Thread: Lower control arm bushes/Arms

Originally Posted by PerthDisco

Ok so changed the front Lower Arms as a job today as well as changed the diff and TB box oils (mentioned elsewhere).

As a first timer finished everything in the day with a few cups of tea and some pondering. Triple checking diff oil quantities and making sure it all gets in is probably equally as time consuming.

Did the job on the two post hoist at local Men’s Shed which made things easy.

Only problem now is even though I tried to put the alignment setting back close the car is now throwing a bunch of dash light faults / HDC / Special Programmes / lowered etc. within 500m of driving so I guess that is just way out alignment and please tell me I’ve broken nothing else? Its steering about 45 degrees off centre to go straight! It’s goes in tomorrow morning for a proper alignment so I hope ok to limp it 20km there?

Some amateur learnings to share;

I used spray can paint markings on the cams but a proper marker pen like in the Britpart video would be so much better. I thought it would be easy to find one but I was wrong.

Sprayed CRC on all bolts a few days ago and every nut released easily. Back bushing bolts were slightly rusted and slightly stubborn to remove but nothing bad (compared to UK).

The Meyle HD kit from Advanced Factors fitted perfectly.

My MY08 definitely cannot release the ball joint taper to free the LCA without releasing the hub nut and pulling the hub out from the drive shaft creating enough clearance to lift the arm. This I found out the painful way with everything released so had to partially reassemble the LCA and break the hub nut in the air using long bar to hold hub from turning!!!!!! . With this done it releases and the new one fits easily. Repeat on other side.

(I think the difference might be the 19” wheel cars have a different hub design for the bigger brakes.)

Next, the Meyle kit comes with nuts that have had the end crushed slightly to create a nylock effect. These have quite a bit of resistance when tightening and spun the ball joint taper on refitting. The trick of lightly loading the taper by jacking up the hub up worked a treat to wind on this nut.

Torquing to proper spec the inner bolts through the bushes is an impossibility. No access for a socket.

Why the lower strut bolt is 300Nm is a mystery to me.

The car was hoisted in locked Access Height but in lifting the hub to the correct ride height to set bolt torque it worked on one side but the other side wanted to lift the car off the hoist within 80mm of the correct height. Ended up lowering to ground on ramps to get the height right on this side with much less pleasant access to the bolts.

Now I have the used but genuine LR LCAs if anyone in WA wants them for rebushing??

Something doesn't sound right. Having put on Meyle LCA's recently I got it fairly close despite a lot of difficulty with the rear bolts and had no problems driving to the alignment shop. I would put it back on the hoist and loosen the front and rear bolts at normal ride height and check that they are seated correctly and retighten and see if that is better. Nick

Originally Posted by Pippin

Something doesn't sound right. Having put on Meyle LCA's recently I got it fairly close despite a lot of difficulty with the rear bolts and had no problems driving to the alignment shop. I would put it back on the hoist and loosen the front and rear bolts at normal ride height and check that they are seated correctly and retighten and see if that is better. Nick

Thanks. All fixed now. My strong advice is to have the right colour marker pen in hand to make neat index markings to both old cam bolts and (black) chassis you can transfer to new bolts. That will be a lot more reliable than spray paint markings I used that blur in the assembly process. The one thing I didn’t allow for.

I use a texta to mark 3 lines on each washer and corresponding mount, did them up at normal height once lowered back onto the wheels.
I reckon the alignment is within 0.5% which will do for now as i think my tierods need replacing.

Hi I have 2008 TDV6 d3.

277K, needs new LCAs. went to my normal tyres guy and asked if he could fit [I am not a great mechanic] and he said he couldn't because there was reprogramming needed as part of the process.

This sounded strange given the ride height sensor is a separate unit.

Is he wrong? After reading a few posts here I am thinking I might have a go at it myself.

any tiops would be appreciated.

DD

You need an alignment afterwards and ideally should put the vehicle into tight tolerance mode but can still be done without it.

Originally Posted by ddeveny

Hi I have 2008 TDV6 d3.

277K, needs new LCAs. went to my normal tyres guy and asked if he could fit [I am not a great mechanic] and he said he couldn't because there was reprogramming needed as part of the process.

This sounded strange given the ride height sensor is a separate unit.

Is he wrong? After reading a few posts here I am thinking I might have a go at it myself.

any tiops would be appreciated.

DD

If you haven't done any of the arms since new, my guess would be that both front and rear upper and lower bushes are all torn. I'm at 217000km in my D4 MY11 and I have this scenario now. I have replaced both upper and lower fronts, including sway bar links and the rear uppers. Rear lowers still to do once I order the arms.

Easy enough DIY, you just need a torque wrench that can go to 300Nm for the lower suspension bolts.

I also think that the D3s needed to remove the steering knuckle to get the lower ball joint out,others on here with more experience on the D3 will confirm

No reprogramming needed, just a wheel alignment afterwards as the lower arms are on eccentric bolts and the upper rear knuckle controls the rear camber. No need to touch suspension height sensors at all.

Originally Posted by Eric SDV6SE

I also think that the D3s needed to remove the steering knuckle to get the lower ball joint out,others on here with more experience on the D3 will confirm.

No but you do need to release the driveshaft nut and swing the hub out while pushing the shaft in in order to gain clearance to manipulate the ball joint out of its home.

I think it’s related to the smaller front disc and brakes which affects the hub design.

Originally Posted by PerthDisco

No but you do need to release the driveshaft nut and swing the hub out while pushing the shaft in in order to gain clearance to manipulate the ball joint out of its home.

I think it’s related to the smaller front disc and brakes which affects the hub design.

Yep, makes sense now. Cheers.