Removing bolts from lower control arm

kenzoil

Original poster
Member
Mar 12, 2014
48
Hello all,

How easy is it to remove and save the bolts and nuts from the front left lower control arm from the control arm support, without removing the control arm support from the vehicle? Also, if I have to remove the whole thing with support included, how do I torque back the support bolts to 190 ft lbs, if I don't have a torque wrench that goes anywhere near that setting? I have a 2008 trailblazer, 4.2L, base model.
thanks.
 

flyboy2610

Member
Aug 24, 2021
460
Lincoln, Ne.
First, unlike some at the other forum, noone here is going to insult your intelligence by insinuating that you're too dumb to work on your vehicle without dropping it on your head! (Personally, I think THAT guy was dropped on his head!)
The control arm to bracket bolts aren't that hard to remove. You may need a drift punch and hammer to knock one of them out, but it's not that bad.
If you do wind up removing the bracket, I wouldn't worry too much about getting the bolts back to the exact torque. Just get them as tight as you can, and that should be good enough to last the trip to the alignment shop, which is where you'll need to go if you remove the bracket.
I'm curious, though. Why do you want to remove only the control arm and not the bracket? To do the ball joints? If the ball joints are the original GM staked ball joints, those are H*LL to remove!
 
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azswiss

Member
May 23, 2021
861
Tempe, AZ
Also, if I have to remove the whole thing with support included, how do I torque back the support bolts to 190 ft lbs, if I don't have a torque wrench that goes anywhere near that setting?
You can add an extension to a torque wrench to get to the higher torque. Example & calculations in this link: Torque Wrench Extension Formula

Capture.JPG
Important Notes: The lengths L1 & L2 are measured from where you apply the force, *NOT* the total length of the torque wrench with & without the extender. Also, the extension must be in line with the body of the torque wrench.
 
Last edited:

Mooseman

Moderator
Dec 4, 2011
25,257
Ottawa, ON
The control arm can be removed from the bracket leaving the bracket in place. I actually did that when I replaced the brackets, removing the A arm before removing the bracket from the truck.


First, unlike some at the other forum, noone here is going to insult your intelligence by insinuating that you're too dumb to work on your vehicle without dropping it on your head!
Which site? TV? Wouldn't surprise me. The place is a collection of jackwagons and tumbleweeds.
 

6716

Member
Jul 24, 2012
821
If you want to go all the way and also remove the control arm brackets, I had to put a 5-foot pipe on my breaker bar to get enough leverage on it. Air tools were insufficient.

Also, once you replace the brackets, you are going to need an alignment. Snug 'em up with the breaker bar you used to get them off, and then decide if you are going to drive to the alignment place chewing up your tires (like I did) or tow dolly your rig. So there's at least one reason not to sweat the torque spec too bad.
 

kenzoil

Original poster
Member
Mar 12, 2014
48
I went out and got a good quality 250 ft lb torque wrench as suggested. I am installing both new control arms and control arm brackets. I bought these as both separate pieces. I have a question when installing the new gm control arm, according to the GM service manual, it says to make sure the "spacer" is in place on the front control arm bracket bushing, before installing the new control arm. I did not get a new spacer washer in my kit, nor could I find one installed on the original gm bracket front bushing. If you don't put a spacer in, it looks like the rubber of the bushing will rub on the steel of the control arm?? Should I just put in a washer in the front before installing the control arm? I checked the other side of the vehicle, and I could not see any spacer. Everything appears original.
 
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6716

Member
Jul 24, 2012
821
Can you post a screen shot or pic of the manual? I don't remember any spacer when I took the old ones off, and I put everything back together without any spacers. I mean, I might have missed something and done it wrong, but I've put a lot of miles on since.
 

kenzoil

Original poster
Member
Mar 12, 2014
48
It was mentioned on numerous pages from the GM service manual (4 volume set). I'll try to get a photo of the page.
 

kenzoil

Original poster
Member
Mar 12, 2014
48
This is the spacer I was referring to. I purchased the orginal equipment GM control arm from Rockauto. I also purchased an ACDelco replacement control arm bracket that had the installed bushings. There seemed to be plenty room in the forward cup to hold a spacer.
 

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6716

Member
Jul 24, 2012
821
Hmmm. The manuals I used are the ones @Mooseman provides on his website, and there is no mention of a spacer in those, at least for the 02-05. I certainly didn't have trouble fitting the control arm over the bracket, there probably is room for a spacer in there maybe. But again, my experience is a lot like yours in that there was no spacer originally, and no spacer came with the parts I bought.

Looking at a couple of parts websites, I can't find a spacer mentioned either.


This guy takes old brackets off and puts new ones on:

My guess is the bushing design changed so that the "spacer" is now part of the bushing. But that's a hunch, and not fact.

I probably wouldn't add a washer to the setup. But that's me. I think you are going to be fine just putting those parts in and not worrying about the spacer. But I'm not there, and it's not my truck, so I think whatever you do you will be living with some amount of mystery.
 

kenzoil

Original poster
Member
Mar 12, 2014
48
I appreciate all your insight and help. I decided to put in a spacer. I made sure there was a slight gap between the spacer and bushing, so nothing binds. Of course, I torqued the bolt and nut to spec. Should be okay. Thanks
 
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Mektek

Member
May 2, 2017
656
FL
I found it was important to get the same alignment of the bracket bushings. The control arm won't fit if they're both pressed in all the way into the bracket. I measured the depth that the old bushing was originally installed, and then duplicated that on the new bushing that I pressed in.
My 02 had no spacers installed on the OEM bushings.
I also measured the position of the bracket before removal and duplicated that when reinstalled so no alignment was necessary.
 
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Dec 8, 2021
33
Silver Spring, MD
Can someone guide me to the part number for the LCA Bracket Bolt Part number? I have decided to throw caution to the wind and replace the 4 original bushings left on the LCA to finally finish the rebuild of the front end bushings top to bottom. I know they sell the entire LCA, but I have already purchased the bushings. If I can't pop the LCA bushing off of the bracket, then I will have to bust loose the bracket itself. I have a 2003 Envoy XL 4WD.
 

TollKeeper

Supporting Donor
Member
Dec 3, 2011
8,047
Brighton, CO
I was going to suggest replacing the bracket as a entire piece... But the pricing on them has since doubled since I did it thru autozone earlier this year. I paid 52? bucks per side, and they are now 131 bucks per side! At 26 bucks per bushing, it was the same price to just replace the bracket,, But now...
 
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Reactions: Redbeard
Dec 8, 2021
33
Silver Spring, MD
I was going to suggest replacing the bracket as a entire piece... But the pricing on them has since doubled since I did it thru autozone earlier this year. I paid 52? bucks per side, and they are now 131 bucks per side! At 26 bucks per bushing, it was the same price to just replace the bracket,, But now...
I know I should just do the whole bracket, but I have the time, tools and hopefully the patience to slowly work my way around the problems over the Thanksgiving week. I want to do it once and at least say I did it. While I am down there the thermostat, radiator hoses, diff. lube, etc will be gone over. I can then never touch it again (hopefully) for another 100k or so.
 

Mooseman

Moderator
Dec 4, 2011
25,257
Ottawa, ON
I replaced the bushings once. Never again.
 

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