm is off,you will need to remove the metal sleeve off the gusset..


I used a dremel tool to cut the sleeve on each side...




Then i used a screwdriver to split the sleeve apart...



After the sleeve is removed,clean off the gusset bolt,then install new control arm,bolt everything back up..:-)

Greeny

iTrader: (43)

Reserved for more pics...

MrGone

iTrader: (30)

1. Get Matt93SE to do the work for you
2. ...
3. Profit

Greeny

iTrader: (43)

2.= No...My way is easier

Jeff92se

iTrader: (82)

Pic 1: A trip down to the car wash to clean the undersides might help with the power steering mess

Pic 2: I've mentioned the hammer method before too. But I used a pry bar to put downward pressure on the ball joint. So when hammering, the pops out easier.

Greeny

iTrader: (43)

It's actually a driveshaft grease mess[d-side pics],i'm still waiting on my new axle to be shipped..


Yeah,good idea on the pry bar,mine didn't even need it,a few whacks from the hammer and she was out..

mrkanda

iTrader: (3)

What would have to be added to this write up when using the original arm again but replacing the old bushings with Poly?

Michael

iTrader: (21)

I didnt read the whole thing here but I did something similar. I just put the nut back on minus the washer, put a puller on the arm and hit it with the impact. Pulled the arm right off the rubber...got that tip from a friend of mine.

505max94se

iTrader: (15)

I think the easiest way to remove the rubber is to put the whole control arm on a BBQ grill for about 15 minutes.

bvtran

iTrader: (3)

I like your technique where you used a drill to demolish the older rubber. I should've thought of that when I did mine, I could've saved 10-15mins.

VEvolution

Thanks Green.. I'll be using this shortly.

PS, now I know who stole the yellow drill from work the other day

vqmaxman

I am also working on the lower control arm i am just waiting for the Bushings.
I wanted to ask if anyone has a solution if the outer sleeve get's stuck in the control arm can you beat in the new bushings to pop out the old sleeve or there's a better way.

thanks.

bvtran

iTrader: (3)

man, this is like the 5th times I posted these pics.... I guess you didn't paid attention.


Grab a biggie 5 lbs hammer and hammer it in. A few good whacks will do it.

vqmaxman

Alright then (sighs with relif) that's it no more then that that's cool thanks.man.

bvtran

iTrader: (3)

you're welcome.

hey buddy, don't forget to post pics of those new ES bushings once you got them. I wanna check them out. When I get some moneys, I'm gonna get new arm and do them over cuz my driver side was badly bended. It screwed up my caster. The car keeps pulling no matter how the alignment shop tried to adjust it. I mean it could live it, it's not a big deal but since I did it I just wanna get it done right.

vqmaxman

once and for all buddy i will not forget i will let you see the pics. The alignment thing is what i am having on the car right now even before the damage my mech told me it's the tie rod and the tie rod assembley maybe that's what your experecing because he tried aligining the car the best he can the car is still having bad alignment.

bvtran

iTrader: (3)

what numbers did you get for each alignment tests? can you scan or type and post the result printout he gave you?

vqmaxman

I don't have it with me right now so i will either get the report from Goodyear or the one my mech has i will have to search for those papers.I will post them if i have them with me still.

Matt93SE

iTrader: (44)

good luck finishing that job when you snap off the drill bit inside the rubber because you're trying to do a job it's not made for.
when you get half a dozen drill bits broken off in there and can't remove the arm, you'll still be relying on my method to finish the job.

also realize you gouged one of the most structurally important parts on the entire car with your dremel. this will cause more rust and corrosion later, as you ground off the zinc plating and you've provided a slot for moisture and debris to get stuck in and hang around, causing the sleeve to freeze on there quicker.

there's something to be said about ingenuity and trying to make the job easier. but there's also something to be said about doing the job properly. I wrote those instructions the way I did because it works EVERY time and doesn't damage any of the components.

Greeny

iTrader: (43)

I've been expecting this post from you

I didn't have any problems with broken bits on either side,some people might,i personally didn't..

As for the gouges in the bolt,i simply could not find any other sucessfull method to remove sleeve from the bolt,the cuts on the bolt are very small,so personally i don't think they would hurt the structural integrity,i did lightly lube the bolt before installing the new control arm,so hopefully this will prevent too much rust/corrosion...

I concede defeat on your way being better,i just wanted to give members a alternate method of doing this job...

gdmaxse

iTrader: (1)

thats exactly what i did, worked perfectly

redwood_usa

iTrader: (4)

Anyone got the link to these instructions

Greeny

iTrader: (43)

http://www.mattblehm.com/faq/control...placement.html

redwood_usa

iTrader: (4)

Ok - after reading the exchanges and both sets of instructions , matt makes the assumption that if you put a puller on the arm , the arm will come out with the inner sleeve. Is this correct in real life ? If not how does Matt suggest taking off the inner sleeve.

mrkanda

iTrader: (3)

One more question, for a first timer how long will this process take per arm from start to finish once all the tools are assembled? Thanks.

bvtran

iTrader: (3)

if you guys are worrying slotting old inner sleeve and chisel it out might cause more rusts LOL you guys are worrying too much about the labor. Try to spend your energy on worrying about the bills you had paid for the parts instead LOL

this is going to be metal to metal contact. Here is my solution, grease it before you put on new inner sleeve. problem solved!! just make sure you use good quality water resistance greases.... my amsoil never failed me.

maximagician

ive noticed passenger and driver c-arms are identical
except the rear bushing would have to be twisted 180 degrees
so the flat spot goes up

internetautomar

iTrader: (30)

yup, that and flipping the ball joint over

DanNY

iTrader: (14)

what zinc coating?
the inner sleeve was rusted on the car. if there was ANY rust protection it was long gone.

instead of using the drill bits i just used a 2 arm gear puller and just pulled the arm off the stud. i mean you're changing the bushing because the rubber is shot...might as well finish it off.

also...it's easier to unbolt the 3 bolts on the ball joint instead of messing w/ the cotter pin and jamming the balljoint out.

Greeny

iTrader: (43)

Yeah,all i seen was rust...I cleaned it off and lubed the bolt before installing the new arm..



I tried a using a gear puller on a previous c/a job,the drill bit way was much faster to me,the arm was laying on the ground within 1 minute after i drilled out most of the rubber...

My new control arms came with new ball joints attatched....

bvtran

iTrader: (3)

argh shiet!! that ES bushing was NOT made for our car, you have to modify it.

http://forums.maxima.org/showthread....n+Polyurethane

damn, I wished you had asked me. I could've referred you to Noltec guys, they're OE replacement, way better than ES and so much easier to install. It comes with both inner and outer sleeves. Cost $43 for both sides but they're really worth it. NO modification needed. With those ES bushings, you have to discard your outer sleeve and use a press. It better fit in perfectly. I don't know how much will that affect your caster and camber.

vqmaxman

what ohhh mann s*** i had a funny feeling about it would being wrong but does the hole is small and i might have to cut the outer layers and the middle so it could slide on with ease. I might sell it to some one then order the other ones.

bvtran

iTrader: (3)

This is how Noltec looks like:


($43/pair)


(~$80/pair not worth changing since it doesn't get much play)


If it's really urgent, I suggest you do what Green did, just order it from Ebay:

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/1-Low...spagenameZWD1V

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/1-Low...spagenameZWD1V
I know this guy. He's really fast. He shipped me a pair of tie rods from FL to CA in 3 days via priority mail. Make sure you tell him to combine SH fees for multiple order. Usually, the 2nd order SH fee is 50% off.

It will work out to be around $125. They're really worth it man. I swear this is the cheapest price you will ever find, it even comes with a pair of ball joints too! Good stuffs man.

internetautomar

iTrader: (30)

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eB...m=290079653168
rather use that guy if you insist on using Fleabay

bvtran

iTrader: (3)

Brian, you need to get rid that ES bushing from your site and replace them with Noltec or you need to include a footnote mentioning that buyers will have to modify those ES so they are aware of what they're getting. I strongly recommend you sell Noltec Polyurethane bushes instead as they are direct OE replacement.

As you know Noltec is from Australia, it's such a pain to order them. It takes up to a month to get anything from them. There is currently only one distributor in the US and it's thru: http://www.oztek.us You could probably contact Noltec directly and have them send you a garage full of polyurethane bushes. Stock them up and start mass selling them. I swear they're the finest bushes out there. 1000x better than ES, their rides are softer yet 1000x more staple anything I've ever used. It made my Maxima suspension felt a Ferrari man. At 105mph out of nowhere somewhere on I-40 desert, my steering wheel held up very nice and tight. No vibration or shakiness. I would be lucky if I could do that on rubber up to 85mph. I'm surprised it seems like I'm the only person on this board using it. We need more Noltec drivers, let's bring them on board!!

P.S. Yes, yes I know I know I did had a speedy ticket back in Arkansas. Screw 'em coppers telling me I "almost ran him over". Despite my radar told me he's ahead and I did slowed down.

Matt93SE

iTrader: (44)

Don't take this the wrong way, but get over yourself.
Anybody that's going to be doing a bushing install of any sort should have the skills and tools necessary to modify the rear bushings to fit. it's a simple 5 min procedure with a bandsaw, hacksaw, or grinder. it's just not friggin hard at all.
AND... your crap about not changing the rear bushing is a complete farce. it doesn't move much? I've rebuilt probably 30 sets of control arms now, and I can't tell you how many of them had the rear bushing completely fall apart from rust or wear. especially if you're in a pothole-ridden area, those bushings take a huge beating, and they wear out just as often as the front bushings.

The Noltec bushings are a nice thing to have being a bolt-on, but to day they're "only $43 per set" is bunk since it'll cost you $130 to get all the bushings needed for a proper repair. Again, I'll agree that they're nice, but that by no means makes the ES bushings junk. Done properly, you can save yourself $100 and lots of wait time on delivery by picking up a set of the ES bushings and doing a small amount of trimming to make them fit.

until you can speak from experience about the ES bushings, don't talk bad about them. I've got hundreds of laps on a real race track doing 130+ into a corner-- not just 105 on a flat road-- and will say that I have complete confidence in my car and suspension, even at those speeds. Any sign of shaking or vibration is not from the bushings anyway-- unless they are completely shot and allowing the control arm to flop around. If you do that with any bushing, then it's either worn out or you did the install wrong.

Matt93SE

iTrader: (44)

Don't take this the wrong way, but get over yourself.
Anybody that's going to be doing a bushing install of any sort should have the skills and tools necessary to modify the rear bushings to fit. it's a simple 5 min procedure with a bandsaw, hacksaw, or grinder. it's just not friggin hard at all.
AND... your crap about not changing the rear bushing is a complete farce. it doesn't move much? I've rebuilt probably 30 sets of control arms now, and I can't tell you how many of them had the rear bushing completely fall apart from rust or wear. especially if you're in a pothole-ridden area, those bushings take a huge beating, and they wear out just as often as the front bushings.

The Noltec bushings are a nice thing to have being a bolt-on, but to say they're "only $43 per set" is bunk since it'll cost you $130 to get all the bushings needed for a proper repair. Again, I'll agree that they're high quality, but that by no means makes the ES bushings junk. Done properly, you can save yourself $100 and lots of wait time on delivery by picking up a set of the ES bushings and doing a small amount of trimming to make them fit.

internetautomar

iTrader: (30)

Personally I won't bother running any sort of urethane bushing. I did 100 + on the highway with traffic and manuevered just fine on the STOCK RUBBER bushings.
on another board I'm a member of we had a long discussion of the pros and cons of running rubber vs a urethane bushing. basically it came down to if you were beating the car hard enough you go to rod ends or del-a-lum for bushings (obviously we weren't talking about a maxima).



oh, and BVtran, if I could afford to put 1000 bushing sets (@$143 per set) in my garage you think I'd still be driving a 92 maxima that could use a paint job?

bvtran

iTrader: (3)

Matt, I respect your opinion but your contradicting yourself here since you're kinda guy that always insisting on doing "the job right". Noltec is the way to go. Face it, you really had me persuaded on this mantra. So everything that I do, I always insisting on doing it right.

Yes, I have used ES bushings. Not control arm equivalent but others such as sway bars, etc.. I can attest to you they're hard as plastic not rubber soft quality. Noltec has always been true rubber replacement for me + the benefit of polyurethane.

Now regarding that ES bushing we must modify to fit the control arm. First of all, it wasn't engineered for control arm. I don't know what was it originally designed for. The flat end one side told me that it wasn't engineered for front control arm as most cars has round tubular shape. Secondly, different application-specific bushes have different tensile strength. You simply could not trust some other application bush, then install on the front end and expect the same results. That doesn't necessary mean these ES bushes will fail since none of us knew their engineering aspect. That's why OE or OE replacement are preferred if you want to get the "job right" as you kept on insisting.

Now as far as the price goes, Noltec used to sell both front and back for $100 for both sides SH. I have no ideas why they raised price. It seems like everyone are doing that. Regardless of Noltec prices, I could tell you is that using ES bushings will cost you more money. Trying to cut out ES into tubular shape then expect to press it in properly, you will need to use a press. Most place will charge you around $20 per press each way. So you already talking about $100 on a minimum for an unnecessary labor alone. The point of doing this job alone was so you could have the pleasure of doing it for fun and saving money, not to have someone else finish the job for you. Now if you wanna talk price, then put them to numerical perspective. A pair of front Noltec bushes will cost around $50 SH. I don't recommend buying noltec back bushes since they're so darn expensive so you can get them from the dealer for around $30 per pair if you that's what you need. With Noltec, you're only spending a total of $80 and do it all yourself using a simple hammer/bolt on method that shouldn't take no more than 2hrs (assuming you had experiences) + you get the best performance ever. Again, most people here like yourself and Brian haven't used Noltec yet so you can't attest that but I can. Whereas with ES bushings, it will cost you $40 Shipped + $30 for back bushes from the dealer + $100 for press + gas fees/SH depending on how you get to the press shop + several days of waiting if you have to mail them in for pressing. Realistically, you're talking about the getting the job done right with Noltec at only $80 vs $170 on some half ask job that don't guarantee.

Then again, more power to you if you can get away with all these expensive methods thru using ES bushes route.